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Chapter IX
Lauper Reaches Lake Brunner—Attempts to Reach Westland from Otago—The Caples and Pyke and Clarke Expeditions—Charles Townsend Reaches the Grey—Establishment of Depôt.
Vincent Pyke
Lauper, unable to cross the Taramakau and so proceed to the Grey, decided to ascend that river and make for Lake Brunner where he knew that there were three survey parties cutting tracks. The first day he made but little progress, being very weak and ill and without food. As a matter of fact he was starving. That night he heard the bark of a dog and pushing through the scrub came across a Maori with his wife and child. The natives had but little food for themselves, but after Lauper had told his story and given the man four sticks of tobacco he received two small potatoes which, he states, “tasted delicious.” That night the Maori caught a few small fish in a fixed net, three of which with a
