The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1912-03-21
P3R|loUs BOATING
A New Zealand Stream That
Yields a Series of Thrills.
RUNNING THE RIVER RAPIDS.


Highly Exciting In Spots, Where the
swayins Steamer PIunees Through
the Lines of Boiling Breakers
Steamboating In New Zealand, to
Judge by Charles Edward Russell's ac-
count of 1t in the Twentieth Century
Magazine. has in 1t more excitement
than relaxation. 1t is a more or less
nerve racking experience, not only for
the anxious passengers, but for the sea-
soned steamboat men as well.
The swift water courses that come
down from the lofty backbone of the
islands are full of rapids that can keep
the most skillful pilot on the anxious
seat until they have been successfully
run" This is the story or such an
achievement somewhere on the Wan
ganui river:
The captain, sunburned and active
young Scot. stands at the great wheel
forward on the upper deck, whence he
can see bow and stern. Two stout
Maori youths sit on the forecastle; two
hover above the rudder; all are armed
with long iron shod poles that are to
be objects Of your anxious concern be-
fore the voyage is done.
The boat is slipping smoothly along
the unrippled reach. You look up of
sudden and catch your breath. The
rapid is directly in front of you. the
steamer is tearing into it, and how can
any vessel get through such place?
Here goes the narrow stream, roaring
and singing past the rocks. You can
see the bottom everywhere. 1t looks
only an inch or two from the surface.
The whole thing pitches visibly down.
ward. Beyond at a lower level shines
:, the smooth. dark green surface Of the
next reach. The green and the silver
are beautiful. The singing of the wa
ter is music. but for these you care not,
for you see plainly that In another mo-
ment the boat, even now lurching sug-
Eestively. will be rolled over like a log,
and you will be grasping at some bowl
der In the food
Meanwhile the captain spins the
wheel back and forth like a squirrels
cage. with his gaze fixed intently upon
the water just ahead. as If he read
through 1t and scanned the stones be-
meath. The brown Maoris stand for
ward and aft. with their poles in their |
hands
AS the boat plunges into the first |
line of boiling breakers the bow sinks
under you. the swift current catches |
the stern and sings 1t sidewise. A |
tremendous clatter arises, the boat ca |
reens and shakes as If she were fall
ing apart. and you. standing on the up
per deck and nervously holding the |
hand rail. give yourself up for lost, for
the keel is already travelling on the
rocks and gravel of the bottom.
'Now. them Now. them yells the
captain The Maoris put their strength
upon the poles. Just as the craft seems
sliding sidewise into the powders that
line her path she slips out through the
passage into the placid green and sill
yer of the next reach, and the captain.
sounding the Jingle bell, settles down
to a cup of tea. holding the wheel with
one hand You could not touch bottom
here with the statue OF Liberty.
II / can read men better than rapids
the Scot himself is not always sure
how he is coming out of these tangles.
Sometimes his quick, rasping orders to
the Maoris have the ragged edge OF
anxiety, and his manner of tearing
with hands and feet at the wheel in
dictates a considerable concern. Once
/ heard him mutter under his breath
the national slogan: II haze ma doots!
] haze ma doots!' as we shot into a
particularly abominable piece Of water.
The channel, no more than wide
enough for the little hull turned sharp
ly at the bottom of the slide, and had
something rather worse than doubts ,
as the boat went sidewise down. seeing
what was ahead for her. If In an in
slant she can gather full speed ahead
she can slip through: otherwise plain
ly she will strike her side against the I
reef and capsize. {
Now, then. Jumbo" shouts the cap i
tain as he paws with one hand for the
engine bell, give it to her" The pro- r
peller buzzes. The Maoris, with feet
braced, tug at the poles. They seem
to be too late. With bang the boat i.
hits the bank, careens far over and
amid the startled screams of the pas !
sengers slides off into the deep water c
and goes safely on her way. C
| conclude that that pilot must be Z
master of his craft. OF a score Of 4
places be is able to hit the bank at the I
single spot that is safe q