Date: 2019-03-23
From: Boots Off Hostel and Campground

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: clear sky

Dare I say that this morning, I was as hungry as a bear?  Just as well the price of the bed last night included a hearty breakfast.  For despite eating a pretty substantial meal the night before, Bill and I still managed to tuck in like there was no tomorrow. Having had our fill, we sauntered on down the trail towards the edge of Watauge Lake, which is actually a reservoir.  I think the old township of Butler, Tennessee lies beneath the surface, minus the residents of course; they got moved to ¢New¢ Butler just in time.  Then following the ridge line as it gained height, I met a number of day hikers.   I also passed Silverfox and Duke who were camping. Then I came upon Vandeventer Shelter, which is in a spectacular location. Finally I arrived at Iron Mountain Shelter where I soon discovered a large number of scouts all mucking about in their hammocks.  Ging Gang Goolie, anyone?    This should be an interesting night.  Maybe I¢ll pass it by telling you a story in honour of my fellow companions for the night: The Ging Gang Goolie YarnThis yarn goes with the Ging Gang Goolie Song.During the first World Jamboree B-P was looking for a song that everyone could sing, no matter what their language was.  Ging Gang Gooli was the result.  It is of no language, but it means a lot of fun.  The story was apparently created later.In the deepest darkest Africa there is a legend concerning the Great Grey Ghost Elephant.  Every year, after the rains, the Great Grey Ghost Elephant rose from the mists and wandered throughout the land at dawn.  When he came to a village, he would stop and sniff the air, and then he would either go around the village or through it.  If he went around the village, the village would have a prosperous year, if he went through it, there would be hunger and drought.The village of War-Cha had been visited three years in a row by the elephant and things were very bad indeed.  The village leader, Ging-Ganga was very worried, as was the village medicine man Ha-la-shay.  Together, they decided to do something about the problem.  Now Ging-Gang and his warriors were huge men with big shields and spears.  They decided to stand in the path of the elephant and shake their shields and spears at it to frighten it away.  Hay-la-shay and his followers were going to cast magic spells to deter the elephant by shaking their medicine bags as the elephant approached which made the sound  shallawaly, shallawaly, shallawaly.Very early in the morning of the day the Great Grey Ghost Elephant came, the villagers gathered at the edge of the village, on one side were Ging-Ganga and his warriors, (indicate right) and on the other was Hay-la-shay and his followers (indicate left).  As they waited the warriors sang softly about their leader Ging gang gooli, gooli, gooli, gooli, watcha, Ging Gang goo, Ging gang goo, Ging gang gooli, gooli, gooli, gooli, watcha, Ging gang goo, Ging gang goo.As they waited the medicine men sang of their leader Heyla, heyla sheyla, Heyla, sheyla, heyla ho, Heyla, heyla sheyla, Heyla sheyla, heyla ho.As they shook their medicine bags, shalli-walli, shalli-walli, shalli-walli, shalli-walli.  And from the river came the mighty Great Grey Ghost Elephant¢s reply, Oompa, oompa, oompa¢¦.The elephant came closer, so the warriors beat their shields and sang louder (signal warriors to stand and beat their thighs in time).  Ging gang gooli, gooli, gooli, gooli, watch, Ging gang goo, Ging gang goo, Ging gang gooli, gooli, gooli, gooli watch, Ging Gang goo, Ging gang goo.The medicine men rose and sang loudly, Heyla, heyla sheyla, Heyla, sheyla, heyla ho, Heyla, heyla sheyla, Heyla sheyla, heyla ho.  And they shook their medicine bags, Shalli-walli, shalli-walli, Shalli-walli, shalli-walli.  And the mighty grey elephant turned aside and went around the village saying Oompa, oompa, oompa¢¦There was great rejoicing in the village and all the villagers joined together to sing ¢¦ Ging gang gooli ¢¦From:  Australian Scout, August 1996