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| |At Our February Meeting|A.C.| | |At Our February Meeting|A.C.| | ||
| |Dripping with Jewels|Keith Renwick| 3| | |Dripping with Jewels|Keith Renwick| 3| | ||
| - | |Gold Depdsits | + | |Gold Deposits |
| |Grappling with the Grampians|Brian Harvey|10| | |Grappling with the Grampians|Brian Harvey|10| | ||
| |Federation Report, February|Allen A. Strom|13| | |Federation Report, February|Allen A. Strom|13| | ||
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| Dec. 23rd saw three bods trying to force their poor bodies into what remained of the room in the wee Renault stacked to the roof with camping and prospecting gear for ten days. We were off to an early start on a trip north to the New England Tableland with the Lapidary Club of N.S.W. This Club is concerned with the finding and cutting of precious and semi-precious stones, and I had recently joined up with the idea of finding a new twist on Bushwalking. Two members of the Newcastle Tech. College Bushwalkers also came up by train later to join the party, which at one stage numbered 33. | Dec. 23rd saw three bods trying to force their poor bodies into what remained of the room in the wee Renault stacked to the roof with camping and prospecting gear for ten days. We were off to an early start on a trip north to the New England Tableland with the Lapidary Club of N.S.W. This Club is concerned with the finding and cutting of precious and semi-precious stones, and I had recently joined up with the idea of finding a new twist on Bushwalking. Two members of the Newcastle Tech. College Bushwalkers also came up by train later to join the party, which at one stage numbered 33. | ||
| - | The journey north to Murruoundi | + | The journey north to Murrurundi |
| We had been told there was a turkey farm just past Murrurundi with a good campsite nearby, but having gone 19 miles we concluded we had passed it and pulled in at the side of the road for the night. Next morning we had gone only a mile when we struck the turkey farm. | We had been told there was a turkey farm just past Murrurundi with a good campsite nearby, but having gone 19 miles we concluded we had passed it and pulled in at the side of the road for the night. Next morning we had gone only a mile when we struck the turkey farm. | ||
| - | After getting supplies at Tamworth and Armidale we turned off at Guyra and headed north-east to Oban and evertu' | + | After getting supplies at Tamworth and Armidale we turned off at Guyra and headed north-east to Oban and eventually |
| We stayed here only a short time and next day went down the side of the ridge - by car - to the Oban River where our main camp was to be. We found a good spot and set up camp. I was very surprised at the appearance of the country. Expecting more open grass1ands, I was pleased to find it quite thickly covered with open gum forest, and the Oban a pleasant meandering stream with numerous gravel banks. It was in these that we were going to " | We stayed here only a short time and next day went down the side of the ridge - by car - to the Oban River where our main camp was to be. We found a good spot and set up camp. I was very surprised at the appearance of the country. Expecting more open grass1ands, I was pleased to find it quite thickly covered with open gum forest, and the Oban a pleasant meandering stream with numerous gravel banks. It was in these that we were going to " | ||
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| === Meet the Deputy Mayor of Manly. === | === Meet the Deputy Mayor of Manly. === | ||
| - | As Bert Whillier was proudly watching daughter Lynette taking part in a swimming display at the Manly Pool, an official approached and asked would he like to come and be introduced to the Deputy Mayor of Manly. Bert, who usually associates Mayors with Corporations, | + | As Bert Whillier was proudly watching daughter Lynette taking part in a swimming display at the Manly Pool, an official approached and asked would he like to come and be introduced to the Deputy Mayor of Manly. Bert, who usually associates Mayors with Corporations, |
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| - By " | - By " | ||
| - | Six disconsolate bods assembled at Central at 6 p.m. It was Friday, January 20th and they constituted the gold-dredging expedition to the Fish River. Up till a few hours before, ideal conditions had prevailed. Then torrents had fallen, and it was still raining heavily and much more of the same was promised for the week-end. | + | Six disconsolate bods assembled at Central at 6 p.m. It was Friday, January 20th and they constituted the gold-dredging expedition to the Fish River. Up till a few hours before, ideal conditions had prevailed. Then torrents had fallen, and it was still raining heavily and much more of the same was promised for the week-end. |
| At Blackheath they detrained, and after checking on time tables went in search of a taxi to take them to Hampton and out along the Old Bathurst Road to within sight, if possible, of the Fish River. For nearly half an hour they waited until, just as the next train could be heard coming up from Meadlow Bath and they were about to give up, the taxi arrived. "How much?" asked the leader, as the train was pulling into the station. The driver was not in a hurry, and not realising the urgency of the situation he thought for a while in silence. The he said, "Oh, about 25 bob each." The next moment they were gone, racing like mad elephants for that train. Fortunately the train was in no great hurry either, and it waited whilst they came, one, two and three and four, and yes, five and six. But they made it! If they had had time to be polite and to explain they would no doubt have said something like this to the taxi driver: " | At Blackheath they detrained, and after checking on time tables went in search of a taxi to take them to Hampton and out along the Old Bathurst Road to within sight, if possible, of the Fish River. For nearly half an hour they waited until, just as the next train could be heard coming up from Meadlow Bath and they were about to give up, the taxi arrived. "How much?" asked the leader, as the train was pulling into the station. The driver was not in a hurry, and not realising the urgency of the situation he thought for a while in silence. The he said, "Oh, about 25 bob each." The next moment they were gone, racing like mad elephants for that train. Fortunately the train was in no great hurry either, and it waited whilst they came, one, two and three and four, and yes, five and six. But they made it! If they had had time to be polite and to explain they would no doubt have said something like this to the taxi driver: " | ||
| - | At Mt. Victoria they de-trained, and after another wait of about half an hour along came the Coonamble Mail whose passengers didn't care whether the gold-diggers lived or died. Nevertheless however | + | At Mt. Victoria they de-trained, and after another wait of about half an hour along came the Coonamble Mail whose passengers didn't care whether the gold-diggers lived or died. Neverthelesshowever |
| At Tarana they de-trained. It was about 12.30 a.m. Sat.! The driver of the only vehicle at the station that looked like a taxi said he was on his way to Oberon and would like to drive them to their destination only he was not making a return trip. There was no alternative but to walk it, so on they went. The rain had stopped but the ground oozed water, and there was every evidence of what had recently fallen. Out along the road they found a suitable spot and decided to camp for the night. By the time the tents were up and the bags were down and the bods were in, the stars were out. The most tardy had his lights out by 1.45 a.m. | At Tarana they de-trained. It was about 12.30 a.m. Sat.! The driver of the only vehicle at the station that looked like a taxi said he was on his way to Oberon and would like to drive them to their destination only he was not making a return trip. There was no alternative but to walk it, so on they went. The rain had stopped but the ground oozed water, and there was every evidence of what had recently fallen. Out along the road they found a suitable spot and decided to camp for the night. By the time the tents were up and the bags were down and the bods were in, the stars were out. The most tardy had his lights out by 1.45 a.m. | ||
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| It was just about this time that two of the advance party came upon silver and copper (a two-bob and one halfpenny respectively), | It was just about this time that two of the advance party came upon silver and copper (a two-bob and one halfpenny respectively), | ||
| - | At last they reached the river! It was about 11 a.m.! But what did the party find? Not a drought-stricken naked river bed in which to poke and pry and pan, but a rushing, tearing, teasing torrent, protecting in its bosom the treasure | + | At last they reached the river! It was about 11 a.m.! But what did the party find? Not a drought-stricken naked river bed in which to poke and pry and pan, but a rushing, tearing, teasing torrent, protecting in its bosom the treasure |
| After lunch, operations began. The one lady in the party wore dark glasses, no doubt to protect her eyes from the glitter of the gold nuggets she hoped to find. The experts brought out their pans and shovels and picks and cleaned out crevices and cracks and all sorts of odd places where the precious gold might have fallen and might be lurking, and panned and panned and panned. One of the party who had no pan produced a sandwich tin, and when he saw how it was done, did exactly the same with exactly the same result. Neverthelesshowever he did not possess the same enduring enthusiasm that the others displayed, and found it more pleasant to sit in the sun and wait for the rest to locate it. After a long time they all returned to base camp. That is, all except Howard who would not let it go. While waiting for him to return Frank said, " | After lunch, operations began. The one lady in the party wore dark glasses, no doubt to protect her eyes from the glitter of the gold nuggets she hoped to find. The experts brought out their pans and shovels and picks and cleaned out crevices and cracks and all sorts of odd places where the precious gold might have fallen and might be lurking, and panned and panned and panned. One of the party who had no pan produced a sandwich tin, and when he saw how it was done, did exactly the same with exactly the same result. Neverthelesshowever he did not possess the same enduring enthusiasm that the others displayed, and found it more pleasant to sit in the sun and wait for the rest to locate it. After a long time they all returned to base camp. That is, all except Howard who would not let it go. While waiting for him to return Frank said, " | ||
| - | As evening came down, a great cloud came up on the other side of the Great Dividing Range. It was beautiful to behold as it was lit with the glow of sunset. Afterwards it looked grey, and then dark and ominous as it gethered | + | As evening came down, a great cloud came up on the other side of the Great Dividing Range. It was beautiful to behold as it was lit with the glow of sunset. Afterwards it looked grey, and then dark and ominous as it gathered |
| Sunday came, and although no rain had fallen, the clouds were very low and threatening. Neverthelesshowever a strong breeze was blowing, and by the afternoon it was quite fine again. The river had risen about 4 inches on Sunday afternoon, and although it had fallen again by Sunday it was still the same muddy, madly rushing torrent of the previous day. After breakfast the party went up the river to try their luck, and after dinner they moved down the river to have a last try. Unfortunately.the result was always the same. About 3 p.m. the river was left behind as the party climbed a hill up on to the road and returned to Tarana, thus completing a circuit of the ridge of which Even's Crown is the highest point. Afternoon tea was had on the bank of Solitary Creek whilst waiting for the train to come at 5.53 p.m. | Sunday came, and although no rain had fallen, the clouds were very low and threatening. Neverthelesshowever a strong breeze was blowing, and by the afternoon it was quite fine again. The river had risen about 4 inches on Sunday afternoon, and although it had fallen again by Sunday it was still the same muddy, madly rushing torrent of the previous day. After breakfast the party went up the river to try their luck, and after dinner they moved down the river to have a last try. Unfortunately.the result was always the same. About 3 p.m. the river was left behind as the party climbed a hill up on to the road and returned to Tarana, thus completing a circuit of the ridge of which Even's Crown is the highest point. Afternoon tea was had on the bank of Solitary Creek whilst waiting for the train to come at 5.53 p.m. | ||
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| However, one must not be led to believe that the Grampians are a range with a backbone like the Gangerang but rather they constitute a giant uplift from the plains, being roughly oval in formation, running North-South, | However, one must not be led to believe that the Grampians are a range with a backbone like the Gangerang but rather they constitute a giant uplift from the plains, being roughly oval in formation, running North-South, | ||
| - | The highest point in the Grampians is Mount William, which lies in the centre of the most Easterly uplift, which range is called after the peak, rising to 3,827 feet. A sign-post on the road just traversed points the way to a long well-graded track up Mt. William' | + | The highest point in the Grampians is Mount William, which lies in the centre of the most Easterly uplift, which range is called after the peak, rising to 3,827 feet. A sign-post on the road just traversed points the way to a long well-graded track up Mt. William' |
| - | It is unfortunate that most views from the perimeter of the Grampians are over a sea of endless plains cleared for sheep and cattle running, and are therefore somewhat monotonous no matter what peak they might be seen from. However, on the road from Hall's Gap which runs about due West through the Grampians, there are some look-outs with good views of fairly undisturbed areas, backed by the saw-tooth peaks on the sky-line. The upper parts of the McKenzie River have some fine waterfalls close to the road which follows the river down to the plain towards Horsham, and on this road was the cottage we had rented from a Mr. Zumstein. We were glad of an iron roof and a roaring fireplace as the ground was wet everywhere, and there were biting winds and frosts. I am sure I was the only one wearing shorts (in the traditional S.B.W. manner) in the immediate 500 square miles. Mr. Zunstein | + | It is unfortunate that most views from the perimeter of the Grampians are over a sea of endless plains cleared for sheep and cattle running, and are therefore somewhat monotonous no matter what peak they might be seen from. However, on the road from Hall's Gap which runs about due West through the Grampians, there are some look-outs with good views of fairly undisturbed areas, backed by the saw-tooth peaks on the sky-line. The upper parts of the McKenzie River have some fine waterfalls close to the road which follows the river down to the plain towards Horsham, and on this road was the cottage we had rented from a Mr. Zumstein. We were glad of an iron roof and a roaring fireplace as the ground was wet everywhere, and there were biting winds and frosts. I am sure I was the only one wearing shorts (in the traditional S.B.W. manner) in the immediate 500 square miles. Mr. Zumstein |
| In spite of the brightly-coloured words and illustrations in the Victorian Tourist Bureau pamphlet, the wild flowers in the area do not measure up to those of our coastal sandstone belts. We were perhaps a little early, but the tall plants like our Eriostemon were completely absent. However, the Golden Wattles, and the red and pink heaths were a delight and made colourful subjects or foregrounds for the Kodachromes. | In spite of the brightly-coloured words and illustrations in the Victorian Tourist Bureau pamphlet, the wild flowers in the area do not measure up to those of our coastal sandstone belts. We were perhaps a little early, but the tall plants like our Eriostemon were completely absent. However, the Golden Wattles, and the red and pink heaths were a delight and made colourful subjects or foregrounds for the Kodachromes. | ||
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| __Assistance of Army in bushfires__: | __Assistance of Army in bushfires__: | ||
| - | __The Murgamarra Trust__ would like to hear from any member of the public | + | __The Murgamarra Trust__ would like to hear from any member of the public |
| - | The Wildlife Survey Section of tho C.S.I.R.O. is conducting a __Marsupial Survey__ of New South Wales. It is an attempt to determine numbers and distribution of Species, a very important type of information in Preservation work. Bushwalkers, | + | The Wildlife Survey Section of the C.S.I.R.O. is conducting a __Marsupial Survey__ of New South Wales. It is an attempt to determine numbers and distribution of Species, a very important type of information in Preservation work. Bushwalkers, |
| A Practice __Search and Rescue__ is set down for April 14/15 in the Wheeny Creek area. More information will be available for Club Contact Men, later. The S.& R. was alerted for two parties overdue from the week-end Feb. 18/19, but both parties made contact points before the searches were commenced. | A Practice __Search and Rescue__ is set down for April 14/15 in the Wheeny Creek area. More information will be available for Club Contact Men, later. The S.& R. was alerted for two parties overdue from the week-end Feb. 18/19, but both parties made contact points before the searches were commenced. | ||
| - | The S & R Section proposes to produce a __Tasmanian Brochure__ for intending Walkers and Trippers in Tasmania. It will attempt to eliminate the dangers encountered by people travelling south unprepared for the rigid conditions that ofter persist in Tasmania. | + | The S & R Section proposes to produce a __Tasmanian Brochure__ for intending Walkers and Trippers in Tasmania. It will attempt to eliminate the dangers encountered by people travelling south unprepared for the rigid conditions that often persist in Tasmania. |
| __Mining in Reserves__: A deputation met the Under Secretary for Mines on this subject recently, in an attempt to... | __Mining in Reserves__: A deputation met the Under Secretary for Mines on this subject recently, in an attempt to... | ||
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| __Federation Re-union__: To take place at Euroka Clearing on March 16/17th. The S.B.W. has been given the responsibility of preparing the supper. Each Club is asked to prepare at item for the Campfire. | __Federation Re-union__: To take place at Euroka Clearing on March 16/17th. The S.B.W. has been given the responsibility of preparing the supper. Each Club is asked to prepare at item for the Campfire. | ||
| - | __Panorama Point (Kurrajong Heights)__: Following reports that the Lookout and the properzy | + | __Panorama Point (Kurrajong Heights)__: Following reports that the Lookout and the property |
| __The Kameruka Club__ asked permission of the Federation to establish a memorial to the late President of that Club, in the form of a fixed chain and a plaque on the chimney leading down from Splendour Rock on to the Spotted Dog Range below. It was resolved that the matter should be taken back to the Clubs. | __The Kameruka Club__ asked permission of the Federation to establish a memorial to the late President of that Club, in the form of a fixed chain and a plaque on the chimney leading down from Splendour Rock on to the Spotted Dog Range below. It was resolved that the matter should be taken back to the Clubs. | ||
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| - Digby. | - Digby. | ||
| - | It was the perfect sunrise at Frenchman' | + | It was the perfect sunrise at Frenchman' |
| In the first place there were six, a good, rational even number - three boys and three girls. I suspect that I was invited later to sway the balance of power, but having little power and a doubtful balance, this worthy plan was doomed at the outset. As Goof explained it, his general plan was to spend a leisurely eight days in the Cradle Mt. Reserve, a couple in Queenstown to recuperate(? | In the first place there were six, a good, rational even number - three boys and three girls. I suspect that I was invited later to sway the balance of power, but having little power and a doubtful balance, this worthy plan was doomed at the outset. As Goof explained it, his general plan was to spend a leisurely eight days in the Cradle Mt. Reserve, a couple in Queenstown to recuperate(? | ||
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| __Score__:- Tasmania 3; S.B.W. Nil. | __Score__:- Tasmania 3; S.B.W. Nil. | ||
| - | However, in our ramblings we had gained some fine views of the surrounding peaks, including Cradle Mt. and Barn Bluff, now well to the north. Ossa alone was still breviing | + | However, in our ramblings we had gained some fine views of the surrounding peaks, including Cradle Mt. and Barn Bluff, now well to the north. Ossa alone was still brewing |
| Geof conceived the brilliant thought of a fire out in the open for our evening meal. It was a revolutionary idea and a mighty one, no furious fire fanning, no congestion - we revelled in it. This may sound strange for S.B.Ws., but it's easy to develop a "hut complex" | Geof conceived the brilliant thought of a fire out in the open for our evening meal. It was a revolutionary idea and a mighty one, no furious fire fanning, no congestion - we revelled in it. This may sound strange for S.B.Ws., but it's easy to develop a "hut complex" | ||
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| - | THE WETTEST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD | + | ===== The Wettest Journey In The World. ===== |
| - Dot Butler | - Dot Butler | ||
| - | Sow well known to Bushwalkers the summer trip - the silent sunbaked ridges under the hard blue-white February sky; the' | ||
| - | streams of perspiration trickling down dusty limbs. Well, you can | ||
| - | 0 | ||
| - | # forget all that for the next few pages. This is a journey into a new | ||
| - | world. | ||
| - | The trip was thought up by Colin, to know whom is a Itberal education. If he had never-been born it would have been necessary invent him. The wildly exciting schemes that have their genesis in the Putt mind leave the brain of r,rdinary mortals reeling. When backed up by enthusiasts like Stitt and Garth, whose curves of adventure swoop up like a brace of departing jets, the result is terrific. When further supported by Snow and the Admiral and a few more of us, it's a case of when an irresistible force meets an immovable object, Heaven help the immovable objectl | ||
| - | The planned trip was to be from Katoomba across Narrow Neck to a cave near Coral Swamp where we would camp Friday night, than down Taro's Ladder and Black Dog Ridge to the Cox,. Here Ulysses Putt and his mariners would construct a couple of rafts and then "fare forth over the wine dark sea", as Homer tells us, to Harry' | ||
| - | The previous week Ulysses and his crew combed the auto-wreckers' | ||
| - | Three cars and Garth' | ||
| - | After a leisurely trip up, what time the weather worsened and Colin mended punctures, we reached Katoomba and emerged loaded down with the usual gear plus rope and inner tubes and watertight tins in a paper parcel, and Colin with an axe handle poking through the top of his pack and a life jacket and a hme-mado bellows whose vital par was a tin labelled " | ||
| - | In driving rain we piled ourselves and packs into a waiting taxi | ||
| - | 0 and so oUt to the shelter shed at Narrow Neck. As there was no one to white-ant the white ants, the suggestion that we camp in the shelter shed for the night instead of dragging out to Coral Swamp met with unanimous approval. We laid out our inner tubes on the floor and seats, laid ourselves in our sleeping bags on top of them, and b7! 10 o' | ||
| - | 20. | ||
| - | ed in the morning that the sighing proceeded from the valve of his tube as he changed his position in sleep. At midnight voices of new arrivals woke us up, but it was not Snow and party but a couple of Rover scouts who bedded down on the concrete alongside us. All night long the rain drummed on the roof. About 5 a.m. a faint lightening of the sky colour indicated dawn was at hand, so we stowed our gear into our packs and hit the trail immediately; | ||
| - | In the partial shelter of the trees at Coral Swamp we stop for breakfast. Our leader hands us a box of matches and a stub of candl and says, "You get a fire going while I chop down some wood," | ||
| - | We soon had a good hot fire. Breakfast disposed of we went up to the cave, but there was no sign of its having been used by the others, so we wrote a message in the wet sand and departed - through watery wastes of swampland whore button-grass waved its long tassel-tipped stalks in our faces, out to the open heath land. There was something sinister about the hooded figures flitting i-Ihrough the wild weather. " | ||
| - | All the wise green growing things were rioting enthusiastically | ||
| - | in the wet; the rocky crags on our right looked like indistinct paintings through the veil of white rain as they dropped away into misty nothingness below. Glen Raphael pool was running abanker as we skirted round it, then out past the shelter cave and down Taro's Ladder to reach Black Dog track. While we kept moving the leeches didn' | ||
| - | By lunch time we were at the cave on Black Dog track about a quarter hour from the Cox. The rain still pelted down. The old hil: held their breath and cowered under the deluge. Here we decf.ded to wait in case the others were coming, and have lunch. We had heard a shout earlier, but as we got no reply to our answering chorus we presumed it was our two Rover friends of the previous night. | ||
| - | While the Admiral finished eating and Colin mended the last punctures, Keith and I excavated sleeping platforms for 4 in a huge heap of powder-fine and in the adjoining cave, Then, leaving our | ||
| - | 21. | ||
| - | gear in the cave where we planuedtp spend the night, we took tubes and rope and axe and sped down the track to the Cox where we would make our raft for the morrow' | ||
| - | the flood, and sitting in the mud of the foam-lapped bank what shou:- startlingly meet our eyes but five packs and the sodden remnents of various lunches...but not a sign of their awners. It passed througl. | ||
| - | a | ||
| - | our minds that they might have been swept away in a body, but a | ||
| - | | ||
| - | had heard. Their raft was just about comPleted and they were all for embarking for Harry' | ||
| - | Now, this splitting up of the party was not a good thing, and wiz rapidly marshalled all our arguments -against it. The most important, | ||
| - | of course, Was that we would be denied the pleasure of their company | ||
| - | on the perilous trip, but we thought up a, lot of herrings to throw | ||
| - | across the trail before we' admitted it, namely Coat Harrys Humpy had no roof on it, and the cOrrugated iron walls had also been removed 1D-1 the timber vutters. 7'in fact there wasno Harry' | ||
| - | COWS and inflated WOMbatS. We painted a glowing picture of our nice snug ten-man sleeping' | ||
| - | fire reflecting heat off 'the 'Walls; they could dry out everything and enjoy life tomorrow. After expending a great deftl of verbal froth and them still not convinced, the brilliant thought occurred that Colin was the leaderand.ought to be consulted. Colin thought | + | How well known to Bushwalkers the summer trip - the silent sunbaked ridges under the hard blue-white February sky; the pitiless inescapable sun; the hot eucalyptus-scented bush; tinder-dry sticks of dead wood; stagnant pot-holes of water in the dried creek beds; streams of perspiration trickling down dusty limbs. Well, you can forget all that for the next few pages. This is a journey into a new world. |
| - | THEY SHOULD ALL KEEP TOGETHER, and the day was won. Just as simple as that. | + | |
| - | During all this time we were occupiQd | + | The trip was thought up by Colin, to know whom is a Liberal education. If he had never been born it would have been necessary to invent him. The wildly exciting schemes that have their genesis in the Putt mind leave the brain of ordinary mortals reeling. When backed up by enthusiasts like Stitt and Garth, whose curves of adventure swoop up like a brace of departing jets, the result is terrific. When further supported by Snow and the Admiral and a few more of us, it's a case of when an irresistible force meets an immovable object, Heaven help the immovable object! |
| - | ' | + | |
| - | 22. | + | The planned trip was to be from Katoomba across Narrow Neck to a cave near Coral Swamp where we would camp Friday night, than down Taro's Ladder and Black Dog Ridge to the Cox. Here Ulysses Putt and his mariners would construct a couple of rafts and then "fare forth over the wine dark sea", as Homer tells us, to Harry' |
| - | water near the bank, then got ashore and dragged their craft back towards their starting point, but there they were still separated from us by Black Dog Creek which was rising rapidly all the time | + | |
| - | Colin, meanwhile, was at work on the other raft, and had cut up most of the rope to tie its framework together. But we borrowed what was left of it, extending it with a few yards of sashcord and flung an end over the creek so Pete and Garth could tie the raft to it and we could pull it over Garth got aboard as passenger and we started pulling, but of course the cord snapped and away shot the raft, turnineover | + | The previous week Ulysses and his crew combed the auto-wreckers' |
| - | But now Celin demanded the return of his rope so he could finish his job, so our two adventurers pulled their raft well up thc hillside and came back with the rope, hoping to negotiate a way eve the creek without the raft. A hundred yards up the creek a fallen tree spanned the stream, but it was slimy and precarious and if they had fallen off they would have been dashed to pieces over the waterfall below, so it was a case of fording the creek after all, At our feet lay a long sapling which we hoisted over the water to make a handrail, and while four braced it against a tree our side and Pete held it on the other side, Garth plunged into the flood an-- came across hand over hand. We thought we were going to losT him when he got to the middle, and Colin dashed out into the water to give him a helping hand, and with something of relief we welcomed on to our bank. Peter followed, and there we were all together again. It was now about 5 o' | + | |
| - | The congestion was more than somewhat as the five new arrivals strove to dry out their gear round the cooking fire, so I added my meat to someone else's stew and adjourned to the adjoining cave to enlarge the sleeping | + | Three cars and Garth' |
| - | vain that the murk stuck to the bottom of the billy was Colin' | + | |
| - | share of the stew. With the dinner debris cleaned up a bit and | + | After a leisurely trip up, what time the weather worsened and Colin mended punctures, we reached Katoomba and emerged loaded down with the usual gear plus rope and inner tubes and watertight tins in a paper parcel, and Colin with an axe handle poking through the top of his pack and a life jacket and a home-made bellows whose vital part was a tin labelled " |
| - | wet clothes hung up on rocks, we headed next door for bed. | + | |
| - | It looked really wonderfUl when they were all in - something like the Western District' | + | In driving rain we piled ourselves and packs into a waiting taxi and so out to the shelter shed at Narrow Neck. As there was no one to white-ant the white ants, the suggestion that we camp in the shelter shed for the night instead of dragging out to Coral Swamp met with unanimous approval. We laid out our inner tubes on the floor and seats, laid ourselves in our sleeping bags on top of them, and b7! 10 o' |
| - | next, tier was occupied by Garth, Pete, Dot Snow and Keith, who were all right while they slept diagonally but found their legs dangling over outer space and unsupported from the knees down if the | + | |
| - | got themselves across the 4 ft, wide platform. Rather | + | In the partial shelter of the trees at Coral Swamp we stop for breakfast. Our leader hands us a box of matches and a stub of candle and says, "You get a fire going while I chop down some wood," |
| - | 23. | + | |
| - | in a state of apprehension, | + | We soon had a good hot fire. Breakfast disposed of we went up to the cave, but there was no sign of its having been used by the others, so we wrote a message in the wet sand and departed - through watery wastes of swampland where button-grass waved its long tassel-tipped stalks in our faces, out to the open heath land. There was something sinister about the hooded figures flitting through the wild weather. " |
| - | First light showed a boistrous morning. "1 think," | + | |
| - | "Time to get up," said the leader, but the party found it snugger to burrow abed, lapped in eiderdown to the eyebrows, than to leap out into the cold and wet. But Colin is made of the stern stuff reserved for the manufacture of heros, and he rolled out of the warm wet bit of filter cloth he flatters by the name of blanket sleeping-bag and got the fire going. It was an easy matter to rouse the others by merely rolling them down the slope on to the long- suffering Dalai Lama and Stan, although it took two of us to dislodg, | + | All the wise green growing things were rioting enthusiastically in the wet; the rocky crags on our right looked like indistinct paintings through the veil of white rain as they dropped away into misty nothingness below. Glen Raphael pool was running abanker as we skirted round it, then out past the shelter cave and down Taro's Ladder to reach Black Dog track. While we kept moving the leeches didn't bother us much, but if we stopped for a moment they would be seen wavering sightlessly but unerringly towards us - small brown and larger reddish striped ones, and all crazy for blood. |
| - | 8 a.m saw most of us setting off forlthe | + | |
| - | We found the flood had risen and completely | + | By lunch time we were at the cave on Black Dog track about a quarter hour from the Cox. The rain still pelted down. The old hills held their breath and cowered under the deluge. Here we decided to wait in case the others were coming, and have lunch. We had heard a shout earlier, but as we got no reply to our answering chorus we presumed it was our two Rover friends of the previous night. |
| - | multiplication our hydrologist was able to tell us in cu.secs0 how much water was belting down the Cox. Another little calculation produced us the depth of the river (40 ft.), and a pacing along the bank taking sightings on a rock on the other side gave us the width of the yellow flood (about 250 ft.). We thought back to the time we had strolled through it on the last 85-miler scarcely wet above the ankles. | + | |
| - | Despite an ominous grinding of hidden boulders rumbling down the rocky creek bed, Pete insisted he must swim Black Dog Creek9 | + | While the Admiral finished eating and Colin mended the last punctures, Keith and I excavated sleeping platforms for 4 in a huge heap of powder-fine sand in the adjoining cave. Then, leaving our gear in the cave where we planned to spend the night, we took tubes and rope and axe and sped down the track to the Cox where we would make our raft for the morrow' |
| - | again some day soon and finish the trip, and that part of the story will be Part 2. | + | |
| - | ' | + | Now, this splitting up of the party was not a good thing, and we rapidly marshalled all our arguments against it. The most important, of course, was that we would be denied the pleasure of their company on the perilous trip, but we thought up a lot of herrings to throw across the trail before we admitted it, namely that Harry' |
| - | 4 | + | |
| - | ADDITIVES or | + | During all this time we were occupied |
| - | PADDY4M1DE GEAR plus | + | |
| + | Well, the first raft was now finished | ||
| + | |||
| + | Colin, meanwhile, was at work on the other raft, and had cut up most of the rope to tie its framework together. But we borrowed what was left of it, extending it with a few yards of sashcord and flung an end over the creek so Pete and Garth could tie the raft to it and we could pull it over. Garth got aboard as passenger and we started pulling, but of course the cord snapped and away shot the raft, turning over and tipping Garth off underneath. We watched till he emerged, and he managed to swim to the bank with it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | But now Colin demanded the return of his rope so he could finish his job, so our two adventurers pulled their raft well up the hillside and came back with the rope, hoping to negotiate a way over the creek without the raft. A hundred yards up the creek a fallen tree spanned the stream, but it was slimy and precarious and if they had fallen off they would have been dashed to pieces over the waterfall below, so it was a case of fording the creek after all. At our feet lay a long sapling which we hoisted over the water to make a handrail, and while four braced it against a tree our side and Pete held it on the other side, Garth plunged into the flood and came across hand over hand. We thought we were going to lose him when he got to the middle, and Colin dashed out into the water to give him a helping hand, and with something of relief we welcomed | ||
| + | |||
| + | The congestion was more than somewhat as the five new arrivals strove to dry out their gear round the cooking fire, so I added my meat to someone else's stew and adjourned to the adjoining cave to enlarge the sleeping | ||
| + | |||
| + | It looked really wonderfUl when they were all in - something like the Western District' | ||
| + | |||
| + | First light showed a boistrous morning. "I think," | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Time to get up," said the leader, but the party found it snugger to burrow abed, lapped in eiderdown to the eyebrows, than to leap out into the cold and wet. But Colin is made of the stern stuff reserved for the manufacture of heros, and he rolled out of the warm wet bit of filter cloth he flatters by the name of blanket sleeping-bag and got the fire going. It was an easy matter to rouse the others by merely rolling them down the slope on to the long-suffering Dalai Lama and Stan, although it took two of us to dislodge | ||
| + | |||
| + | 8 a.m. saw most of us setting off for the river again. The Admiral and Keith stayed back at the cave to keep the fire warm. We found the flood had risen and completely | ||
| + | |||
| + | Despite an ominous grinding of hidden boulders rumbling down the rocky creek bed, Pete insisted he must swim Black Dog Creek, | ||
| + | |||
| + | ---- | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Paddy Made. ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Additives of Paddy-Made Gear plus W.I.T. === | ||
| + | |||
| Additives are the fashion just now. The fraternity using motorised transport know all about that, and even cars have been so conditioned to the necessity for additives that the average car would automatically reject petrol without I.C.A. (or what have you), and raise its mudguards in wounded dignity if offered plain engine oil. | Additives are the fashion just now. The fraternity using motorised transport know all about that, and even cars have been so conditioned to the necessity for additives that the average car would automatically reject petrol without I.C.A. (or what have you), and raise its mudguards in wounded dignity if offered plain engine oil. | ||
| - | The necessity for additives | + | |
| + | The necessity for additives | ||
| Paddy-Made gear needs no additives for it already has W.I.T. which is built into it. | Paddy-Made gear needs no additives for it already has W.I.T. which is built into it. | ||
| - | ' | ||
| - | ANSWER NEXT MONTH. | ||
| - | Phone: BM2685 | + | Purple Certificate for the first letter received guessing correctly what this wonderful ingredient is. |
| - | PADDY PAWN | + | |
| - | Lightneight Camp Gear | + | |
| - | 201 CA ST AC S+ SYDNEY | + | |
| - | 4111r.f.kints-, | + | |
| + | __Answer next month__. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Paddy Pallin. Lightweight Camp Gear. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 201 Castlereagh St., Sydney. Phone: BM2685 | ||
| + | |||
| + | ---- | ||
195603.txt · Last modified: 2018/08/31 13:55 by tyreless