Page:Through South Westland.djvu/184

106 Leaving this open part, the track once more became a narrow path, lined by tall ferns of many kinds; the high trees met overhead, and every space was filled by loops and twisted ropes of creepers and lianes. Everything was climbing upon something else, struggling upwards for its share of air and sunlight. It seemed almost dark coming from the blaze without. Ted was some way ahead, Transome had stayed behind in the river-bed, and I rode alone in this shadowy forest. Suddenly I heard voices, and I could see Ted had dismounted, and standing by the track were four or five men, drawn up to welcome us to the Haast and invite us to a repast at the Survey Camp. Two of our friends of the night before were among them. They said they did not mean the only lady to cross the Haast should go through the pass without being entertained! So dismounting, I was led to a clearing. They had only shifted camp that morning, the swags were still rolled up, and the tents had not been pitched—a picturesque medley of bundles and cooking thing lay about. They made me sit on a roll of tents, and Transome, coming up, on another. The cook was recklessly tearing open his stores searching for delicacies; another man tried to open a tin of pears, and failing that, attacked one of pine-apple. In a few minutes we were grouped about, sitting and standing, lunching off girdle scones, currant cakes, pine-apple, and “billy” tea, and everyone was anxious to talk, all so keen, so interested. Some of them