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102 were too cold to sleep, and early next morning continued their journey through the dense scrub without a morsel of food of any kind. They reached the beach about four that afternoon, Lauper recognising the place as the mouth of the Hokitika River. They were very weary and hungry, but in good spirits, thinking their sufferings were nearly at an end.

They made a large fire and dried their blankets for the first time for thirteen days—the period occupied in travelling from the head of the Rakaia. They had been wet through all that time, and during the journey had failed to catch either an eel, a bird or even a rat. Next day as no Maoris were to be found they proceeded north along the beach to the Arahura River, which Lauper in his diary calls the Brunner River. Here again they found no natives, the pa being deserted, and all the food they could find was a handful of small potatoes and a little Maori cabbage. While this poor fare was being cooked Whitcombe, utterly exhausted, fell asleep, and when he awoke he remarked, “You have lost a good deal of flesh, Jacob. How do I look? I feel very weak and very hungry.”

Lauper did his best to cheer him up but it was evident he was in a very bad way. They then ate their last meal together. . . . Whitcombe insisted on proceeding, being very anxious to reach the Taramakau, which was