56 
any settler’s house was reached. He left 
our bivouac about 2 p.m., and my son and 
I at once set to work to collect driftwood 
with which to build uo a good fire. We 
were successful in securing a fair quantity, 
which we carried to our camping ground, 
and before sundown we considered we had 
enough to keep a fire going all night. We 
built up the pile in good style, and with the 
aid of a bundle of flax sticks and other dry 
material, we soon had a cheerful blaze. The 
billy was then boiled, tea made, and with 
the help of provisions we had carried with 
us in the car, we made an excellent meal. 
At 8 o’clock I settled down for the night 
under shelter of the flax bushes, but had 
scarcely done so when a call near by made 
us realise that help was at hand. It turned 
out to be Williams, who had succeeded in 
finding the home of Mr A. H. Watt, about 
five miles distant from where we were loca- 
ted. Mr Watt, on being informed of what 
had happened, immediately set to work to 
render kelp, Horses were saddled, and 
with Williams, he arrived at our camp at 
8 o'clock with a tent fly, some rugs, and 
provisions, After an thour’s talk by our 
blazing fire, we all settled down for such 
sleep as we might be able to get. My son’s 
sleeping valise had last done duty in the 
desert campaign of Sinai. and- here again 
it was brought into use in a sandy waste, 
with, however, the friendly flax that the 
Sinai desert could not boast. The cheerful 
blaze of our driftwood fire was appreciated 
by all of us, for of sleep there was none. 
At midnight a loud hail reached our ears, 
and this proved to be from two Maori 
station hands from Te Paki. Mr Hill had 
been informed through Mr Watt’s telephone 
of our plight, and a pair-horse buggy was 
despatched from the station, with a thin 
wire cable and ropes, in case a rescue of the 
car might be feasible, and in a letter from 
Mr Hill the use of a bullock team was prof- 
fered. The extrication of the car was. how- 
ever impossible from the first. The Maoris 
tied up thei herses, curled themselves up 
in their rugs. and were soon oblivious of 
their surroundings. About 1 a.m. a motor 
ear from Kaitaia arrived. This had been 
telephoned for by Williams from Mr Wait’s 
place. 
