Thread: Dustoff for Willie Peters

Ok Who has the book can you pm me when your done please. i had a good talk with Scribe tonight i wont put words into anothers mouth but i am sure he is reading your comments and will contribute soon.

Great read Scribe well researched and written. The history on the different Maori wars was bloody interesting excuse the pun. Things were looking up ha ha. Mucko send me your address details and I will send it along.

Originally Posted by Gapped axe

Great read Scribe well researched and written. The history on the different Maori wars was bloody interesting excuse the pun. Things were looking up ha ha. Mucko send me your address details and I will send it along.

Thanks for the compliments G A. I am really glad you enjoyed the book. It was such an interesting book to write. I spent many hours gazing at this land of ours from our yacht trying to see it through the eyes of an 18 year old American Whaler/Sealer and describe it. It is some land dont you agree???. To have looked at it through a sailors eyes has given it a whole new dimension for me. I hope the members of this forum get a chance to sail our coasts and try to imagine what it was like to make landfall in such an interesting place shortly after Cook. Until this period of my life I was always up somewhere high looking down on the country.

The battles you mention...I became so involved as I wrote about them that at the end of the day my 'patu' arm was quite worn out.
I think it used to be called RSI???.

Now the expression Gapped Axe you dont hear anymore except amoung cullers and old Bushmen are you one of them GA????.

Just Googled that very old expression "Gapped Axe" to see how much use it gets in this modern day.

About the first thing me eyeballs fasten onto is expression....Axe Wound...'Vulva'.......The dirty bastards???.

I just finished the book this morning, fantastic read, I really enjoyed it.
good to see you back Scribe

who's next for the book, please PM me

Cheers

Originally Posted by Scribe

Just Googled that very old expression "Gapped Axe" to see how much use it gets in this modern day.

About the first thing me eyeballs fasten onto is expression....Axe Wound...'Vulva'.......The dirty bastards???.

Hi Scribe good to see you back. Enlighten me as to the meaning behind gapped axe if you will. My old man was in forestry most of his life and was a keen axe man in my youth but the words gapped axe is not something that I am familiar with.

Originally Posted by Rushy

Hi Scribe good to see you back. Enlighten me as to the meaning behind gapped axe if you will. My old man was in forestry most of his life and was a keen axe man in my youth but the words gapped axe is not something that I am familiar with.

One of the reasons I was looking it up Rushey is that it never has been in common use and it is hardly ever heard used nowadays.

This is how I have heard it used in the past.... Once one of our boys went out with the axe and took a swing at a Black Maire stump outside the Ohutu Stream hut that over the years had turned as hard as stone. A chip came off of the cutting edge of the axe.
Hence it was said at the time "That boy has gapped the axe"

Sometimes a tree would grow around a sizeable stone which will "gap the Axe"

A hard knot in a piece of wood was known to "gap the axe"

Perhaps the steel of the old often treasured axes like the Kelly mays have been a bit more brittle than what are available now.

That all I know Rushey and like you I would like to know more. I am hoping "Gapped Axe" will come back and explain a bit about his chosen name.

Good on you DAF I am glad you enjoyed it. I think 'mucko' was looking for it a few days back.
But you send it to whoever PM's you.

I am on the last chapter of new book and are now bored witless and looking for mischief.

Originally Posted by Scribe

Good on you DAF I am glad you enjoyed it. I think 'mucko' was looking for it a few days back.
But you send it to whoever PM's you.

I am on the last chapter of new book and are now bored witless and looking for mischief.

Cant wait Scribe I may even buy a copy!

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Cant wait Scribe I may even buy a copy!

Thats good Cam. I am afraid the age of books is just about over though.

Originally Posted by Scribe

Thats good Cam. I am afraid the age of books is just about over though.

Just like the paperless office of the late eighties Scribe. It will never happen.

Originally Posted by Rushy

Just like the paperless office of the late eighties Scribe. It will never happen.

Think Dotcom. And this types ability to flog off half a mill copies for a dollar each. Copyright is under extreme pressure.

Originally Posted by Scribe

Think Dotcom. And this types ability to flog off half a mill copies for a dollar each. Copyright is under extreme pressure.

Yes that is true. People are still going to want books in the printed form though. I just don't see a stack of Kindles on a shelf giving the same sense of pride that a collection of books does.

You can't beat going to bed early with a good book and an apple or carrot to eat. When I can, I try to go to bed early 2100hrs as I never know when I might be called out. By going to bed this way I find that I sleep really well, that is untill the pager or phone wakes me. 'Gapped Axe' Term was usually made in a negative term or derogitry comment, some one who is careless. Normally for a new chum around camp i.e Don't let him do it he will gap your axe. I also heard it once about 25yrs ago on A Dogs Show when the annoucer use it when a collie went around the side of a mob of sheep, and one ewe broke and went the wrong way.Well Gap my Axe. Still got my dads Kelly but got sick of putting new handles on it ,so I now use a fibreglass one. There go's the pager now. Back again, I hate alarms that cry Wolf. In the mid eighties I used to be a Rafting and adventure Guide working in the Nth Island on the Motu, Mohaka, Kaituna, Wairoa rivers. Around the same time I worked in the bush Building huts and camp sites in the Urewera's for a firm that had a walking concession in there. Spent alot of time living with my Grandparents at Totara nth In the Whangaroa Harbour, so i certainly enjoyed that chapter of the book. Peach island must of been one hell of a Pa site.Left there in the mid 60s and hadn't been back till 2yrs ago when I swam across the harbours entrance to rejoin a vessel that had anchored under the old Gun placements after dropping me off on the northern side. Strong currents and big fish. My age early 50s. Keen to get hold of Dustoff for Willie Peters. Mucko is picking up the book on Tuesday

Yes I agree, we are certainly lucky to live where we do, and are able to pursue the different recreational oppotunities that are available.