Page:Old Westland (1939).pdf/61

Rh Matukituki, to prepare fresh fern root, for such was the character of the black birch country through which they were passing that it provided not the slightest sustenance. They again reached their former shelter on February 3rd, and collected and prepared fern root until the 18th, when they once more proceeded on their way.

Mr. Brunner states that at this stage his load consisted of a gun, 7 lbs. of shot, 8 lbs. of tobacco, two tomahawks, 2 pairs of boots, five shirts, four pairs of trousers, a rug, a blanket, and at least 30 lbs. of fern root. With such heavy swags it was impossible to make rapid headway through a thick bush interspersed with lawyer vines, and two miles a day was considered good going. On March 1st the last handful of flour was used to thicken soup. On the day following one of the Maori women fell ill and this greatly retarded the progress of the party. To make matters worse, Brunner himself suffered the most excruciating pain for some time, as did also one of the Maoris. These seizures were attributed to the fern root diet upon which they were now forced to live. These delays so affected their progress that their provisions were now almost exhausted and they were reduced to one meal of fern root each twenty-four hours.

In the black birch country through which they struggled no food of any kind could be