193410
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193410 [2014/09/06 15:31] – [TRAIL-RIDING AT KOSCIUSKO] emmanuelle_c | 193410 [2014/09/08 16:40] – [FROM THE DIARY OF CHARLES PRYDE.] emmanuelle_c | ||
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His doubts might have been intensified had he known that one of the two women had barely learned to ride and did not know one side of a horse from the other. However, all went well to begin with. Lucy led the packhorses at a good pace across the open grassy sheep country to Thredbo, and I followed quite creditably. We camped near the fishing shack - belonging to a solicitor on the Thredbo River, hobbled the horses and parked them in the adjoining paddock. A paddock, I was soon to learn, is the be-all and end-all of a horse-rider' | His doubts might have been intensified had he known that one of the two women had barely learned to ride and did not know one side of a horse from the other. However, all went well to begin with. Lucy led the packhorses at a good pace across the open grassy sheep country to Thredbo, and I followed quite creditably. We camped near the fishing shack - belonging to a solicitor on the Thredbo River, hobbled the horses and parked them in the adjoining paddock. A paddock, I was soon to learn, is the be-all and end-all of a horse-rider' | ||
- | In the morning I thought I would improve the shining hour and save time by catching the horses, so I went gingerly up to the likeliest, but he took a mighty hop and left me looking pathetically after his retreating figure. Until then I was under the _impression | + | In the morning I thought I would improve the shining hour and save time by catching the horses, so I went gingerly up to the likeliest, but he took a mighty hop and left me looking pathetically after his retreating figure. Until then I was under the impression |
- | That day's ride took us along the side of the smiling Thredbo River that ripples along between grassy treeshaded banks under the bright bare heights of Kosciusko Plateau rising above their lower, wooded slopes into the clear cloudless blue sky. Matthew Arnold never visited Australia, but I always think it was heights like these, devoid of snow or trees, that he had in mind. when he wrote: | + | That day's ride took us along the side of the smiling Thredbo River that ripples along between grassy treeshaded banks under the bright bare heights of Kosciusko Plateau rising above their lower, wooded slopes into the clear cloudless blue sky. Matthew Arnold never visited Australia, but I always think it was heights like these, devoid of snow or trees, that he had in mind when he wrote: |
"And high the mountain-tops in cloudy air,\\ | "And high the mountain-tops in cloudy air,\\ | ||
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We did not wake to a hurricane, but an angry dawn recalled the proverb, "Red in the morning' | We did not wake to a hurricane, but an angry dawn recalled the proverb, "Red in the morning' | ||
- | Once on the main ridge again, we saw a heap of stones that might have been Gungarten, especially as it had a cairn On the top. I climbed to the cairn but found it was not trig station, and that Gungarten | + | Once on the main ridge again, we saw a heap of stones that might have been Gungartan, especially as it had a cairn on the top. I climbed to the cairn but found it was not trig station, and that Gungartan |
- | We went on it the usual mile-an-hour pace of horse' | + | We went on it the usual mile-an-hour pace of horse' |
- | It was a desolate place, but it might be useful if the storm came up before we reached the Tin Hut to which we were making, so NV took a careful note of its position. | + | It was a desolate place, but it might be useful if the storm came up before we reached the Tin Hut to which we were making, so we took a careful note of its position. |
- | It' | + | |
- | THE Tin Hut. Most of the huts are made of tin, but this is the only one that has TE.7 honour of being so described. The Tin Hut was over the next rise, but alas!, the sound of dogs' barking greeted us from afar.---This meant that the shepherds, who come up in the Summer, had come up already, and that there would be no room in the hut for us also. However, it Was a haven of security amid the lowering clouds and lonely | + | |
- | for her usual three hour siesta - to make up for getting up at 4 a.m. -, and I | + | |
- | went off to climb Gungarten. | + | |
- | As I tramped over the boggy moorland with the mist drifting on and off the fells, I dreamed I was back among the hills of Scotland. The mist concealed the tops and they might have been three thousand feet above me for all I knew, and the magic glamour of the Scottish Highlands seemed borne on the wind from those shrouded heights. I had to climb three summits before I discovered which was the right one. This was partly because the mist concealed them, and partly | + | |
- | because none of them is more than a couple of' hundred feet above the valley, and | + | |
- | each of them is very much like the others, the highest being distinguished only by the trig sign on top. Still, even if they were not as high ' | + | |
- | Despite the chained-up dogs and four melancholy-looking doughnuts in a tin, the shepherds did not return for the night, and we woke to find ourselves still alone among the ever-lasting hills. The sun rose above an ocean of mist stretching to the far horizon,' | + | |
- | I eventually dragged the long-suffering Lucy out of the tent by telling her she was missing the most perfect sunrise. Whatever she thought about it, she merely asked whether ,I intended. to start with the mist on the moorlands. I told her I did, andwrorb and caught the horses -. one of the few times, :'I caught.them all three all by myself without any help from Lucy's magic words and master hand. | + | |
- | The mist had almost lifted when we set forth along the trail. _1 knew that this should take us dawn the valley to Mawsonts Hut on the Valentine Creek, but it kept suspiciously to the tops, and after we had gone a couple of miles, it went right over the other side of the range and dawn towards Jihdallyne direction, Our correct valley lay peacefully over on the 1Nest, but between us and it there rose a five-wire fence. There was a mournful hymn we used to sing in Sunday | + | |
- | -10 - | + | |
- | school about, "But Jordon rolled between" | + | |
- | We aMbled pleasently dawn the river banks in the mellow sunshine and the crisp clear air, till we came to another fence. We were obviously not the first people who had sought for a gate through it. But the others had hunted on horseback, the correct method, Ludy said, though I always foUnd it much quicker to get off and go 'an foot. Anyhow I found the gate all right - about half a mile away in the next valley, and a few miles beyond it was MawsonleEut - and a large cake of salt lick which kept the horses happy for fully half anhour. | + | |
- | Jagungal still. 107 ahead of us, and for two hours more we walkedpleasantly over marshy, grassy uplands and chattering brooks till we came to another gateless fence where we thought it wise to make camp. | + | As I tramped |
- | It was a hot afternoon when I.set off to climb Jagungal, hot for Kosciusko anyhow, although a cool breeze tempered thb scorching 8.112/ | + | |
- | fully two thousand above the lowest. Around it the hills and valleys stretched out in unending sameness, seemingly all of the same size, shape and hue. | + | |
- | "Look away", Lucy used to say, "walk a few yards, and the mountain, you were looking at has disappeared" | + | |
- | From' | + | |
- | There was a sharprfrost that night and the tent stood up by itself when I took out the pegs and pole, but the 'day was as hot as before, and the backs of my hands were getting painfully burnt although, between scouting for the trail and walking Dolly up and dawn hill, they held the reins for only a short time each day. In the end I was reduced to wearing thick woollen gloves -to keep the sun off, these being the only ones I had. , | + | |
- | That day took us back to Mawsonts and on to Grey Mare-Hut, crossing on the way two lovely sparkling rivers and two sharp ridges, arid sighting the Valentine Falls up the valley. In the Grey Mare meadows we nearly stepped an a large black snake, and ran more than half a chance of being gored by a ferocioUs bull who pawed the ground and snorted fire and threatenings at us til;,Lu4 drove' his herd away, and he followed them, gallantly protecting his followers | + | |
- | from behind. We put the horses in a small paddock, and in the morning found | + | |
- | it full up with cattle, despite the fact that it was surrounded by a wire fence. It is a pity horses are not as clever as cattle at getting through wire fencest | + | |
- | I followed Lucyts example that afternoon and took a rest, indulging between whiles in a little ' | + | |
- | Gray Mare ogong was the objective for the next -day,and I arose in the bright moonlight at 3 a.m., intending to get back early in the morning, hastily..gobbled a few nuts and some cold water, -and set forth for the best tramp of the trip, cool, fresh, frosty air, -a long: | + | |
- | Alas! Alas! I do not know if it was the hasty mixture of nuts and _cold water, or whether it was some of the salad vegetables I had been sampling, in emulation | + | |
- | of the horses, but' anyhow: | + | |
- | with a slight ' | + | |
- | In a couple of' hours the desperately .sickfeeling.had,partly gone, and. I thought I might struggle to Grey Mare Trig; It was probably 's: foolish thing to do, but the one mountain, | + | |
- | that was the main': | + | |
- | I struggled back sicker and xearier | + | |
- | Mid-day next day saw the .sick feeling gone, and a.11 of -us back at -Mawsonts Hut where the horses again had a. gorgeous time at the salt-lick ,-had--two and a half days to return to andabyne and. we determined to start back: | + | |
- | back by the prescribed hour noon on Monday, New Year's Day.. - | + | |
- | After some hunting for gates we eventually found a good trail that took us about three miles on our way. Then we met a cross.feng_eand simply could not find the least trace of a gate. And there, scarcely-six yards away on the other side of the main fence, was a trail much better than the one we were J232., and | + | |
- | pursuing its.gateless way as far as we could see. And " | + | |
- | 'Bat we were not on. foot, alad_the shades of night were falling uncomfortably fast., so we thought it wise to -make camp on the edge of the nearby swamp with its sitallow, tadpole pools. The horses | + | |
- | avd the bell sounded unpleasantly close when we were trying to .get to sleep, but -when we woke in the morning they.,were, - again, as usual, way back along the | + | |
- | trail whence we had comet Lucy -saddled the tethered horse and went after them, | + | |
- | -though I always maintained .right up to the end that it was very .much quicker to | + | |
- | - | + | |
- | go on foot. | + | |
- | We retraced our steps, got ' | + | |
- | at less than a mile ::.an hour '; | + | |
- | after all - hJ.f. smile fur: | + | |
- | - . | + | |
- | Anyhow we, | + | |
- | meadows and dancing bi..00ks; | + | |
- | - | + | |
- | On account-Of the-fact -that'We were' nearing flame -.' | + | |
- | We ourselves:; | + | |
- | The hors-eLipaid outL for -the-foodless: | + | |
- | day, so that by aid-day we had only reached the Eucombene River. However, we | + | |
- | had a day to spare, and. according to the map it was only eight miles by the | + | |
- | road and. less still by the short cut to -the Creel. - | + | |
- | While Lucy took-her three- hour sieste..' | + | |
- | country whence we had a, mad. trot back in the gathering gloom.' | + | |
- | - | + | |
- | Once again we camped beside a wide soft-flowing river, but this time we put the horses in a good clover paddock, having first done a little fencing to make | + | |
- | -13 - | + | |
- | it horse-proof. | + | |
- | Nest morning we found what must certainly have been the correct short cut to the Creel, but there was no time then for trying short cuts, and I recalled the story of a little friend whose mother said. | + | |
- | "Well, Portia, I think we'll take this short cut to the station" | + | |
- | "No, no, Mummy, please don' | + | |
- | Anyhow it was only eight miles by road, and perhaps a couple more from the bush to the road and we had till noon to do it, and as we were off soon after | + | |
- | 6 aom. there was ample time. We enquired hopefully.at | + | |
- | farm house. " | + | |
- | "Why, you are the young ladies they have sent the police and search parties,. after" | + | |
- | "Us! Search parties" | + | |
- | "It is curious", | + | |
- | " . | + | |
- | - | + | |
- | by Monday" | + | |
- | "And isn't this Monday"? | + | |
- | "No, itts, | + | |
- | So that was the sequel-to my diary entrY ' " | + | |
- | Fortunately none of the searchers had got further than the hotel, and we parted on good terms with' | + | |
+ | Despite the chained-up dogs and four melancholy-looking doughnuts in a tin, the shepherds did not return for the night, and we woke to find ourselves still alone among the ever-lasting hills. The sun rose above an ocean of mist stretching to the far horizon, frozen waves on an Arctic sea that never was. Then as the sun tinted them with the crimson glory of dawn upon a glacier, they flung phantasmal spray against the rocky hills, spray that gradually drifted upwards and over the mountains towards us, till we too were wrapped in mist. | ||
+ | |||
+ | I eventually dragged the long-suffering Lucy out of the tent by telling her she was missing the most perfect sunrise. Whatever she thought about it, she merely asked whether I intended to start with the mist on the moorlands. I told her I did, and met and caught the horses - one of the few times I caught them all three all by myself without any help from Lucy's magic words and master hand. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The mist had almost lifted when we set forth along the trail. I knew that this should take us down the valley to Mawson' | ||
+ | |||
+ | We ambled pleasantly down the river banks in the mellow sunshine and the crisp clear air, till we came to another fence. We were obviously not the first people who had sought for a gate through it. But the others had hunted on horseback, the correct method, Lucy said, though I always found it much quicker to get off and go on foot. Anyhow I found the gate all right - about half a mile away in the next valley, and a few miles beyond it was Mawson' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jagungal still lay ahead of us, and for two hours more we walked pleasantly over marshy, grassy uplands and chattering brooks till we came to another gateless fence where we thought it wise to make camp. | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was a hot afternoon when I set off to climb Jagungal, hot for Kosciusko anyhow, although a cool breeze tempered the scorching sunlight. It took me about forty-five minutes to climb from it's foot; I therefore concluded it must be over a thousand feet above the highest valley beneath it, and it seemed to be fully two thousand above the lowest. Around it the hills and valleys stretched out in unending sameness, seemingly all of the same size, shape and hue. "Look away", Lucy used to say, "walk a few yards, and the mountain you were looking at has disappeared" | ||
+ | |||
+ | From the summit of Jagungal I could pick out beyond the rolling uplands the pointed Jounima peaks, over fifty miles away, but Bimberi was lost in the midst of many similar rounded mountains. | ||
+ | |||
+ | There was a sharp frost that night and the tent stood up by itself when I took out the pegs and pole, but the day was as hot as before, and the backs of my hands were getting painfully burnt although, between scouting for the trail and walking Dolly up and down hill, they held the reins for only a short time each day. In the end I was reduced to wearing thick woollen gloves to keep the sun off, these being the only ones I had. | ||
+ | |||
+ | That day took us back to Mawson' | ||
+ | |||
+ | I followed Lucy's example that afternoon and took a rest, indulging between whiles in a little clothes washing - strictly limited because I had not even the proverbial one shirt to wash the other. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Grey Mare Bogong was the objective for the next day, and I arose in the bright moonlight at 3 a.m., intending to get back early in the morning, hastily gobbled a few nuts and some cold water, and set forth for the best tramp of the trip, cool, fresh, frosty air, a long lonely walk, wide views far horizons - and no horses! | ||
+ | |||
+ | Alas! Alas! I do not know if it was the hasty mixture of nuts and cold water, or whether it was some of the salad vegetables I had been sampling, in emulation of the horses, but anyhow by the time I reached the tops I began to feel desperately sick, and could hardly drag one foot after the other. At five o' | ||
+ | |||
+ | In a couple of hours the desperately sick feeling had partly gone, and I thought I might struggle to Grey Mare Trig. It was probably a foolish thing to do, but the one mountain, Sgurr Alasdair, that I lost through sheer cowardice, has so deeply burned itself into my soul that I never turn back now if it is at all possible to go on. It was a dreary walk, and I was so miserably weary that every half hour I had to lie down and rest. However I bagged the trig, and that was the main thing. And from it I was able to pick out, in the far distance, the summit of Kosciusko, the roof of Australia, not because it stood out above anything else, but because of the ribbon of road winding to the top of it. I could also pick out Mount Townsend, but it looked no different from other mountains round it, mountains which disappear when you look the other way. Jagungal alone was still conspicuously itself and dependent on no road or map to locate it. | ||
+ | |||
+ | I struggled back sicker and wearier than ever and with no adventures except a second large snake in a swamp under Grey Mare Hill. Poor Lucy had packed up ready for starting, but she nobly unpacked again and fed me with hot water through the afternoon and evening. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mid-day next day saw the sick feeling gone, and all of us back at Mawson' | ||
+ | |||
+ | After some hunting for gates we eventually found a good trail that took us about three miles on our way. Then we met a cross fence and simply could not find the least trace of a gate. And there, scarcely-six yards away on the other side of the main fence, was a trail much better than the one we were on, and pursuing its gateless way as far as we could see. And " | ||
+ | |||
+ | But we were not on foot, and the shades of night were falling uncomfortably fast, so we thought it wise to make camp on the edge of the nearby swamp with its shallow, tadpole pools. The horses as usual were hobbled as tightly as possible and the bell sounded unpleasantly close when we were trying to get to sleep, but when we woke in the morning they were, - again, as usual, - way back along the trail whence we had come! Lucy saddled the tethered horse and went after them, though I always maintained right up to the end that it was very much quicker to go on foot. | ||
+ | |||
+ | We retraced our steps, got on the right-trail and followed it merrily till we were faced with the problem of whether we should cross the main fence or not. These fences were beginning to get on our nerves! One track lay on the Jindabyne side of the fence, and one on the other. It seemed common sense to keep on the side nearest our destination. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Anyhow we were over the worst then, and we soon dropped down to grassy meadows and dancing brooks. | ||
+ | |||
+ | On account of the fact that we were nearing home - fourteen miles the shepherds said - we were afraid that hobbled horses might scent - the wind of home, depart thither, and leave us to follow at our leisure with __their__ saddles and saddle bags. It was not a prospect that appealed to us at all. We therefore unkindly parked them in a deserted stock yard where the only feed consisted of young stinging nettles, the sort you boil up to make spinach. But the horses did not like the feed one little bit. They just stood and sulked. | ||
+ | |||
+ | We ourselves camped not far from the clear flowing Gungarlin River in which I washed my one and only shirt. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The horse paid us out for the foodless night by dragging dreadfully the next day, so that by mid-day we had only reached the Eucumbene River. However, we had a day to spare, and according to the map it was only eight miles by the road and less still by the short cut to the Creel. | ||
+ | |||
+ | While Lucy took her three hour siesta I prospected - on foot, of course - and found the short cut, or thought I had, and in the late afternoon we started off along it; passed a neglected farm and reached some ring-barked country whence no proper track emerged. We started along a kind of a one, but it eventually petered out and we found ourselves just as daylight was fading in the midst of trackless bush with the wild gorge of the Eucumbene River below us. I was far from sure that I could get out the way we had come, but the horses knew better than I; Lucy gave them a free rein, and shortly we were back in the ring-barked country whence we had a mad trot back in the gathering gloom. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Once again we camped beside a wide soft-flowing river, but this time we put the horses in a good clover paddock, having first done a little fencing to make it horse-proof. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Next morning we found what must certainly have been the correct short cut to the Creel, but there was no time then for trying short cuts, and I recalled the story of a little friend whose mother said.\\ | ||
+ | "Well, Portia, I think we'll take this short cut to the station" | ||
+ | "No, no, Mummy, please don' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Anyhow it was only eight miles by road, and perhaps a couple more from the bush to the road and we had till noon to do it, and as we were off soon after 6 a.m. there was ample time. We enquired hopefully at the first farm house - the first inhabited one we had passed. "About fourteen miles", | ||
+ | farm house. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Why, you are the young ladies they have sent the police and search parties after" | ||
+ | "Us! Search parties" | ||
+ | "It is curious", | ||
+ | "And isn't this Monday"? | ||
+ | "No, it's Tuesday" | ||
+ | |||
+ | So that was the sequel to my diary entry " | ||
+ | Fortunately none of the searchers had got further than the hotel, and we parted on good terms with both the policeman and the owner of the horses, the latter promising us really first class animals if ever we came back again. | ||
====== THE WOLGAN VALLEY AND COLO RIVER ====== | ====== THE WOLGAN VALLEY AND COLO RIVER ====== | ||
(continued) (From Dunc's Diary) | (continued) (From Dunc's Diary) | ||
- | __Tuesday 9th. January.__ up at 4.45 a.m., fried eg04.-porridge and coffee for Tieiraiit. Ray and: Roxy washed up while the rest of us explored Annie Rowan | + | __Tuesday 9th. January.__ up at 4.45 a.m., fried eggs, porridge and coffee for breakfast. Ray and Roxy washed up while the rest of us explored Annie Rowan Creek which wound its way up between big mountains. We walked about 3 1/2 miles and then left Annie Rowan Creek with regret at 8.15 a.m. Pretty good walking to Houston Creek where we had a fizz drink and chocolate. Went on with Ninian leading, me next, when all of a sudden Ninian rushed back and dumped his pack in front of me in the path and cut down a sapling, a tiger snake had come down the bank at him, about half of it 18" off the ground. I watched it while Ninian |
- | Creek which wound its way up between big mountains. We walked about 3i- miles and then left Annie Rowan Creek with regret at 8.15 a.m.' | + | |
- | -14 - | + | |
- | it was waving its body about in the air, and then all of -a sudden it slid back into the bushes and we couldn' | + | |
- | After that Wal, Ray, Ninian and myself carried snake sticks. Ray bet Wal a diamond bicycle he would catch the first snake, they decided what they were going to do with the skins. Ray cut his stick with a fork in the end and made a slip loop on it out of a piece of tent rope, and reckoned he Was going to catch his snakes alive. Walls snake stick was about 2 feet long and two or three inches thick and he said it smelled like a water melon. | + | |
- | Arrived at Permanent Water. Creek at 1.20 where we had lunch, bread and cheese, bread and jam and tea, then very rough going through blackberries, | + | |
- | wednesday, 10th. January. Heard Lyre-birds all morning, saw yellow hammers | + | |
- | aid whip-birds, | + | |
- | carried by Ray in a cardboard box which had done the sandwich act in his pack and melted the box and soaked all through his spare clothes, he had sat on them; (Omelettes a great success, even ifdo say it myself "as shouldn' | + | |
- | We scrambled along cliffs over land-slides, | + | |
- | We had stewed mutton, with macroni, stewed apples iand doughboys and custard for tea, slept in tents, had a good night in our tent, boys had a terrible bed, mostly holes, Ray slept by the fire in a gully. | + | |
- | I | + | |
- | Thursday, llth. January: Up at 5.10 a.m., cooked three dampers, had breakfast, boiled eggs, damper and porridge, coffee. Ray cooked the eggs and around one of them he found a piece of paper with " | + | |
- | dropping sheer into the water, and it was a toss up whether we should climb up and over, or cross some rapids which looked very strong and deep with the rocks rather far apart. | + | After that Wal, Ray, Ninian and myself carried snake sticks. Ray bet Wal a diamond bicycle he would catch the first snake, they decided what they were going to do with the skins. Ray cut his stick with a fork in the end and made a slip loop on it out of a piece of tent rope, and reckoned he was going to catch his snakes alive. Wal' |
- | We had travelled about ij miles since morning | + | |
- | . | + | |
- | . | + | |
- | Friday, 12th.. January. Declared. a _day of rest, so we camped all day on our ledge in Lorelei Gorge, .breakfast eggs and bacon and coffee. Roxy's new sand shoes had worn right through the soles, and the ,uppers turned. up and looked at her, so Ray stitched them to a piece of my ground sheet and covered the stitches | + | |
- | Saturday, 13th: January. Breakfast | + | |
- | down myself to the next ledge abotit 50 feet lower and as Ninian was taking my pack from me there, they sang out above ."Look out for that rock"; I-had ray head. tied. up with a scarf and. my straw 'hat on, and. I crouched. close to the .side of the cliff so I wouldn' | + | |
- | wadding on the cut and binding my head very tight with a bandage, so telling the others to bring my pack and he would get me down, we started off, yours truly feeling fairly dizzy. | + | Arrived |
- | It took us exactly 2* hours to come straight dawn from cleaned most of the gore off me before the others arrived, job getting my pack dawn as well as his own. At one time cliff on top of Rene and nearly knocked her off with it. | + | |
- | river at the bottom, tea, damper and anchovy paste, jam. | + | |
- | top to bottom. Ninian | + | |
- | Ray had a terrible he lowered it over a We had lunch on the | + | |
- | Ray went' on ahead and found a camp spot at 4.30 p.m. on a nice sandy spit with pretty silky-oaks and wattle trees shading it; he than came back and took my pack from me. Rene washed my head with cooled boiled water and .a little Condy' | + | |
- | Sunday, 14th. January. :Cooked three dampers, sardine and potato patties for breakfast, with porridge and coffee. Left camp at 9.55, very hard going through blackberries | + | |
- | We now started to look for WollengaMbe Basin, we had crossed over to,the left hand side of the river and were walking along that side making very poor' progress. Ninian climbed up a rock and his feet slid from under him, and he came a terrible bang on his chest on a sharp rock, which shook him up somewhat. We came to a creek coming in on the left hand bank, but as we had no record on our map of that side of the Colo we do not know the name of it, there were plenty of wombat tracks | + | |
- | had banged it on trees as I passed under them. We carried our fish from the night before for bait, and Ray and went fishing. I lost my hook and lino and Ray had his hook straightened out, then I hooked a walloping big eel, but 1 couldn' | + | |
- | him out of the water, so I turned him over to Ray who got down on a flat rock in mid-stream, and it took him, nearly half an hour to land it for me, it wrapped itself round the rocks and made them all slippery and fought like the very devil; at last Ray managed to get him killed and had three penntorth | + | __Wednesday, |
- | (To be continued in:our next.) | + | |
+ | We scrambled along cliffs over landslides, very steep, needing careful going, round a sharp bend to the right where we got on an old survey traverse very much overgrown with scrub,very hard going. River had overflowed banks from 10 to 20 feet and left mud over everything. Bread ran out at breakfast time so we lunched on rice and milk, on a narrow grassy ledge. Ninian and I climbed the cliffs to have a look-see, but couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | We had stewed mutton, with macaroni, stewed apples and doughboys and custard for tea, slept in tents, had a good night in our tent, boys had a terrible bed, mostly holes, Ray slept by the fire in a gully. | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Thursday, llth. January:__ Up at 5.10 a.m., cooked three dampers, had breakfast, boiled eggs, damper and porridge, coffee. Ray cooked the eggs and around one of them he found a piece of paper with " | ||
+ | |||
+ | We had travelled about 1 1/2 miles since morning and were on a bend where the Colo swings North to join Wollemi Creek. By this time it was pretty dark so Ninian, Ray and I chose a camp spot on a sandy spit near the river and a bit muddy, but Rene went back a bit and chose a ledge about five feet wide with a steep rock cliff at the back and a steep sandy slope to the river in front. We had no room for a camp-fire so we made a cooking fire at one end of the ledge, and Rene cooked pea soup, rice, peaches and custard. Had a good night in spite of the fact that our legs were sticking over the ledge, no room to erect tents so we used them as blankets. (In fact, from then on the same remarks apply, with one exception). We thought Wollemi Creek was round the bend, so we decided we would rest the next day and do some washing. We had, been seeing dingo or fox and wombat tracks in the mud all along the river, but that was all we saw of them. | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Friday, 12th. January.__ Declared a day of rest, so we camped all day on our ledge in Lorelei Gorge, breakfast eggs and bacon and coffee. Roxy's new sand shoes had worn right through the soles, and the uppers turned up and looked at her, so Ray stitched them to a piece of my ground sheet and covered the stitches with sticking plaster. We did our washing, went swimming and swam and waded down the river in our bathing costumes looking for Wollemi Creek. I Stubbed my toe on a rock in the water and I guess I nearly broke it, the toe I mean. We collected our washing and I cooked four dampers, found some worms and went fishing. I caught a perch weighing about 1/2 pound and then a tiny little one which we used for bait, then Ninian caught a 2 lb. perch and I caught two eels about three and four pounds respectively, | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Saturday, 13th. January.__ Breakfast of porridge, eels and fish, damper and coffee. Left camp at 8.45 a.m., crossed the river a few yards below where we camped and decided to climb to the top and try and cut off a corner by walking across the tops. Donned Fabrex leggings and commenced to climb up the gully at 9.15 a.m., got to the top of saddle, Roxy's nose bleeding several times on the way up, cut across tops for about two miles, very thick going, we passed Wollemi Creek by doing this. According to Ninian' | ||
+ | |||
+ | It took us exactly 2 1/4 hours to come straight down from top to bottom. Ninian cleaned most of the gore off me before the others arrived. Ray had a terrible job getting my pack down as well as his own. At one time he lowered it over a cliff on top of Rene and nearly knocked her off with it. We had lunch on the river at the bottom, tea, damper and anchovy paste, jam. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ray went on ahead and found a camp spot at 4.30 p.m. on a nice sandy spit with pretty silky-oaks and wattle trees shading it; he than came back and took my pack from me. Rene washed my head with cooled boiled water and a little Condy' | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Sunday, 14th. January.__ Cooked three dampers, sardine and potato patties for breakfast, with porridge and coffee. Left camp at 9.55, very hard going through blackberries and raspberries over our heads, the boys bashed their way through with a thick wattle stick, step by step; we put our time in while we were waiting to move up a step, eating lovely big juicy raspberries and getting ourselves bitten by bull ants and jumper ants, the latter were the worst as they would jump at our legs as soon as we got near them. As we were in single file on a narrow path often one or two of us had to dance on a nest of them till those in front were able to move up a bit, and then the ants were good and mad ready to jump on the next one who had to walk over their nest. There was also a luxuriant growth of stinging nettles the whole way down the Colo, but we had so many ants, lawyer vines, blackberries and raspberries to contend with that the mere fact of stinging nettles brushing round us up to our necks didn't worry us. At least we could push our way through nettles alone, whereas we had to belt our way through the other things. Ninian said, when and if he got back to Sydney, and got stuck in a crowd in Pitt Street, he would cut himself a waddy and bash his way through them, he said he was going to run a survey over the Railway department from the outside, it wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | We now started to look for Wollangambe Basin, we had crossed over to the left hand side of the river and were walking along that side making very poor progress. Ninian climbed up a rock and his feet slid from under him, and he came a terrible bang on his chest on a sharp rock, which shook him up somewhat. We came to a creek coming in on the left hand bank, but as we had no record on our map of that side of the Colo we do not know the name of it, there were plenty of wombat tracks about in the sand and mud. We stopped and had lunch and a swim, and tested the depth of the water to see if we could cross, but decided to stay on the left hand side for a while, had damper and cheese with jam and tea. Carried an for a while but found the going so bad we crossed to the right hand bank on which we stayed till 5.50, when we camped in a pretty little glade with stringy bark trees, black wattles and sassafras. We were all pretty tired and my head was very sore as I had banged it on trees as I passed under them. We carried our fish from the night before for bait, and Ray and went fishing. I lost my hook and line and Ray had his hook straightened out, then I hooked a walloping big eel, but I couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | (To be continued in our next.) | ||
====== FROM THE DIARY OF CHARLES PRYDE. ====== | ====== FROM THE DIARY OF CHARLES PRYDE. ====== | ||
- | Wally know how to get me biting when he asked me to accompany him on a rush holiday trip, by saylag he would show me how to make damper, but after I'd said I would go there was no need to adda fuiTher | + | Wally know how to get me biting when he asked me to accompany him on a rush holiday trip, by saying __he would show me__ how to make damper, but after I'd said I would go, there was no need to add a further |
- | __FOOD LIST.__ | + | __FOOD LIST.__\\ |
- | Chas. Pryde, | + | Chas. Pryde,\\ |
- | (The Damper Duffer | + | (the Damper |
- | .However I thought to my self " | + | |
- | On arrival at KatooMba at 9.35 we weighed' | + | |
- | Side Elevation Side Elevation | + | |
- | Pryde Damper MOTS Damper. (couldn' | + | |
- | there asked me about "the baby'', | + | However |
- | Saturday, 15th. We were moving_ about at ,6.30 a.m... . There, was a very .keen wind and we were glad when the sun reached.-us. By 8 otolock we had finished breakfast, packed and were ready to start off. The birds were wonderful and the bright sunlight | + | |
- | quite a lot.. | + | |
- | ,- | + | |
- | It was tricky ' | + | |
- | Sunday 16th. On rising at 6.0 found a nice fresh bright Morning with the dun just touching the hills. Spch.a variety of birds there were flitting about, and calls of every description. By. the time breakfast | + | |
- | into the gully, and we enjoyed the wealth Of wattle bloom 'acres of yellow and green. The wattle certainly- is pest , | + | |
- | . the tracka. I got a nasty spill and for a few minutes thought Mr ankle had gone, but it wait only a sharp wrench. Through Merri Merrigal, | + | |
- | Monday, 17th, Astir : | + | |
- | We got some wonderful views of the country ranging from King's Tableland, over Burragorang right round. almost to Megalong Valley, and. took some bearings. Left our packs at the only way down the cliffs ,and went out`to.Splendour Rock. The views were magnificent but the light bad for photography: | + | |
- | We put our names in the cairn. There is no _permanent water C17 the -top but | + | |
- | we found some rain water in rock holes which we mopped up and wont back to the packs for' lunch. By 3.0 p.m. we were ready -to start down over the taillus for the Yellow Dog Range. The going was very.tough - over loose broken stone lying just on. the angle of repose - and every step had to be tested. The vegetation was principally that holly leaf shaped bush with plenty of prickles, which had to be made use of as a means of steadying ourselves. There are three pimples on Yellow Dog which are very trying both on the climbs up and down. For a good distance there is a very distinct knife edge. As we gradually got down we took the Southern shoulder and reached the Cox River almost opposite Moorilla Creek at 6.5 and. made camp. Both of us were very tired, but a meal and being clear of our packs soon livened us up. While at dinner., a rock blew out with a tremendous .explosion, and scattered the fire in all directions. | + | On arrival |
- | Tuesday, 18th. After breakfast and a. dip we started off at 9.30 up stream. | + | |
- | The river was running strongly and we had plenty of Wading well over our knees. Saw a fox, any number of wallaby-tracks | + | |
- | animals on the track, and .we -came across a big clump of wild. celery. - | + | |
- | Got as far as the foot of ,Blue Dog Range for lunch, and then on again to . Tin Pot Creek where we made 'camp -on' a nice little flat. Wally had been. very cheerful all day and. was' | + | |
- | "I muft,: | + | |
- | with. -lit | + | |
- | but he did not know any---iiore;' | + | |
- | - Wednesday, 19th. .Got anc.ea.rlys.tart -'on and after -breakfast shaved which we | + | |
- | both needed after 5 days _growth-.. Shortly after passing ' | + | |
- | .Thursday, 20th. The train was well crowded but we got seated comfortably and. had some more sleep. Parted. at Strathfield after a good trip, which I enjoyed every bit as much B.3 I think Wally did. | + | |
+ | __Saturday, 15th.__ We were moving about at 6.30 a.m. There was a very keen wind and we were glad when the sun reached us. By 8 o' | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was tricky getting down the ladders, as the wind was blowing hard on to us. By 5.35 p.m. we'd reached our old camp spot, in Medlow Gap and got settled. As we were both feeling very tired we went to bed at 8.0. Before turning in we noticed some clouds travelling very fast but high, and about midnight were wakened by a rain and wind storm, which however did not last long. | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Sunday 16th.__ On rising at 6.0 found a nice fresh bright morning with the sun just touching the hills. Such a variety of birds there were flitting about, and calls of every description. By the time breakfast was over the sun was well into the gully, and we enjoyed the wealth of wattle bloom acres of yellow and green. The wattle certainly is pest to get through with a pack, but the glorious colouring compensated a lot. We had much needed bath in a small rock pool, and in the creek bed saw some fossilised wood and some tiny orchids. Slow going brought us to our old King's Birthday camp spot for lunch at 12.30. Off again at 1.55 through Black Horse Gap, where we took various bearings of the positions of Mouin, Bimlow, Tableland, etc. to check up, and then round the Eastern side of Warrigal along "The Wombat Parade" | ||
+ | the tracks. I got a nasty spill and for a few minutes thought my ankle had gone, but it was only a sharp wrench. Through Merri Merrigal and then a slide down the talus until we struck water and made camp at 5.30. Got a good fire going and sat until about 10 p.m. when we had coffee and cake and turned in after a perfect day. It was, a glorious moonlight night with bright stars. | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Monday. 17th.__ Astir at 6 a.m. to find another nice day promised. Rough scramble up the talus slope to Merri Merrigal, and then found a way up the cliffs to the top of Dingo. Put our names in the bottle, rebuilt the cairn and added a pole. | ||
+ | |||
+ | We got some wonderful views of the country ranging from King's Tableland, over Burragorang right round almost to Megalong Valley, and took some bearings. Left our packs at the only way down the cliffs and went out to Splendour Rock. The views were magnificent but the light bad for photography. We noticed, there has been a second rock fall at Kanangra since the big one about Easter, but could not exactly locate the position. There are now two distinct white tracks down the cliffs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | We put our names in the cairn. There is no permanent water on the top but we found some rain water in rock holes which we mopped up and went back to the packs for lunch. By 3.0 p.m. we were ready to start down over the talus for the Yellow Dog Range. The going was very tough - over loose broken stone lying just on the angle of repose - and every step had to be tested. The vegetation was principally that holly leaf shaped bush with plenty of prickles, which had to be made use of as a means of steadying ourselves. There are three pimples on Yellow Dog which are very trying both on the climbs up and down. For a good distance there is a very distinct knife edge. As we gradually got down we took the Southern shoulder and reached the Cox River almost opposite Moorilla Creek at 6.5 and made camp. Both of us were very tired, but a meal and being clear of our packs soon livened us up. While at dinner, a rock blew out with a tremendous explosion, and scattered the fire in all directions. Loafed until 11.0 and then turned in. It is another glorious night and Wally is getting quite a songster. I've heard him humming something several times this evening. | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Tuesday, 18th.__ After breakfast and a dip we started off at 9.30 up stream. The river was running strongly and we had plenty of wading well over our knees. Saw a fox, any number of wallaby tracks (some a big size), wongas, lowries, etc. and a flight of wild duck kept just ahead. There were also, some very dead animals on the track, and we came across a big clump of wild celery. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Got as far as the foot of Blue Dog Range for lunch, and then on again to Tin Pot Creek where we made camp on a nice little flat. Wally had been very cheerful all day and was singing occasionally. When I asked him what it was all about he sang | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I must be on my way\\ | ||
+ | with my load of hay" | ||
+ | |||
+ | but he did not know any more. So far through the trip it was very noticeable how Wally would eat anything except bread, so as to conserve our supply, but at lunch time we had finished it up, so there was nothing to do but make a damper. When there was enough ash he started, and gave me minute instructions. After about an hour he tested it and pronounced it done, and laid it aside till the morning to cool off. Much to __my__ disgust when it was cut we found it to be as nearly perfect as could be, really splendid example of bush cooking. He is now retiring on his laurels - wise man. | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Wednesday, | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Thursday, 20th.__ The train was well crowded but we got seated comfortably and had some more sleep. Parted at Strathfield after a good trip, which I enjoyed every bit as much as I think Wally did. | ||
====== NECESSARY ITEMS OF GEAR THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE LEFT AT HOME. ====== | ====== NECESSARY ITEMS OF GEAR THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE LEFT AT HOME. ====== | ||
Practically every pedestrian camper suffers at some time or other from H. P. (Heavy Pack). It generally comes on in the first mile or two and lasts according to the stamina of the camper (and the length of the trip) from a few hours to several days. H.P. is a serious complaint and should not be treated lightly. It has spoilt the enjoyment of many a trip and should therefore be given weighty consideration. Your friends can't tell you about it, because generally speaking they don't know. Short of jettisoning part of the camp gear there is practically no cure for H.P. once the trip has begun. | Practically every pedestrian camper suffers at some time or other from H. P. (Heavy Pack). It generally comes on in the first mile or two and lasts according to the stamina of the camper (and the length of the trip) from a few hours to several days. H.P. is a serious complaint and should not be treated lightly. It has spoilt the enjoyment of many a trip and should therefore be given weighty consideration. Your friends can't tell you about it, because generally speaking they don't know. Short of jettisoning part of the camp gear there is practically no cure for H.P. once the trip has begun. | ||
+ | |||
Therefore if you have ever suffered from the malady, resolve now to attack the problem right away. | Therefore if you have ever suffered from the malady, resolve now to attack the problem right away. | ||
- | The first essentials are a pair of household | + | |
+ | The first essentials are a pair of household | ||
These items are - to be used only at home of course - | These items are - to be used only at home of course - | ||
+ | |||
The next requirements are a note book and pencil, and the treatment can then begin. | The next requirements are a note book and pencil, and the treatment can then begin. | ||
- | Clear the floor of a room -- or verandah, and neatly arrange thereon every-bit of camping gear you possess. Then get out the scales, note book and pencil, and having placed a cushion on the floor proceed to pack the gear you would use for a 3 day trip. (if the patient suffers from Rheumatism, stiff joints or old age the treatment may be carried out an a large table, carefully cleared-and covered with newspaper.) When this has been done weigh the pack nacksack. If it is more than 25 lbs. H.P. has got a very severe hold and wil require drastic treatment. Make a note of the total weight and then proceed to weigh eaok item separately. The separate weights added together should equal the total weight - (but this rarely happens first try). | + | |
+ | Clear the floor of a room - or verandah, and neatly arrange thereon every bit of camping gear you possess. Then get out the scales, note book and pencil, and having placed a cushion on the floor proceed to pack the gear you would use for a 3 day trip. (if the patient suffers from Rheumatism, stiff joints or old age the treatment may be carried out on a large table, carefully cleared and covered with newspaper.) When this has been done weigh the pack nacksack. If it is more than 25 lbs. H.P. has got a very severe hold and will require drastic treatment. Make a note of the total weight and then proceed to weigh each item separately. The separate weights added together should equal the total weight - (but this rarely happens first try). | ||
The next step is to read carefully through the list, and see if you are getting full value for weight. A little consideration will probably help you to reduce the weight by several pounds. | The next step is to read carefully through the list, and see if you are getting full value for weight. A little consideration will probably help you to reduce the weight by several pounds. | ||
- | Next get out all your food containers and weigh them. Glass jars and bottles are to be avoided as they aggravate-the complaint.. tins should be suspected-and carefully weighed,- and even aluminium containers should be reduced | + | |
- | - | + | Next get out all your food containers and weigh them. Glass jars and bottles are to be avoided as they aggravate the complaint. |
- | . If these instructions | + | |
+ | If these instructions | ||
Dieting is not necessary during the treatment. | Dieting is not necessary during the treatment. | ||
- | In this as in all other gear problems Paddy Pallin is.anxious to assist do not hesitate to discuss the matter with him. The-,gear-Ast contained in his booklet " | + | |
+ | In this as in all other gear problems Paddy Pallin is anxious to assist do not hesitate to discuss the matter with him. The gear list contained in his booklet " | ||
Inserted in the interests of good camping. | Inserted in the interests of good camping. | ||
- | by P.A. Pallin, | ||
- | 312 George Street, | ||
- | Phone:, B.3101 Over Hallamts (opposite Wynyard Station.) | ||
- | SYDNEY. | ||
+ | //by P.A. Pallin,\\ | ||
+ | 312 George Street,\\ | ||
+ | Over Hallam' | ||
+ | SYDNEY.\\ | ||
+ | Phone: B.3101 | ||
+ | // | ||
====== SOCIAL NOTES. ====== | ====== SOCIAL NOTES. ====== | ||
On 9th. August a very enjoyable Dance was held at the Arts Club - a dancing competition provided much amusement. | On 9th. August a very enjoyable Dance was held at the Arts Club - a dancing competition provided much amusement. | ||
+ | |||
On 17th. our old friend, Mr. Pryce Conigrave, in his usual fluent style, gave us a lecture on " | On 17th. our old friend, Mr. Pryce Conigrave, in his usual fluent style, gave us a lecture on " | ||
- | Aweek later we spent a very pleasant evening listening to Dr. Chen, Consul General for China, talking of his native land. | + | |
- | On 31st. was held a Mock Trial, dear little.Bobby being the star performer. | + | A week later we spent a very pleasant evening listening to Dr. Chen, Consul General for China, talking of his native land. |
- | During the month of September, we held our usual monthly dance in the Club Room on the 7th., and on the 12th. we held our final dance for the Season at the Arts 61116. Although the attendance was not large, the evening was very jolly and throughly | + | |
- | On the 21st. Was presented, as isnow our custom, a 3-Act Play. This was " | + | On 31st. was held a Mock Trial, dear little Bobby being the star performer. |
- | The fallowing | + | |
- | We wish to heartily congratulate Marg and Myles Dunphy on the birth of their second son Dexter | + | During the month of September, we held our usual monthly dance in the Club Room on the 7th., and on the 12th. we held our final dance for the Season at the Arts Club. Although the attendance was not large, the evening was very jolly and thoroughly |
- | RENE D. BROWNE, | + | |
- | Hon. Social Secretary. | + | On the 21st. was presented, as is now our custom, a 3-Act Play. This was " |
- | My dear, | + | |
- | We had a perfectly | + | The following |
- | You might pass the word round to the rest of the gang that she is there, so that if they' | + | |
- | Don't forget - PITT ST. end of the ROYAL ARCADE | + | We wish to heartily congratulate Marg and Myles Dunphy on the birth of their second son Dexter |
- | runs through to George St. not far from Park St. | + | |
- | Bye, Bye, will see you soon, Yours, Con. | + | RENE D. BROWNE, Hon. Social Secretary. |
+ | |||
+ | My dear,\\ | ||
+ | We had a perfectly | ||
+ | You might pass the word round to the rest of the gang that she is there, so that if they' | ||
+ | Don't forget - __PITT | ||
+ | Bye, Bye, - will see you soon,\\ | ||
+ | Yours,\\ | ||
+ | Con. |
193410.txt · Last modified: 2014/09/11 10:51 by emmanuelle_c