Overview
Tues. June 16.
Anstice + I rode up to North Block to camp. We met the old horse "Maori" in the first cutting on Gladstone Road in route for home. Last night he went across the Blk [Block] to Mill p[paddock] forcing his way thru' the Ram p gate + this morning he evidently got out by the Horse-shoe Bend on the Makahika R[oad]. I rode "Maori" up to Ohau Summit + we sledged the 24 remaining posts about 4 chns [chains] along fence-line. Also cleared line + felled an overhanging tree. "Maori" got loose by breaking his blinkers and bolted down Foxtail Spur. I followed to save the
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chains attached to his collar from being lost. He behaved like a perfect demon - plunging thro' dense bracken standing high above his head + floundering over logs. When I caught hold of the chains he wrenched them away tearing skin from my fingers + bringing up blood-blisters. Finally he collapsed in a deep little gulley + I caught him - both quite exhausted. Rode back to hilltop. We then carried out the posts to their proper places as far as the corner near the still standing bush. On return to whare, we chained "Maori" to a tree for night, this being the only way of keeping him on the place.