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-al* ma*. am IMP
+=====Letters From The Lads And Lasses.=====
-LETTERS FROM THE LADS AND LASSES.
-Letters wore received from the following during July:
+Letters eore received from the following during July:-
-H.J. Thomas .6 Rucksack N. Melville C. M. W.
-Alan Hardie S.B.W. Bill Burke S.B.W.
+H.J. Thomas (Rucksack), N. Melville (C.M.W.), Alan Hardie (S.B.W.), Bill Burke (S.B.W.), Geoff Higson (S.B.W.), B. Evans (Rucksack), Ron Boakes (Y.M.C.A.)
-Geoff Higson S. B.W. B. Evans Rucksack
-Ron Boakes Y.M.C.A.
+===Harry Thomas - From Tennant Creek.===
-Harrz Thomas From Tonnant Crook. Whilst hero in the north I am not
-neglecting my walking. Aticast once a week I go for a walk in the surrounding country with a cobbor, one "Angus" Goote. There is one torment to ideal walking at this time of roar and that is a small sitrub called Spinifex. It is a small spring shrub that penetrates the thickest of sox, puttco, gaiters and what have you. The country itself is the strangest that I have over soon, quite unliko the Bluc Mountains sandstone country. Smell hills, quite disconnected with one another, the tallest under a hundred foot, risc up abraptly from a porfcctly flat plain. There arc unworkcd gold mines everywhere (this is a very rich gold bearing area). The wcathcr is ideal for walking hero at the present tine, mild days with cool to cold nights, quite unliko what one would imagine for a tropical centre, but wait until summer is with us again. Tompertures of well over 1000 in the shade with night temperatures not much better. Then I am
+Whilst here in the north I am not neglecting my walking. At least once a week I go for a walk in the surrounding country with a cobber, one "Angus" Coote. There is one torment to ideal walking at this time of year and that is a small scrub called Spinifex. It is a small spring shrub that penetrates the thickest of sox, puttee, gaiters and what have you. The country itself is the strangest that I have over seen, quite unlike the Blue Mountains sandstone country. Small hills, quite disconnected with one another, the tallest under a hundred foot, rise up abruptly from a perfectly flat plain. There are unworked gold mines everywhere (this is a very rich gold bearing area). The weather is ideal for walking here at the present time, mild days with cool to cold nights, quite unlike what one would imagine for a tropical centre, but wait until summer is with us again. Tempertures of well over 100° in the shade with night temperatures not much better. Then I am afraid my walking days will be cancelled until I either reach Sydney again or the winter is with us again. Would you mind sending me a few photos of various places that the Walkers frequent, notably, the Blue Gum, North Era, Marley Beach, Kanangra etc., I will reciprocate with tropical photos of the country here of which I have taken many.
-afraid my walking days will be cancelled until I either roach Sydney again 0 or the winter is with us again. Would you mind sending me a few photos of various places that the Walkers froquont, notably, tho Bluo Gum, North :
-.
+===Ninian Melville - New Guinea.===
-Era, Mtrloy Beach, Kanangra otc., I will reciprocate with t:spical photos of thc cJantry ht,ru of which I havo taken many.
-Ninian Mblville Now Guinea. Zifc; up hero
+Life up here is very interesting adn teh boongs make a lifetime study. I am learning MOTU - the official language here. My 'line" of natives consists of 40 of all shapes and sizes. I have two personal servants who also do odd jobs round the camp, make my bed, do my washing, prepare my bath (in 1/2 a 44 gal. drum cut lengthwise) polish my boots etc., this is the life. Our Colo trip is in my opinion equal to the average rough muntain country up here.
-OOIIgS1aaOaiQjQ s Y. I am learni hor. my 'line" fr tivs consists of 40 tao pi rsonal servants who also do oda jobs my washing, prepare my bath (in a 44 gal. my bets etc., this is the lifc. Oar Colo the average rough muntain country up hero.
-Alan Hardie - North Australia. Tho ontertainm-nts and hospitality (whore such oxistsj arranged for us-Cannot compare with the honour, gopd cheer and spentanity of our old bashwalkor gathuring. I watch with interest in the 'Bushwalicc-rs" you send mc each month what matters crop up at the mnthly meetings to occupy the minds of those givun to dialectics and argument. The 1.,:uth Hostels, I see, arc causing a fair amount of uneasiness and. disputation. When I asc,& to be nble to particapatc in debates we were chiefly concerned with the shacks in Bati;nal Park or else; in trying to curb Wiff Khicht's expansionist ideas of f anding Emlo-nadist colonies. Your maGazincs and photographs provoke those thoughts of old times together, and this is the chief reason why I am thankful for thorn. "Peter" Page I see fairly often. He is still my link with the past. Since writing the better which you partly published in thu Bushwalkor, he has changed the sitc of his loction Whereas I last described tho watercourse near which ho was criped as very much like the Cox, the one he and his men ar now camped al:Jngide in ccrtaia respects resembles the Knwmang. It has the grassy banks (howboit the prickly grass irritates one's bare feet) parallel banks and clear water fast moving over the shallow cobblost)ncs, sJmewhat like the Kowmung. "Peter" has a team of sprightly, happy-go-lacky youngsters under him; they are full of life) and ao not gait understand his more mature point of view. They speak of him as "Old Peter" and "Mbalitaincer Page"; and I think, at times they got somewhat obstreperous for him. They arc camped under a gigantic fig tree with clusters of figs hanging down just outside the tent. Here all the birds of creation congregate, and sunset and sunrise, arc accompanied by all the chirping and. chattering imaginable. 7hen'I wont there, it was to deliver ammunition, and I ha& to bring "Pater" and all his boys across the river to our truck, necessitating their ro-crossing the river in real, porterage fashion.
+===Alan Hardie - North Australia.===
-Whon,I have a day of rest, I walk round about our camp. The long grasses now arc dry and dead, and near the roadside arc discoloured with the rod dust stirred up by the army trucks. You can hoar the dead grass cracnc underfoot, as you walk through it. Thom arc some good panoramas to be gained by climbing the neighbouring mountains 'which arc siiadclot with huge monoliths and bare woatherworn rocks. What I do not like aboat thos6 mountains, however, is the long grass you have to wade fitircuE, although it'is now dead or dying. You are fearfal about
-treading on, imagining some rock-python or tiger-snako uri6or
+The entertainments and hospitality (where such exists) arranged for us cannot compare with the humour, good cheer and spontanaity of our old bashwalker gathering. I watch with interest in the "Bushwalkers" you send me each month what matters crop up at the monthly meetings to occupy the minds of those given to dialectics and argument. The Youth Hostels, I see, are causing a fair amount of uneasiness and disputation. When I used to be able to particapate in debates we were chiefly concerned with the shacks in National Park or else, in trying to curb Wiff Khight's expansionist ideas of funding male-nudist colonies. Your magazincs and photographs provoke those thoughts of old times together, and this is the chief reason why I am thankful for them. "Peter" Page I see fairly often. He is still my link with the past. Since writing the letter which you partly published in the Bushwalker, he has changed the site of his loction. Whereas I last described the watercourse near which he was camped as very much like the Cox, the one he and his men are now camped alongside in certain respects resembles the Kowmung. It has the grassy banks (howbeit the prickly grass irritates one's bare feet) parallel banks and clear water fast moving over the shallow cobblestones, somewhat like the Kowmung. "Peter" has a team of sprightly, happy-go-lacky youngsters under him; they are full of life, and do not quite understand his more mature point of view. They speak of him as "Old Peter" and "Mountaineer Page"; and I think at times they get somewhat obstreperous for him. They are camped under a gigantic fig tree with clusters of figs hanging down just outside the tent. Here all the birds of creation congregate, and sunset and sunrise, are accompanied by all the chirping and chattering imaginable. When I went there, it was to deliver ammunition, and I had to bring "Peter" and all his boys across the river to our truck, necessitating their re-crossing the river in real, porterage fashion.
-Moreover, grass seeds with barbed points as sharp as noodles got iL0-3 one's clothes and socks, malcing things very uncomfortabj c for S311.0 time after. I have known the seeds still to be in my socks after a:11 my washing and scrubbingp and for weeks afterwards. A crisTains Coati-2o about wandering these mountains is, howver,_that they fora part -)i the same Groat Divid ir Rangu that the Blue Mountains belong to. I feel that I have a connecting ink with the Gingra and. Gangcrang aangcs of happy manor
-is very inter,Jsting and the
+When,I have a day of rest, I walk round about our camp. The long grasses now are dry and dead, and near the roadside are discoloured with the red dust stirred up by the army trucks. You can hear the dead grass crackle underfoot, as you walk through it. There are some good panoramas to be gained by climbing the neighbouring mountains which are studded with huge monoliths and bare weatherworn rocks. What I do not like aboat those mountains, however, is the long grass you have to wade through, although it'is now dead or dying. You are fearful about what you are treading on, imagining some rock-python or tiger-snake under your feet. Moreover, grass seeds with barbed points as sharp as needles get into one's clothes and socks, making things very uncomfortable for some time after. I have known the seeds still to be in my socks after all my washing and scrubbing, and for weeks afterwards. A consoling feature about wandering these mountains is, however, that they form part of the same Great Dividing Range that the Blue Mountains belong to. I feel that I have a connecting link with the Gingra and Gangerang Ranges of happy memory.
-ng Mar - the official language of all shapes and sizes. I have round the camp, mk y bed, do dram cut lengthwise) polish trip is in my opinion equal to
-.
+A remarkable feature about the bush up here is the peculiar specics of gum eucalypt that predominates. It seems to be altogether out of keeping with tho hot climate, bearing vividly groeen leavcs, instead of parched dry ones, that one would naturally expect. Moreover, the trunk and boughs do not betray the slightest mark of any bush fire, although growing in regions where bush fires should be rampant. They are silvery-white in colour and remarkably clean. The leaves are rounded in shape like the fig-leaf. Leaves, boughs and trunk glisten in the sun's rays; and to look upon them is to make the observer feel fresh and to forget the enervation that comes of tropical heat. The strangest part about it all is that these gums seem to thrive best in the sandiest places. I wish I knew the correct botanical name of there trees. Just now the nights are miserably cold, while the days area hot. We are glad to see the sun come up over the hills, and a cold tremor goes down our spine as we watch it sink beneath the western horizon. The irony of it all is that our greatcoats were taken from us before we left Wollongong; they have never been replaced, evidently we were the victims of some hasty generalisation. An interesting feature of the cold, misty nights, however, is the faint rainbow effect made by concentric circles around the moon. The reason for this is, I think, that the moon is much brighter than down south, because it reflects more of the sun's rays. As the morning sun ascends, shafts of light are soon protruding through the trees and permeating the cold, misty air, and I am reminded of the concluding scene of Walt Disncy's "Fantasia", wherein Schubert's "Ave Maria" supplants at dawn the horrors of the previous night.
+===Geoff Higson - New Guinea.===
+We are all hoping, praying to get out of here but so far to no avail. On Monday we did a stunt with ----- it was quite good in spots and very fast. By the time it was over we were fairly knocked up. A good nights sleep fixed that, we are now as good as new. (Oh Yeah) Well anyway we are good which is no fault of ours. I'll look forward to the photograph you will bo sending, as far as I am concerned they are definitely a morale booster of the first rate. The way George Archer's letter reads and the way conditions are here I'd gladly change him although I daresay it would have its disadvantages also. The ice skating appeals to me. The only ice we get is in the glances of the Officers on occasions.
+Talking about going pea picking reminds me of "The Pea Pickers" by Eve Langley which I enjoyed so thoroughly not so long ago. I hope it swells the B.S.C. funds quite considerably. As I am on duty in the kitchen today I must leave you for a while.
+Here I am back on the job looking for inspiration.
+The nights up here are very cold and very clear. The sleeping bags are not adequate, not being a patch on the genuine "Paddymade" but, even so, they are better than blankets. The days are perfect without a cloud in the sky and a nice cool breeze. I wish I had the gift of the gabs to be able to describe the countrysido here. It ia something like the Blue Labyrinth on a larger scale only much greener and not so scrubby. Its rather pretty if one could only get the thought of the Army out of one's mind for a while. The vast majority of trees just here are mostly gums, Blue Spotted etc., but I haven't noticed any red. There are also quite a few Acacias but the Paper Barks are far more numerous.
+Thank all the B.S.C. for the various books etc., that they have sent me in the past.
+----
-rcmarkablc fcaturc about thc bash up hcrc is thc pcculiar spocics of gum oucalypt that predominates. It scums toloc altogothcr out of kocping with tho hot climc:te, bcaring vividly groon lcavcs, instcaa of parcho1. ary ones, tlirlt one would n-Ltnraly expoct. Mbrcvor, tho trunk ana bough do not bctro y tho 9-114,:hte,et mrrk of any bush fire, alth:-Io gh growing in regions whoro bush fircs sh:aid bo ramr,ant Tlioy aro siivoicy-whitc in
-colour arui rinr-L-kflioly clean.- The Loaves aro rourtdd in shapc likc thc
-L8--aocu:. loaghs an.LL tra;.1k ' liston in the san's xys; ana to look upon them io to make the olDsorvor feel fresh and. to -J.:orrsot tho enervation that como of tropicc7 heat. Thu stTangcst pLrL abut it all is that thoso gums scam to thrivo 'host in tho sandiest p1accs I wIsh I 7v_no7 tho corroct, botani c-_1 name of thosc troc, Just not tho nichts Erc r2jEerab1y cola,
-whjlc thodays crc hot, j c aro glad. to scc thL; r,u r2 cone np tho hills,
-and_ a ro l.a t2c2mor g-9co down our spine as wo watcJ.. iii 11.k l'poncath the
-westorA 1=zon, 'rho irony of it all is that our grc,atc:ts takon
-frm bar= J6ft Wollongong; thoy havc novur Lcon l'eoLacca,'ovid-
-enty wo th=o vicims of sonic hasty gonoralisation. 1,11 into:costing
-foature of tic cold:misty nights, howover, is thc faint rajnbow offoct madc. by concentric cdrlos around the moon. Thu rcason for this isl-I think, that tho moon is much brightor than down south, bcoaasc it roflocts more of the sun's rays. ILs the morning san asccnds, shafts of light arc soon protruding through thc trees and permeating the cola,misty air, and I am rcmindoa of tho concluaing scoria of Walt Disncy's "Fantasia7,wheran. Schubcrt's "Avo Maria". supplants at dawn the horrors of'tho provious
-Gooff. son_- Now Guinca. We arc all hoping, praying to got out of horo-
-ToTaT GO -.tar to no avail. On Monday we did a stunt with -it was
-quite gooa in spots and vary fast. By the tine it was over we were fairly knocked up. A good nights sloop fixod that, we arc now as good-as now. (Oh Yeah) Woll anyway we are good which is no fault of ours: I'll look forward to thc photograph you will bo sonding, as far as I am conccrnod they are dofinitoly a morale booster of tho first ratc. Tho- way GcorGc Archer's latter reads and thc way conditions are hero Ira gladly change him although I datosay it would havo its disadvantages also. The leo skating appeals to me. Thu only ice wo got is in thc glances of the
-Officers on occasions. -
-Talking about going poa picking rciindsie f ''The Pea Pickors' by Eve Langlcy which I enjoyed so thoroughIymot so long ago. I hopc it swolas: tho B.S.C. funds quito considerably. As I am on duty in tho kitchen. today I must loavo you for a while:
-I. erc I am back on tho job looking for inspiration.
-The nights up hare arc vury cold and very clear. Thu sleepin bags arc not adcquate, not being a patch on tho genuino Padd ymadotTbat, ovon so; they are bettor than blankets. The days arc perfect withoUt a cloud in the sky and a nico cool breeze. I wish I had the gift of the gabs to be ablc to doscribo the countrysido hero. It ia somothing like thc Blue Labyrinth on a largor scale only much grecncT and not so scrubby. Its rather pretty if one ciald only got tho thought of the Army out of ono's mina for a while. The vast majority of trees just here are-mostly gums, Blue sI3ttoa etc., but I havonIt noticca any rod.. There are alSo ciult. a few Acacias but the Paper Barks are far more namorous.
-Thank all the B.S.C. for the vc,rious books etc.,. -thcy have sent me.
-in the past.
 co