A ROUGH TRIP.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 957, 1 August 1903, Page 2

A ROUGH TRIP.

“ I have travelled many miles in my lifetime, in fact all over the world, and over sorno of the worst tracks imaginable, but my trip from Tolago Bay to day holds the record,” remarked a popular commercial traveller to a Times representative last evening. “At 8 a,m. we left Tolago in the hopes that the weather would clear, but on reaching the summit of the Tolago hill our hopes were shattered to hod that the day was becoming worse and likely to continue. With downcast thoughts webowled down the hill and along the beach at a fairly good pace until we reached the Puatae rocks, when our driver, Mr M. Moore, had to use all his strategy to nego--tiate a passage. There was a very heavy sea, aDd the tide was about three-quarters full. After clever work the vehicle arrived safely across, hut, alas, all the .passengers were on the other side, comprising threeladies and two gentlemen. Here the difficulty arose. Two of tho. ladies started to' wend their way across, and ventured to< make their trip right round the rocks, which they successfully mastered after wading out into three feet of water, and when a breaker approached them they cunningly put their shoulders to them, and after a jolly good soaking once more set foot on terra firma.” ‘

“ But what aoout the other lady and two gentlemen ? ” interjected our representative. , “Ah,'hold on, for the exciting part of the adventure has yet to come,” ho added. “ I started to assist tho lady across, and managed to make a little headway, when a Maori and another gentleman arrived on

’ tho scene. Tho Maori at once came to our ” assistance and tendcrod the lady hia horse, " which she refused on account of not being: j able to ride, and, such being the case,. the good natured individual offered Tno ' his horse, which I took on the condition • ' that he would see the lady safely through . the sea. 1 then mounted my steed, ’ and after a few breakers washing over mo I was thankful to the powers that be for my safety ; but my next perplexity was how my lady friend was weathering the fretful elements, and to my joy I saw her in the arms of my Maori friend, who with great pluck landed her safely with her anxious friends. The other gentleman got across somehow or other,” added our hero, who was waxing warm in the relating of his "terrible experience,” as he termed it. The party all got aboard the coach; again, and between Orehau and Pakarao had a rough time contending with the fretful elements, the coach being up to the axle in mud. On arrival at Pakarae the driver telephoned to Mr Sinclair to send up a relief coach, which was despatched from town shortly before 1 o'clock. After catering for the wants of the inner man and feeding the horses, another start was made, and od arrival at the creek it was found to be impassable, and the aid of the punt was sought.” “ The approaches, indeed, are very bad, and require to be attended to,” remarked our friend. “Everything went along smoothly till arrival at the Tapuwai rocks where a portion of the hill had slipped away, and after three of tho passengers hanging on to one side of the coach the driver once more gained the praise of his passengers for his skilful handling of the ribbons. Shortly after this the relief coach arrived, much to the thankfulness of ” the travellers.”

“ Here we left the coach to be brought into town,” concluded the traveller. ■Tatapouri was arrived at safely, and after having a spell at that place the party once more resumed their journey, and arrived in tbwn at 6ix o’clock last night,, after an exciting day.