Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/150

116 for there stood at least four living homogeneous illustrations of the signification of the term.

Midway up Mount Rangitoto we came on to Mr Frew, Surveyor, and his two mates, who had pitched upon a camping ground for the night. They had gone from Redman’s by the Bowen road, and struck in at the foot of the mountain. They were on a prospecting mission for silver, and intimated their intention of putting in their pegs if they met with any of the ore outside the prospectors’ boundary, in which case they would come to town to oppose the granting of the lease if the said ground had been applied for. We reached the highest peak of Mount Rangitoto, 3100 ft. above sea-level, at a quarter-past three. Here we had, in vessels more appropriate to the situation than to the conception of the poet, some of “the cup which cheers but not inebriates.” We were not by that time the possessors of any mountain dew in its fermented state. “Forward,” cried the Captain, and away we went with a fresh spurt down hill through thick scrub, intermixed with supple-jacks, lawyers, spear-grass, and patches of flax. Though bruising and peeling shins were ordinary occurrences, anything was found to be a relief from the incessant climb. The muscles of the feet and thighs became relieved by the reverse action required on the downward slope. However, this did not last long enough. Another hill or two and we reached our camping ground for the night, where the prospectors had pitched their tent. Here we arrived at a quarter-past five, after a seven hours’ tramp from the foot of the mountain. Our camping ground was 2700 ft. above sea-level. These altitudes were ascertained when Mr Cox, the Surveyor, visited the place some weeks ago. From this spot to the mine is 700 ft., down what has been called Mine Creek. We thought, however, we had done enough, if not too much, for that day, so we resolved on making the 6 by 8 tent our camp until next morning. As our Captain had nearly “cooked our goose” already, he volunteered to prepare some bacon in like manner; indeed, he affirmed that, while in camp, though fully cognisant of the fact that he stood there a man of means, upon millions of pounds worth of his own metal, he recognised and possessed “metal more attractive” in the frying pan and billy, and he could also discover without much difficulty that he was likely to be unopposed in obtaining the permanent appointment of chief cook, in addition to his other title.

Our camp was dry and comfortable. The dried ferns on which we were to sleep—“perchance to dream” of silver—presented a promise of coziness of seven hours, as against the previous seven among slippery stumps and ruts. Our cook so acquitted himself over our first meal—its preparation, not its consumption—that he was awarded a first-class verbal certificate from all hands. Shortly after supper one or two of us might be seen after the custom of the natives in their whares, whiffing our clays in front of the large fire, with a blanket as the sole outside covering, while the tattered fragments of our ordinary outer garb were also to be observed smoking on the flaxen fixing alongside. Soon we retired, to be packed like herrings in a barrel. In a 6 by 8 tent there is not much opportunity for a man of 6 ft. or more having indulgences in violent nightmare,