Page:Letters from New Zealand (Harper).djvu/317

Rh over boot and gaiter, a far more effective protection than any sort of sock within the boot.

Sitting over the fire at night, Rowntree, a man of very few words, said, "Archdeacon, do you mind that deep drift just before we got to the top of the pass? I said to myself when we were in it, we shall never get out of this." "Very glad," I replied, "you didn't say it at the time, I was half afraid of it myself."

Next day we reached the train, and travelled to Christchurch, snow all the way, frozen hares and rabbits lying by the track,—a desolate winter landscape.

A day or two later I returned to Timaru. By way of a little token of gratitude to McKay and his men for all they had done, I sent him a special present, and some money for the men, and to Rowntree a cigar case well filled. McKay replied, enclosing a round robin of thanks from the men, and adding that two of them were so severely frost-bitten that they were in hospital in Christchurch for treatment.

We have lately made a special effort to reduce the debt on St. Mary's Church and Vicarage, by means of gift Sundays, aided by Bishop Julius' powerful sermons. The offertories on one Sunday alone amounted to £300. St. Mary's Needlework Guild also contributes a considerable annual sum.

I heard lately that, on the very day we were descending Porter's Pass, on the opposite side of the valley, a shepherd, out on the chance of rescuing sheep, was carried down by a snow slide, his body lying undiscovered for many days.

We had a great time in Timaru on the occasion of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Distance in no way diminishes the loyalty of New Zealand. The doctrine