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--- 195709 [2016/05/04 13:34] – [Seven Weeks in New Zealand - Part VII] kennettj
+++ 195709 [2016/05/04 13:41] – [The Kowmung Manuscript Part II.] kennettj
@@ Line 280: / Line 280: @@
 Jim Hooper
-Last month we saw an archaeologist, of the Guess-who variety,
+Last month we saw an archaeologist, of the Guess-who variety, who was guessing his location on the Kowmung River. During his "exacting" survey, he discovers the Stumpus Charcundus (the Black Stump) on other side of River. After throwing himself inside the Stumpus during a wild electrical storm, "arch" has an altercation with a Paleolithic bushwalker (fleshless variety); grabs a roll of Papyrus (The Manuscript) and dives for the river. (So far he's been swimming for a month). Now read on --
-who was guessing his location on the Kowmung River.:During his
-"exacting" survey, he discovers the Stumpus Charcundus (the Black Stump) on other side of River. After throwing himself inside the Stumpus during a wild electrical storm, "arch" has an altercation with
+Suddenly I was swept sideways and down --- into the dip of a pressure-wave. Desperately I trod water to try and keep the manuscript up a bit higher. The stick was just too long for a comfortable "balance", and my jaws were already beginning to ache. Lightning flashed, and in the instant I was striking out again for the opposite bank. I seemed to be in part of a channel where the current was strongest.
-a Paleolithic bushwalker (fleshless variety); grabs a roll of Papyrus
-(The Manuscript, and dives for the river. (So far he's been swimming for a month). Now read on --
+Gasping for air between tightly clenched teeth, I knew the manuscript would have to go if I couldn't make the other side quickly. Down I went again --- another pressure-wave ---- more treading water. Jaws aching relentlessly, and only getting half the air I needed, it was obvious the manuscript would have to go in a few seconds. I'd try swimming with only one hand, but the current was too strong. I'd never last the distance.
-Suddenly I was swept sideways and down --- into the dip of a pressure-wave. Desperately I trod water to try and keep the manuscript up a bit higher. The stick was just too long for a comfortable
-"balance", and my jaws were alrearly beginning to ache. Lightning
+Down I went again --- another pressure-wave --- tread, tread, tread, furiously. The manuscript might still be dry. My foot touched a rock. In a flash of light I could see two rocks jutting out of the
-flashed, and in the instant I was striking out again for the opposite
+water just a few feet away. I lunged hard towards them. Water trickled down the back of my throat. Spluttering and half-choking, I grabbed blindly at the nearest rock. My fingers round a crevice where the rock was sloping nearly flat into the water's edge, My other hand snatched the tormenting stick of wood from between the teeth. The manuscript was clear of the water, and I could breathe again.
-bank. I seemed to be in part of a channel where the current was strongest.
-Gasping for air between tightly clenched teeth, I knew the manuscript would have to go if I couldn't make the other side quickly. Down I went again --- another pressure-wave ---- more treading water.
+A searing flash of lightning filled the air, and then darkness. Glancing across to the bank I saw an enormous blueish cloud of vapour shimmering and swirling in an intense circle of light about the Stumpus.
-Jaws aching relentlessly, and only getting half the air I needed,
-it was obvious the manuscript would have to go in a few seconds. I'd try swimming with only one hand, but the current was too strong.
-lid never last the distance.
-Down I went again --- another pressure-wave --- tread, tread,
-tread, furiously. The manuscript might still be dry. My foot touched a rocks In a flash of light I could see two rocks jutting out of the
-water just a few feet away. I lunged hard towards them.
-Water trickled down the back of my throat. Spluttering and half- choking, I grabbed blindly at the nearest rock. My fingers ,round a crevice where the rock was sloping nearly flat into the water's edge, My other hand snatched the tormenting stick of wood from between the. teeth. The manuscript was clear of the water, and I could breathe again.
- A searing flash of lightning filled the air, and then darkness.
-Glancing across to the bank I saw an enormous blueish cloud of vapour
-shimmering and swirling in an intense circle of light about the Stumpus.
 The rock upon which I was resting gave a sudden tremor and from around the Stumpus I could hear an ugly grating sound. A dull and distant rumbling drowned the growl of the river. Thoroughly awe-struck I gazed across from my little island of rock. I held tight to the manuscript.
-The Stumpus itself; it's encompassing gigantic boulders and
-even the ridge behind it seemed alive and as if under some terrific subterranean tension. A low humming sound drifted across the river.
+The Stumpus itself, it's encompassing gigantic boulders and even the ridge behind it seemed alive and as if under some terrific subterranean tension. A low humming sound drifted across the river.
-The blueish vapour around the Stumpus changed its hue to a greenish
-. colour, and as it did so the humming sqund increased rapidly in pitch.
+The blueish vapour around the Stumpus changed its hue to a greenish colour, and as it did so the humming sound increased rapidly in pitch. The vapour-cloud seemed to writhe violently about the Stumpus and then it changed abruptly to a vivid yellow burst of light accompanied by a high-pitched screaming whine  Cr-r-aa-ack Zooomm.
-The vapour-cloud seemed to writhe violently about the Stumpus and then it changed abruptly to a vivid yellow burst of light accompanied
- by a high-pitched screaming whine  Cr-r-aa-ack Zzw oo omm;
+All hell seemed let loose ---- A blast of light and air flattened the water in front of me, and then, strangely, the blast-wave passed overhead and across the rock like a gentle breeze. It must have been deflected upwards from the water by the far end of the rock on which I was lying. Trees gesticulated violently, and nearly bent themselves double in answer to the blast. Water surged up along the opposite river-bank. A swirling tumultuous red cloud rose up above the Stumpus ---- The Stumpus?   Where is it? Is it gone?   I can't see. Boulders large and small, crashed with a continuous roar down the ridge. Crash;
-All hell seemed let loose ---- A blast of light and air flattened the water in front of me, and then, strangely, the blast-wave passed overhead and across the rock like a gentle breeze' It must have been deflected upwards from the wa7er by the far end of the rock on which I was lying.
+---- Splash. Some of them were falling into the river. Pssst;  Psst; Phutt; The yellow flame spat again, flared up, then died. Darkness. Pssst; Darkness again. Pssst; The flame flickered, grew in intensity, waned, became brighter, then suddenly increased in size. Fingers despairingly closed themselves about the flame.
-Trees gesticulated violently, and nearly bent themselves double
-in answer to the blast. Water surged up along the opposite river-bank. A swirling tumultuous red cloud rose up above the Stumpus ---- The Stumpus?   Where is it? Is it gone?   I can't see; Boulders
+Sitting under the tent with legs crossed yogi-fashion, the Admiral leant forward muttering salty incantations over a spluttering primus. This was a grouse show. Pssst,  Phutt; Another match gone west.
-large and small, crashed with a continuous roar down the ridge. Crash;
+He'd spent all day hunting for paleolithic sign-posts, and all he'd got for his efforts was a sting from a bee; Everything was wet.,. the other bloke had apparently forgotten to come back to camp, and it was raining cats and bloody dogs.
-----
-Splash. Some of them were falling into the river.
+Slipping, sliding, cussing and bumping through the dark undergrowth, I sat down exhausted on a rock. That last effort had nearly cost me the manuscript, and now I sported an obominably sore toe. I had put my foot under a rock and fallen headlong towards the water's edge. The manuscript had been within inches of another watery journey. So far it was only damp, very damp, but pushing through the wet undergrowth like this would soon have it a pulpy mess. On the feet again. Forward ---- Stumble  Swish, and the branch of another bush bit me viciously behind the ear. The river growled back. This was no longer funny. Where was the camp, anyway?
-Pssst;  Psst; Phutt; The yellow flame spat again, flared up,
-then died. Darkness. Pssst; Darkness again. Pssst; The flame flickered, grew in intensity, waned, became brighter, then suddenly increased in size. Fingers despairingly closed themselves about the flame.
+Sand; Surely camp must be somewhere near at hand. We had a small beach "frontage" about 40 feet down from the tent ---- wherever it was now? Confound the ruddy dark ---- every rock looked the same:
-Sitting under the tent with legs crossed yogi-fashion, the Admiral leant forward muttering salty incantations over a spluttering primus. This was a grouse show. Pssstl-  Phutt; Another match gone west;
-He'd spent all day hunting for paleolithic sign-posts, and all he'd got for his efforts was a sting from a bee; Everything was wet.,. the other bloke had apparently forgotten to come back to ,camps, and it was raining cats and bloody dogs.
-Slipping, sliding, cussing and bumping through the dark undergrowth, I sat down exhausted on a rock. That last effort had nearly cost me the manuscript, and now I sported an obominably sore toe. - I had put my foot under a rock and fallen headlong towards the water's edge. The manuscript had been within inches of another watery journey. So far it was only damp, very damp, but pushing through the wet undergrowth like this would soon have it a pulpy MBSS. On the feet again. Forward ---- Stumble   Swish, and the branch of another bush bit MB viciously behind the ear. The river growled back. This was no longer funny. Where was the camp, anyway?
-Sand; Surely camp must be somewhere near at hand. We had a small , beach "frontage" about 40 feet down from the tent ---- wherever it was now? Confound the ruddy dark ---- every rock looked the same:
 An ear-splitting roar tumbled down the slope: "Scupper me!. Scupper mel   I'll smash yer main bloody mizzen with a rock, if yer
 don't get steam up in a minute'," I think I had found the P,dmiral.
@@ Line 391: / Line 377: @@
 Meal) by pouring it from a billy into the top of my sleeping-bag.
 Another kindred spirit had energetically grabbed my big toe through the bag and was pulling my leg --- just like yours!
-,..1
-WEDDING BELLS FOR BUSHWALKERS.
-Two of our very good friends and fellow members, Goof Wagg and Grace Aird, will jump into the common melting pot of matrimony on the
+------------------
-night of Wednesday, 18th September. The S.B.W. sincerely wishes you, Goof and Grace, all the happiness that life can bring in your journey
+**WEDDING BELLS FOR BUSHWALKERS**
-together through the years ahead. We know that bushwalking and the
-outdoor life will always play a big part in attaining that happiness,  so we rest contentedly with the thought that you will still be actively
+Two of our very good friends and fellow members, Goof Wagg and Grace Aird, will jump into the common melting pot of matrimony on the night of Wednesday, 18th September. The S.B.W. sincerely wishes you, Geof and Grace, all the happiness that life can bring in your journey together through the years ahead. We know that bushwalking and the outdoor life will always play a big part in attaining that happiness,  so we rest contentedly with the thought that you will still be actively among us just as you always have been in the past. (P.S. We'll allow you a little time off now and then for home-building and certain other things Ed.)
-among us just as you always have been in the past. (F.S. We'll allow
-you a little time off now and then for home-building and certain other t thinp;s) - Ed.
+Congratulations to Club Member Allen Strom, whose marriage to Miss Edwina Gray of the Caloola Club took place on 22nd August.
-Congratulations to Club Member Allen Strom, whose marriage to
-Miss Edwina Gray of the Caloola Club took place on 22nd August.