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A jourfial,devoted to matters of interest: to Members of the Sydney Dush Walkers, Sydney, New South Wales.
NO.3. lst. October, 1931,
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Publishing Committee:
Hissec Marjorie Hill (Editor), Dorothy Lawry, Brenda White, Rene Erewn, and Mr,Myles Dunphy,
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A SURVEY TRIP FROM ST,JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND, TO HUDSON PAY, CANADA, by <A,WALKER.,
First Installment - - - .St.John's to. White Bay,
The 5th October,1923 saw the happiest boy ah the world start off on a long journey, some thousands of milee to boot, and per boot, I had just won the Best All Round Scout competition,
It was not a competition of weight and measurement by any means,
Our starting-point was St, John's, Newfoundland, a prettily situated town, located on the one side of a bottle shaped harbour, It was quite close to this placd that I had the goad- fortune to see Hawker & Grieve start on the first Atlantic flight; and again Alcock and Brown - the two daring Australian airmen who were successful, In passing, I would like to pay a warm tribute to Raynor, who tried to take off about ten times - but fate-was afainst him -~ and who can beat fate?
The early morning saw four curious specimens of humanity gathered together at the Railway Statian in Water St, First of all was our leader, Johnnie“, 90 called because at every
pettle neise he ran for his gun, a very clever and remarkable ow Re
Itve noticed him go all day without eaying one word, Itq like to point out that Johnnie was a he, not a sne a3 you would be inclined to think at first, Next came “Whitewash Joe”, a Basque Indian - who knew Newfoundland inside out, He was given that name because it sounded very much like his original name,
So much for him, The third, and tae brains of our party (me excluded, was Jules Le Blanc, nicknamed “Maney”. You will readily jump to the reason why. Last, but not least, came “met
At that time I was fifteen years old - weighed eleven stone five and had two blue eyes till a wasp stung me on the left one - and IT stood exactly five feet eight and a half inches, By the way, thig 4s not a guessing competition, 'tis supposed to be a detailed
outline of our trip,
The train was known as “The Sportsman's Train” on account of it's stopping anywhere-in the game country at any, time, and if it was eight hours late - well, who cared about that? off on the stroke of nine for our long nike - visiting all the signts we could possible see in the limited time at our disposal - six months - - ,. : a Our first stop was Topsail ~ a picturesque, little village situated on the seacoast looking out toward Belle Island, containing the second-largest iron ore mine in the world, We hired a small launch and sailed over the nine miles of. briny ocean, The launch heaved a let,,and so did “Mangy” , but why bring that up, 'twas not his fault. Arriving en “terra firma” again'we heaved a sigh of relief, and we all breathed the same prayer - more firma the less terra,
we went in @ cable tram up the side of the hundred or soa feet of the mountain. It was more like a cage, and at one time we all looked down and could see people waiting down below - a very funny feeling crept over me - but it happened to be Johnnie's” very cold hand on the back of my neck, At last to the top mx we did arrive, and I can assure you we were more dead than alive.
The manager of the mine very kndly put everything in our way ~ including a small truck I fell over - and gave us every assistance, Next morning we went down the mine daddy, Pardon me, I forgot
myself, Seated inside the empty cable trucks, we went down, down, and still down, till we were approximately 3 miles out at sea,. and G0ing still farther, Woat a curious sight met our gaze! Everything wac a redi;trown colour, and all around we could see the sea oozing iown tne side of the walls, Down tis mine we came across some exceptionally clean stables for the small, pathetic-looking pit horses ~ that were all blind - every one, Only one had ever seen
the light of day, the others had been born and reared down below in
exnl Coming to the edge of beyond, we heard a terrific
me pe enem but were assured that it was only some blasting geing on,
a4 nvestigated this, and found that the miners use a special
oe aytulic drill to bore into the ore so that a charge of gelignite te placed in the recepticle. 3s
I nearly had my arm torn out using the drill, the secret being to keep the shoulder pressed into the “rest”, but it came back quick, and you know the result, So much for our mine visit. We came u again about four o'clock in the afternoon, full of cheerfulness an jron ore colouring, I had a letter in my shirt pocket ani even thst was stained, y , At daybreak next morning we left the island and had a very nice trip vack to Topsail, Nothing eventful happened - excepting breaking down twice and then having to be towed in to the pay. Our vessel was called Happy Emma”, but I'm afraid she wouldn't be after she heard the “nice” remarks given in her honour in four languages,
Catching the train the following morning as we were - late getting vick, we spent nearly twelve hours in it. At one place the train ran alongside a lake and, as the fishing was good, numerous anglers were trying their leck from the side, the train slowing down tc help them, By the time we get around it, theo naten totalled three and six-twolfth dozens! Most of them wero Rainbow Trout, consequently we had fresh fish for lunch, much to our enjoyment, ; Arriving at Grand Fails, near the depot of the Harms- worth Pulp & Paper Mills, we left tae train - seeing it for the last time for fully six montas, It was with mixed feelings of regret and stiffness that we saw it draw away from us on its long trip round to Pert Aux Basques, connecting with tre North Sydney mail boat, ; = , Making:our camp on the bor.er of the big timber country, we settled down for the night and cnecked our supplies, Next day we made ourselves known to the manager of the mill, who sowed us every stage and process of tre milling. roe
Next day, we saddled our borrowed packhorses, and made for tne thick country and tne land of th axa, What musical noises grated us as we neared the cutting fields! The sound of the orosseeut, the peal of. the axe, and then.a thundering noise as: if a michty avalanche was coming - then crash - the giant was lying on the ground, no more to rais2 it's proud head and toss it in the wind, but to become material for semsbodty's newsprper in London, Tonnnie and myself wore dumb with aw2 as we took in ty erandeur of tec whale specticl. - the men with toeir multi-coloured lumber - shirts, ard tye swo2t music of th? gentle winds from Heaven and tae scont of the pines, Yo wer. introduced to “Longfellow”, champion Veeman, He stood five fret three in his boots - but, oh boy, what 2 crack hit, Ye inducid me to put an apple on the palm of my hani, and he chopped it in half, ana not 2 sign of 2 cut was on my hand! *.
aving induced tre foreman to let us chop down a tr:, Johnnic and mM) 8clf proceeded, and when mine fell first I nearly cried to think tnat such 2 majestic picece of handiwork was it the mercy of more man, wd for his benefit, . ; Going up tie tree to get a view from the top, I was Stung by a wasp, Jove, stung was not the right name for it! I've pried hard ta remember the first words I uttered, but they certainly Were NOT tut tut, or some other nautical term, | resulted from that episode. The song “My Biue zat our” trees down and.on the river, we addled them down the fow miles to the mill, Sailing down the iy ond: e greatest thrills of my ae river on the logs was one of ne ee aheaikers, yohnnie and I had second only to. Joining 4 yoy water, His log bumped mine twice, nat gee 1 nently had a watery grave, but managed to dive twi ce, meee oW he ne a , oa W . n survived two live a we deep under his oncom ne oe nation, aS Fea to dump aan - for T eventually reached ois m Log We had the pleasure of, watching wast nearly taken in wit. y F cess - top tiresome to mention - our logs go through the vetwer end 4 od- pulp to be made inte and out they came at the over end in wo pulp 2 paper, . , ed on -our lone trek across country a Next day We atte men. We went north-west ta a place never before vise Wa tewash took the lead, and onward we went in ealled White Bay. ; Wold * ily tinbered country I've ever single rile throueh the meee ted, we gignted a silver fox - but been throush, Not soe ety ohough ammunition for meat only, spared his life as we nS on top of a nill about a hundred feet high, coat aie Oe eae ortant, we followed him and said nothing, He ven Solow us to Light a fire, and kept on murmuring, “fox - would net aeew oon shone above us and the stars were as clear opis tal Ae telow us was a most wonderful, clear lake, We as orystal, ana. . on , in iis depth, and - = ne stars and moon in 1:8 ree natient vet eina at last Joe's words came home.to us, Gut of. after pati Wa uc! a ew . : f foxes - large
- ; lis came hundreds of fox 4
their lairs in the opposite hi : fs - ana i] n, in fact all colours - a small, siiver-arey, Piacn st one jarine to drink, but all standing zathered round be mA how eerisome it was to us all! Not a as still as death, 8 in the trzes ~ not a bird visible - then, oh, breath of wind ev eee, wolflike fox about as big as a. Newfoundland what horrors - a ge, ; at ke: and aave hg thechead of the lake; and gave dog came out and took nis place at x in si f ond that.: 34 : : n silence for a secon a blood-curdling bark - ani then aran A . ked . i cle Next he barke seemed like hoursto us watching the spectacle, y all drank for : her Then they a rank f. again, followed by the rest all together, 3 mete . . barked a regular three times, a minute, and as if by magic trey ; . h declared : . ' heir lairs, Whi tewas eclare and then followed thest reader te a ot - { could not sleep that tre us they were spirits ; faced leader and the mvsterious nigt, thinking about that ugly: SUFROUNGINES. aked rabbits and damper, washed down witn bey tea, - f ridge not allowed owing to tty oonaont ae re vines Rawing slune our packs on our backs, ane capacity eee lee inelbag with shoulder-straps just similar eaen pack was a va as we only carried flour, ammunition and ii oo. and oumar,. alt nd tea, and matenes, with a first-aid kit ach ann eee cath : to do two or three mendings - our packs ach, and enough lea ner ended on our guns for food, and as the % bene quite lignt. We P f serves To the other side rries were out we had them for pre Ree ll sorts of i thickly infested with game of all s f the forest, which was 4 & by the fis. we and sizes, we had plenty to eat ana, helre au y ; Caught for breakfast, well, we Lived sike 7ods.
a4 +
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By tuis time my weight was reduced to eleven stone nothing - but I felt as fit as an “official vushwalker”, -having “dene” more than
ten miles per day.
i
I will pause here to give “Mangy” the Grand Prix for cooking, Jove, he could cook fish. - rolling them in the ashes and then bringing them out, a feast for the, gois} To him I am indebted for many of the hints only known to an expert kitchen ae
mechinic,
Nearing the burying-place of the Indians, I had an exciting .dventure with 2 bear. Coming near a large cive, I, saw three or four “dear, little teddy bears” - they did look “cute”- I felt like “cuddling” them, nd realised their mother and fither would feel that way disposed to me, After having 2 good look round for fear their parents were close, and ascuring myself thit everything was 0,%., I laid my gun down and picked up one of them, They all came rouni and played about me, Forgetting time and their parents, I was suddenly brought to myself with a host of expletives in French, Canadian, and 1. mixture of both, for Mangy had missed me, and located me just. in tinfe+ for the mother was just coming through the woods and, being untrue to her hubby, she wanted toa make me at home and press me to a jelly. Beating ; Timmy darlton's time for the 220 yards by exactly twenty seconds, : tT arrived back in camp minus my breath and gun, and only went: back ; at dirk to retrieve it, and thought I was c.ueht when the branch . of a tree caught hold of my extremity. What 2 relief to get back to camp and the welcome glare of the fire, and someone to talk to,
even though it was in monosyllables, | \ ”,
Next day Joe reported cariveu tracks; Oh, what fun wevhad! The four of us set off to follow them, and just 39 I was coming on hands and knees Over 2 hill I felt 2 bullet whiz past my. ear = it vw wis Johnnie, He had seen the movement: of my body and lat fly, Yavine said my prayers bockwards twice, the two of us moved on,
and - what luck! - coming over the hill towards us was in old timer with antlere on him fully five feet in height. Johnnie hid first go ind missed him by holf in inch, I fired next ind crught him just vbeut an inch or se from the heart, Joe had the pleasure of having 2a de.d hit. It was a bewuty. Tt was my first taste of curibou flesh - just something similar to a mutton chop, only 2 little tougher ind needing 2 little more mastication, Tre next five diys we had earibou - boiled, fried, grillei, steve, mde
inte a soup, ind every otner possible way of mixing it,
r
Nothing very eventful happened till w rin short of % ammunition abeut four day's good walking from our depot, White Bay. Ingenious “Mangy” made four sets of snares out of the wires in his belt 1nd also a piece of string, Luek was with.us,. We had rabbit for the next four days, with an occasional bird to eke out our ' provisions, : 4 : * :
Cn the second: list night vefore reaching this out-of-the-
way plrc. w were looking ffr a cuuping spot:so that we could have. protection from tie cali and have ample provision against roving |. animes, Sy. ire a cee in the distance, I ran for it and threw * my tex in, onda followed 1t inside - but. came Out twice as quickly, becuse inside wer + skunk! Seeing is believing, but in this c.1se it w weeLiing was more thin believing . Gee, I won't dwell
on the siiur-cologne but have you ever been near Moore Park on
a very net dary? Well magnify that 25, 000. times ind then some more, wand even then it wili only be half 28 bid as the original,
Votning very untow-rd hrippened till we vrrived at White Bay after > four weeks trip with mere excitement during that time than in cll my'past life, Yes, Bushwalkers, I did have a past, It wis here that we had the plevsure of meeting Private Thomas Ricketts - the yeungest V.c, in the world, He had sfved in the Mewfouni} rd Reeinent during ne wir,
Teo alext yell that nisht us we had had fortytwo miles te walk Frem toyliant that ian.
x .
In tre next instalment I will proceed te tell you about the most intervsting part of the journcy - from White Bay te Nain en the Libridor coist, where Le Blinc took charge of the pirty,
oe em me oh pe me ore mm te on tm Oe THE SONG OF SITTING BULL, ~
This is the Song of Sitting Bull,
The Big Chief, the Compiss Bexrer,
The Map Gellector, the Trailer,
The damp Cook; the Leader,
Thie is the tile of the Black Deg Track,
The truck that is, but often isn't,
The track that, befriending, bemusing, betraying,
Wears it its belt the scalp-locks of many mighty hunters, This is tne tale of Big Chief Sitting pull,
And the young hunter, Tom Fire Maker,
And the fair damsel, Dry-em-by-tne-fire,
This is the tale of how they went to conquer the Black Deg Track,
There as it lay asleep, Sprawled there between the Clear Hill and the Cox's River,
Climbed they down from the Clear Fill, Down to tne Medlow Gap, a Dewn till their feet were firmly set, There on the Black Dog Track,
Then exultei Big Chief Sitting Bull, Now cur feet are on the Track!
Now we trample on tne Black Dog!
Now we fice the mighty Cex's River!
Now we beat old Morrieberry!
He was vetrayed by the Black Dog Track, And bemazed in the Little Cedar Creek! He did not reach the Cox till nightfall. But wetll be up at the Kowmung then!
Sn exultei big Chief Sitting Bull,
And he trod the-Black Deg underfoot. But the maiden, following meekly . Asked 2 question thit was sobering, Asked the Big Chef, Wasn't Morrie Known throughout the land
For his wisdom on the trail
As a mighty hunter?
Wasn't it a wily deg, tren.
That could trick the Morrieberry?
So they went on more sedately,
Keeping 911 their wits about them, Laoking round fer ail the bush signs, Keeping careful feet upon the Black Dog, And the Track, it writhed beneath them, Weithed-fram-underneath-their-Fees- Writhed, but led them through the Gap, Writhed from underneath their feet then, Where Mt, Mouin towered above them, Where the land spread out in fingers, Where the cattle camps had been, Then teagan a miahty wrestling
Of the three against tha Black Dog,
How it twisted, geered, and vanished, Hid beneath the aries and bushes, Dedged behind the hills and creeks there, Did its best to inse and leave them! - But the tree clung grimly to it, Spread te capture, ciegsed to nold it, Lest it, found it, tropoupen it,
Missed it then, but theught they saw it Vanish towards the Cox's River,
So they followed heifoot after,
On along a Likely spuc,
On benexrth the gunv andi wattles,
on te catch and arip the Track
Bre it reached the Cox's River.
But the Black Deg, clothed with magic, blackest magic, d-epest guile,
Man defying, man eluding,
Hid amone the furtner spurs,
big Chief Sitting Bull strede anwards; Inm Fire Maker ,obose beside him; Dry-em-by-thesfire kept pace ten,. Headed for the Cox's River, Making speed towards the river =
Till 2. chasm yawned befere trem,
Sheer tne line of cliffs unbroken =! Dropped inte $1e gulf pefrre them, Lined the creks on either hand, toe, Rlocked all hope of further progress,
}
Tank the Bia Chief comp.ss bearings, Marked the spot upon his map,
Turned wnd frced the Little Mount2zin Rising o'er the Black Deg's Lair,
Led them swift2y back towards it,
Back along tne spurs tewards it, Seeking for the Blick Der track,
Clese beneath the Littl: Mountain
Made they cunp when darkness # fell, Restedinenth the sheltering gun trees, Gathering strength for next day's hunt, Barly then the atalking starte 4; oy Quickly was the quarry sighted;
But the Black Dog is elusiv, 4
And they could not hold it long, Writhine from beneath tneir fect, Slipping threugh tne arass and bushes, Swiftly fled it towards the river, Towards tne mighty Cox's River.
But the Big Chief led the hunt still,. Led then swiftly tnreugh the bushland, Led trem on beneath tre gum trees,
On alone the thrusting spur,
On towards the Cox's River,
All their senses taut to waten it, All their sinews stretched to catch it, Fleeing from them to tne river,
Soon before them dropped the meuntrvin, Falling sharply te the river,
Te the thread-like, silver rivr; While amongst the rocks close by
Tid the Black Doe - - -
Tid ond prnted,
Downwird then led Sitting Bull, Climbing dewn the rocks ind mountain, Pluncing swiftly tewards the river Through tie scrub and steep rock-slides, Through tae young growth and the trees, Threugh the sunlignt ani the shadowy; Climbing ever downwird to the river, Till, two hundred feet above the water, There before tiem lay the Black Dog! Lay and wagaedits tail before them, Spread its tail to mare a roadway
For tue te the river!
Mighty was the shout they riised! Mighty was the joy they knew,
As, exultantly, tney trod upon it, Trod upon the Black Doe
Where it fawned before them
Fawned upen the victers,
Sitting Bull and Tom Firemaker,
And Dry-em-by- the-fire as well,
Thus was the Black Dog conquered,
Thus did they reach tye river,
Led by Sitting Bull, te Biz Chief, The Trailer, the Leader, 10.
ORDER ,OF SERVICE
USED: BY THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKERS | re for the
MOCK WEDDING
Celebrated in July,1931.
oe om Oy 8 i) Gs De OD we > 6 os oD 8 oF Pe mo me
DEARLY EELOVED, we wre githered here to jein together this Mon
and this Woman in search of Alimony, which ia 2 dishonornble estate instituted by Society for the help ind comfort of the one from the other in adversity. Into which unhely mess tnese two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore if any man can show any just cause why they miy not unlawfully be joined together, let him speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace,
asoeeew eve eoae een eae ee vee ee
I charge you both thit if either of you know any impediment in your speech why you may not be unlawfully joined in the search for alimens you do now confess it,
Wilt thou hack this Woman with thy carving knife? Wilt theu love her, beat her, lie and leav> her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking her utterly, keep thee away from her so long as ye both shall live?
The Man; I will,
Wilt thou have this Man to thy wedding breakfast te feed together after Bushwalking fashion before thou seckest him for Alimony? Wilt thou disebey him, and disgrace him, allow him to keep you in sickness and in health; and, fersaking him completely, keep all you can get from him, se long as ye both shall lives?
The Weman;: I will. Who giveth this Womin to batten on this Man?
Tre Father: I do,
The Minister, recciving the Woman st her Fatner's hanis, \ shall cause the Man with his right nond to take the Woman by her right hand, and to say after him as followeth
I, Stan Well, take thee, Lily, te a splendid life, to walk, and to eat, to climb and rockhop, for better for worse, fer richer for poorer, in sunshine or rain, in daylight or dark, till Mondays come round and work us do part, | 11,
I, Lily, take thee, Stan Well, to the splendid bushland, to walk and to eat, to oo6k and chop wood, for better not worse, for richer, not - peorer, in sunshine or rain, in daylight or dark, till Mondays come round and work us do part,
Then shall they locse their hands, and the Man shall - lay the Ring, 2nd the Minister's Pee, on the Book,
The Minister, after accepting the Fee, returns the Ring, which the Man places on tne Woman's finger, and holding
it there, gaysi-
With this Ringe thy freedom shed, with this fist I'll break thy head, and with all thy worldly goods thou shalt me endow, swelp me bob,
(Thenshrill the Minister join their hinds together and gay)
Feorasmuch as Stin Yell ani Lilly have conspired together to gc Bushwolking, und have witnessed the sime vefore this reveltine mob, and thereto have perjured themselves either to ether, I prenounce that they be Busheraters together se long as the food shall last, ,
The S.B.W. Women hove 1 Heroine of renown
There is net very much of her,froem tiny feet to crown,
when on 1 walk her string of trlk is never known te breik,
But atill she leaves you gasping, at the way she akins a snike,
4, he ; 12,
GOOD NEWS FOR BUSHWALKERS,
F.A, Palbin, maker of Paidymade“ hiking gear has now opened up in Town it:
236 GEORGE STREET - (Opposite Grosvenor St.)
Gear for Hikers Made for Hiking By i Hiker, Lightweight groundsheets, Rucksacks of all shapes and sizes, and tents, may all be inspected at the above addressa, Gear and tents made up to your own patterns, For those who prefer to make their own gear I ahall*\be happy
to supply exact leneths ef the materials required,
A
Proofed Duck,
Jarpari, . Downpreoof material, for eidordowns,
Rings, rapes, and all Accessories
always on hand,
Strips of leither cut to any width.
Call and see “Padiy” Pallin abeut yeur gear for the ceming season,
F,A.PALLIV. . 236 GEORGE. STREET, SYDNEY, 13.
leg,
BARRALLIER AND THA BURRAGORANG
(hy Neel Griffiths)
Iwis admicing Rez, Tohnson'a delightful photos of the Burragorang Val.ey at tne Rancers? Exhibition whon I heard on excited, exultant ory - “Bughwoalkers”? Conservative business men coughed and tried net to appear interested, Kind old ladies gmilcd induleentiy, From every quarter of the Yall there swooped
a pturcy throne fosstly feuinine, to gtand in admiration before a phete ef Kocangc. Wail el Wes there last week” said one nf the party, proudly, aA if pearetfully. There was an undercurrent
ef cenversrtion and someecne was deputei to Find Ree, Johnsen and ask him hey much he wanted for his photoes, and whether he would make a speci3i concession to Bushwalkers,
A speciaai concession to Bushwalkers? The Almighty has given us blessings innumerable ~ ~ sound limbs, love of the great oute deers, an appreciation of the wenders of Nature 2nd 4 great zest te go ever forward seking move ani learning more ~ - and yet in the artificial refinements of 1 departmental store we have to admie that we are not the potentites we feel curselves out in the
Bush, but must sometimes ask cancessicns,
The party came to v. halt beside a photo of appleeblossam and errly morning mist, I wonder if the hippy spectators knew who wis the first white man to rejoice in the beauty of the Burragor- ang and its heavenly mists? The name of Birrallier is familiar to many, and oniy recently I had tne good fortune to come seress a translation of the Journal of his exploration of the Burragor- and in on endeavour to find . way across the mountains, (N.S.W. Historical Records, Vel, V, p. 743-825), Tris Journal will have been read by some, but it is of such deep interest to Bushwalkers that at the expense ef seeming tedicus I shall quote complete extracts from it verbatim, The Wife of Barrallier is intensely interesting, but cannet be quoted here at length, Suffice te mention that at the time of his Burrsezorang adventure he was an Ensign in the New South Wales Serps, that ne ultimately rese to the rank of Lieutenant-Cxlencl, and thot before his death he supervised the erection of ti2 Yeisen Monument in Trafalgar Square, London. . He set out te cross the Nountiins early in November,1802, and left Parramatta with four soldiers and five convicts and a wageon drewn by twe bulincks, At Prespect he picked up an Aborigine named Goay, At the Cowpasturos he saw the wild cattle, progeny of the Cape cattle which esciped from the settlement soon after its establishment in 1768, He mentions the “battle-fields of the bulls and sisa that he found the earease of a bull gored in * combit, After having had kanearoo fer dinner one day, he went for v1 strall away from hia cunp, and says “After having walked for alittle while, I perceived two nitives serte? under a oush, one of 14,
whem seemed as if he were anxious. te run awa, while the other remiined seated and appeared to be trying ta induee the former to stay. how ; Gogy,the native I had in my service, started running, nnd went and sat with them, where he remained until I arrived, He came and told me that one of the natives was a mountaineer cniled Bungin, ani the other knew the white men and was called Weoglemai (which means oneweyed'). I went te the mountaineer to examine a mantse with which he was ceverd, This mintle was made of eking of various animals sewed together, It was a very great curiosity, and in I was desirous of obtaining it, I proposed to him to exchange it for a new axe, but he would not part with it, and told me that the nights were very cold and his mantle was his only covering, I was complled to abandon my proposal, and in order to attach to me the mountaineer, who would be very usefu), to me in the country I was in, I had the the head of the kangaroo given to him to appease his hunger, after which he came and proposed, as a token of friendship, to exchange his old axe for 4 new one I had offered him for his mantle, I filled him with joy by complying with his request,
of the “perspectives of surprising beauty” to which Barrallier alludes, I cannet here make mention, but in view cof the gastronomic accomplishments of some of our members (including the ladies!) I cannot pass by without alluding to his soup made of boiled rice with pickled perk”, He says, “I saw that the two natives had their share, but whilat one of the newly arPived mountaineer3 would not pirtake of this fond, the other ate it witn avidity. The former, having caught a lizard, roasted it, and ” devoured it. I tasted some of it and preferred to opossum”
On Nov. 9, 1802, he says that at 6 in the morning, when between Picten ani Nattai, he heard the natives sheuting “Con-ee” (spelt “Cony in French) to call their distant tribesmen, This is the enrjiest reference to that well knewn Australian call,
After he ntered a fertile valley, Barrallier refers to thick fogs in tye mornings and “mountains entirely composed of granite” which te him appeared inaccessible,
He .dds, The soil of tne ground I went over up te e 3 otclock in the afternoon appeared to be very rich, The hills rre covered wita kanguroes which resemble a flock of goats arazing peaceably and offer to the eye a please#ne pleasing pastoral picture, I sowed four pumkim seeds, which I happened to have on me, at the foot of the mountain, in a place denuded of bush, and align the stone of an apricet,”
In ancther part he refers to “loose recks which roiled dewn the hillside”
After pushing on strenuously he writes on 28th Nov_,“I then seriously considered the situation in which I found myself, seeing no appearance of being able tn procure any beasts for the ta aistence of my trorp, except some snake, which it was repugnant
o eat, La
Our provisions were nearly exhausted, The small quantity of rice and flour left did not allow of my continuing to advance in a country offering absolutely no resources, The courage of my men was entirely abated, and nothing but the orders for the return journey would suffice me to dispel their melancholy + - After having cut a cross of St, Andrew on a tree tn indicate the terminus of my journey, I returned by the same route I had come” ,
Now just how far did Barrallier penetrate? The late R,H. Cambige, C.B.E., F.L.S., at one time Under-Secretary for Mines, who had a profound knowledge of botany, .~eoloagy and surveying, as well as bush craft and 2 gored eye for country, devoted a let of time and thought to the question, and in lectured before the Royal Seciety of N.S.W., the Royal Australian Historic.xl Society, the Zoological Society and the Institute ef Surveyors, as well ag in published irticles, advanced the conclusion that the terminal point reached by txuis courageous explorer was towards the head of Christy's Creek, about 15 or 16 miles in 9 direct line Southerly from Jenolan Caves“,
“Barrallier had unfortunately wandered inte one af the roughest and most inaccessible parts of the Blue Mountains,” he adis, “and we must surel, fuel that his arduous and intrepid attempt to cross this formidable barried deserved better success”,
Vice-President Miles Dunphy dees not agree entirely with the late Mr, Cambagets conclusion as to Barrallier's turning point, but kex, he, and every-one who knows the Burrigorang, must surely agree with lir, Cambage thit Barrallier deserved greater success than actually crowned his daring and-praiseworthy efforts,
A BONNIE SCOTCH ADDIE: , Marie
r, Byles,
Note - For those not familisr wit the Lake District it may
be mentioned that this is the English Mecea of the tramping, rambling and reckeclimbing clubs, and that it was the home of the poet Wordsworth, The Heliity Fellowship Association is a rambling (or “walkingt, as the Bushwalkers would call it) society with many centres threughout Great Britain, The Newlanis centre im gituated near the shores of Derwentwater ini about eight to twelve miles from the highest group of mountains among which is Great Grible, Causy Pike, the Catbclls ani other mountains nearer it are considerably lewer, while Skidiaw, in the cnopnsite direction, though high, is the kind ef mountain up which you could make a road if you wanted ini therfore of little interest to climb:rs, Siddleback, beyond Skiddaw, is nearly 1s far away as Great Gable, Hence arviaee arises the bad position of * Newlands for those who wish to climb mountains, I do not know what the Sentch Laddie thought ubout it, but Wordsworth would have said thit t* disxvdvantages of Newlands were more than compensated by the exquisite beauty of the squirrel-haunted words alone the shoes of Derwentwater, 16,
Newlands is a centre of the Holiday Fellowship, but the fellowship at that time consisted of two and no more. One was a Scotch laddie wn believed in wasting no moment af an extremely limited holiday, Bach day his feet must climb at least three theusand feet and walk at least twenty miles along thelevel. If the expedition did not cover twenty miles he invented a lenger way back to make it do 90, The other young fellow was alse an excellent walker, but I found it easier to cover twenty or thirty miles according to his calculations than according to my own. He had a most original method af multiplying the distance shown on the pa map by two whenever the route went uphill, Y gathered thit Euclid had failed to Aiseever the important rule that the hypothenuse of a right angle triangle is double its base, The results when 2pplied amone the English Lakes were splendid, I never quarrelled with them, But the Scotch laddie was less mathematical ani liberal in his ideas, His miles were calculated strictly according to the map with all the uncompromising austerity of his Puritan fore- fathers, we had all come to climb mountains, but from the point of view of the mountaineer Newlands is not well situated, for nearly every climb must be commenced by at least an eight mile walk to Seatoller before you start the ascent, 30 that sixteen miles of read and path walkine are added on to whatever mountain you chose,
This seemed a waste of energy to me, but to the Scotch laddie it was quite satisfactory because it assured him his twenty miles without any mental effort.
The first day we climbed Great Gable together and ran down the thousand feet of serse slope through Hell's Gate It was most thrilling, but it hid been a long day because we left before breakfast - nearly thirty miles according to the other young man e and the sight of a waiting bus at Seatoller was 2 temptation not ve tobe resisted, It'would cut out feur miles at any rate of that hard high road,, But the Scotch laddie turned away his head in unutterable scorn, he was too polite and goodenatured to make any remark about ds weaker brethren, but, for his pirt, he tramped forward along the read with an iron will that would bronck no feeling of tiredness,
The second day was to ve an off one, so the Seotch laddie and.I climbed Skiddiw. At luren time a lone ani crreful perusal of the map brought the disturbing information that we ghauld return wit wut completing the necessary twenty miles, However, elaberste calculations revealed th:t v. reute back via Brassenwaite wouli selve the difficulty. Sa, after lunch, we parted compiny, The Scotch laddie etrick off resolutely along the spur and I saw his lithe figure eutlined against tne sky until he descended the rocks inte t valley. For my part I sat and mediated over the distant lindscape below and dipped back into the past and those stirring times when - -
“The Red glare on Skiddaw roused the burghers of Carlisle” Then I dropped down the slate-sningle slope, lnafed beside babbling brooks, watched the squirrels in the woods and finally arrived back in plenty. of time for a bith befcre dinner, 17.
Just as we finished eating, back came the Scoton laddie hot and dusty with a good twenty-five miles in*his pocket and the glowing sense of duty nbly'dene, |
The weather was now becoming sultry and I radily agreed when the other young man suggested a day on the lake, But ih was in vain that we tempted the Scotch laddie with visions of coolness and of shady wends where delicate birch trees dip their fairy fronds inte the sparkling depths of Derwentwater, In yain we printed out that the spirit of Wordsworth breoded, - not over the bleak mountain-tops, but rather over the primrose at the rivers brim” and the daffodils at the margin of the lake , He was not to be led astray, Wordsworth's spirit could brood where it listed, but not one moment of his precicus holiday, let alene the very last day, would he waste in a boat. Sn he shouldered his rucksack and set off for Saddleback,
That was the last we sav of him, but doubtless every minute till his train left was duly marked by the faithful record of his footsteps on the mountain side,
I have met many enthusiastic trampers ani climbers belonging to many different countriea ~ Britain, Norway, Canada, California, New Zealani ani Australia, but never any equal to thit Bonnie Sentch laddie, Ye is my ideal; Let him be yours also,
SOCIAL NOT%S,
Quite one of the most enjoyable functions of the year was a Kitchen Tea given to a member of te Syiney Bush Walkers, recently. ? a :
The venue wag Mirley Beach, There, amid sylvan surroundings, a blazing log fire to keep the feet warm, ani gooi fellowship toa keep the heart warm, this notable function took place,
After a long and seemingly endless preamble by Tom Herbert, the official leader of this week-end, the guest of honour, having registered hysterics at least four times, received a delightful Sponge ania Bath Plug, the Spenge being to remember the giver every time she squeezed it, the bride groom elect te purchase 9a Bath to fit around the Plug,
Gwen Laurie next presented h=r set of Canisters ~- these we might mention, consisted of a jam tin labelled Spice, a cocoa tin labelled Tea, a pepper tin lsbelled Sug ir, and a mingte, unknown brani of tin, labelled Fleur, These canisters al} nested, .
Then in rapid succession came a Bread Saw of really quite unconventional pattern, it being 2 machine Hack Saw: binde with black sticky tape for a handle! presented by Miss Drewell, 16,
and a Bread Board to go with the knife, the latter being fram - Sunlieht, andi was a sample of weatherboarding, properly , inscribed, Yeaetarian Frank Duncan, who hid secured a large bone while waiting for the Bundeena Ferry, with due ceremony presented his contribution, holding the view that it would make
a good beginning for the stock pot,
Norman Saille gave 2 most useful cleaning set, a broom anda mop about 9 lonz, a Brassa bucket, ind a gm.ll Container for tre
soap,
Cherie Jessop presented a bottomless mug, apologizing for t.e fact thit her piece of exquisite enamelling had net arrived from Engiand in time for the Kitenen Tea,
Mouldy produced a fine collection of “unbreakable” crockery, there being in the set a rare patterned milk jug, which unfortunately had no base attached, then there were three sections totalling. two-thirds of a plate, the complete rim of a paby's plate and 2 bottomless cup,
A speech from Ilma Ellis, who received these little marks ef esteem and appreciation, brought the Kitchen Tea to a happy close,
M. Bacon, ew ns mo me ms wm wn dS Os ww Ow om OD Om ny Oh as my Om om nm em a im
The final dance of the Season was heli at Miss Bishops Ball Reom on Sept, 2nd and proved tn be both Financially and socially successful, Owing to a couple of innovations in the way of entertainment, the evening will be remembered by all whe were present, ,
There was a unique presentation of Debutantes, when the clubs blushing beauties paraded before the Dancers ani made their bow. Presented by the Secial Secretary resplendant in gorgeous Diamoni () Tinra, they made a chirming group in their diaphinous evening dresses, with Tulle banieaux round their hends anxz eich carrying 2a whive lily. After curtaseying te the Pres. Mr, i, Chardon, who wore his decorations, tuey hid the usual debs, waltz - a performince wiich was much enjoyed by the on-lookers, if nat by the participants ,
The following were Presentedi:-
Miss Fortune ir, G. Harrison) Miss Deeds Mr, W, Roots Miss Guided ir, T, Herbert
Miss Placed Mr, .R, Croker ie 19,
There was also an eccentric Dance performed by twa Gentlemen friends of one of the Members, which was &reatly appreciated,
Mr, A Hardie was the winner of the prize, with his lucky Supper Ticket,
The Srcial Committeets Funds will benefit to the extent of 2,10,7,
On behalf of the Social ang Concert Committees, the Social Secretary would like to thank the following members for their courteous and generoue help towards the concert, in the matter of a consiterable amount of typewriting which they have done,
Miss J. Trimble Miss G. Lawrie Miss F, Perrier Mise HW, Me Cartney Miss D, Drewel Miss I, Ellis
Rene D, Browne Hon, See,
Oe am a Oe me ae mt a ee ory om tt we =o wo oo Ge On om UF O68 om ae
FOU
a
1 Nally Mug, 1 China Muse, 1 smail piece of embroidery | & cottons, 1 Red and yellow crepe de chene Scarf, 1 Book ' containing 4 plays by Granville Barker,
#
Published by Sydney Bushwalkers Publishing Committee, Marjorie Hill, Editor, 15 Banksia Avenue, Banksia, N.S…
SOCIAL NOTES.
The event of the year is now a thing of the past. The Fifth Annual Concert is over. It is very gratifying to know that the attendance was the largest we have yet had and some reports are that the concert was by far our best effort, to date, in that direotion.
The Concert party deserve a pat on the back - not too hard, as the Members of the Ballet do not wear very much in the way of clothing - and they and all the other heive:s have earned the thanks of all the Members of the Club and their ~iends who were present. Incidentally, they are going to be energetic enough to repeat the concert on Wednesday, the 14th. December, in aid of the Blue Gun purchase fund, and hope for another bumper house.
Our worthy President, Cliff Ritson is no longer a Batchelor but has joined the ranks of the Benediots since he took wnto himself a wife on the 5th. November. Prior to that event, on the 28the Oct, the Club tendered him a Valedictory Social. Everyone was in the usual Sydney Bush Walker brand of high spirits, and dancing and musical items were the rule, During the evening Cliff was presen- ted with some Cutlery as a token of the esteem and affection with whioh he is regarded. Opportunity was also taken to make a presen- tation to Eileen and Fred Rice in honour of their recent marriage and as an appreciation of the work that Fred has done for the Ciub almost since its inception.
We congratulate Peggy and Alf Docksey on their recent mon. We wish them every happiness and know that two such fine people could not be otherwise than happy, Good luck to thom,
Also congratulations to Lawrie Drake. He is now the proud father - OF & Bone
Sydney Bush Walkers are sticking out their chests and looking quite Angelio since the recent Exhibition Debate. As the side that advocated Bush walking instoad of going to chureh won the debate, we fool we are quite saintly. Anyway we enjoyed the evening, even if we didn't feel the need of justification. Our thanks to the Roseville Debating Society for coming along.
Have all decided to go to Barrington Tops at the first opportwmity. Bob Savagets Slides and talk have made this imperative for those who have not already been there, It's nice to have our own Members! Slides shown and talked on now and again. Unfortunately, talks by Members are very rare indeed these days,
8.0.8. HELP WANTED $3 $3 on the 18th, December for the Annual Xmas Treat at Lilyvale,.
RENE D. BROWNE, Hon, Soc. Seoretary.