Day 6: Thursday December 28 1933
Further extract from report
"Follow up Poulter 8 miles. Do not cross unless fordable. Take short
cuts if OK 4 or 5 miles up Poulter right-angle turn to left and
Thomson Stream comes in (new lake up there) Another 4 miles and on
right Minchin comes in flowing from due North."
Up 5:15am. Breakfast RICE and PRUNES, cup of OXO.
Signs of fine day as there was an absence of mist on the mountain tops whose caps were however covered in snow, there having been a fall during the night. All had a good night but air was a trifle cold.
We were treated to a wonderful sight when the sun came over the mountains on the other side of the Poulter, shedding its rays first onto the peaks behind us and then, foot by foot, slowly coming down past the bush line, finally bathing our camp on the flat, the bush and the now clear-flowing Poulter in golden sunshine.
We were packed and ready to depart at 8:30am. We made down right bank until the river provided a ford by splitting up. We crossed its bed diagonally (NW), wading through 6 streams, two thigh deep before reaching bush on opposite side where the stream scoured into the bank. Made up into bush, crashing through for about 100yds and then descending to river again. Huia missed snapping 2 does. We reached the Thomson entrance at 10:30 (Named, by the way after the owner of the Mt White Station). When we came up the bed we saw plenty of Paradise ducks. Weather now, sunny, NW breeze, but cloudy on peaks. Very misty up Poulter valley to WNW.
A mile or so up the Thomson we came upon 3 deer and saw ahead the slip, which marked the proximity of the new lake. We left our packs in a clearing and began a rock scramble. It may be as well to describe the scene fully.
On coming out of the bush, the brilliant sun showed us a wonderful picture. On both sides the whole hillside mist have slipped away bearing with it virgin bush, and this pile of debris had blocked the stream. The water now cut its way through the loose rocks to our right under the largest slip. Piled up before us was a massive blockage of great jagged rocks, huge boulders, now rotting trees, some 80 ft in length which had been torn out by the roots and were now lying on top of the pile like driftwood cast up by the sea. On the left the slip there had also piled its debris in the valley below and at the top of this slide a stream tumbling out of the bush precipitated itself in a leaping waterfall down to the lake below. We climbed over the rocks and with enough food for lunch and a billy, topped the rise and gained our first view of the nearly stagnant lake. I took a photo of where the river leaves the lake and it shows a pile lf trees with which the stream as blocked its outlet thus slowing its flow and leaving parts of the lake, especially the lower left portion, semi-stagnant. We climbed across this bridge of trees and made down the right side of the lake jumping from one rotting tree to another across a swampy portion.
Further on we struck the flat grassy land which took us to the other end of the lake where we rested in a dip, to have a spot of lunch of BREAD, JAM, COCOA. Ted had to be very careful in lighting the fire as we, at the time, had only one match between us, they being left with the packs; if his hand had faltered we would had had to resort to rubbing sticks or searching for a volcano. Huia missed photo of great herd.
At 1:30 we left and collecting our packs, with the wind behind us,
made down the wide streambed to the Poulter, arriving there at
2:30pm. Conditions had now become cloudy and cold. In complete
silence we mad fast time along the left bank of the river and were
nearing the Minchin Stream when the rain and mist descended upon us.
At 3:30 we stopped at a small flat clearing in lee of the trees and
as the rain was pouring like the very deuce, decided to make camp. Huia managed to get a dismal fire going while we put up the tents in
the wet and cold. We found all wood wet and trees tough.
A tea of STEW, TINNED PEACHES, TEA brightened our damped spirits and
after rubbing our heads and jogging about to increase the
circulation, we retired to bed. The time would be about 7:30 pm and
was till raining.
Mileage for day 11 miles.