This chord of sound
I pointed to the only place that seemed to afford a perch, and insisted that we should stop on that spot whatever it was. As we neared it we found that our perch was a big tree jutting out from the precipice, on which we managed to find room, on its base. There was just enough room to lie down on the damp leaves, one ice-axe on each side, and the rope coiled under us. Unfortunately, Cowling left his lantern and candles behind, so it took us all our time to keep warm with my lantern. We enjoyed a tin of salmon and some bread, and drank what cold tea was left, no water being obtainable, although we could hear the noise of the waterfall to the south below us. It was a lovely night, and, despite the discomfort, I felt in fairyland. The kaka parrot sings at certain times of the year, and they were in full song, and you only need to be up on one of their trees to feel yourself in the middle of their company. They called to one another across the cliffs, and although up to then the nightingale of England and the bell bird of New Zealand were my first and second leading songbirds, the parrot's call was purity of tone itself. There is something so grand and full about its rich melodious three notes; it is truly enchanting. All kinds of calls and sounds could be heard, but they all formed the base of this chord of sound which harmonized with the surroundings, because as daylight came we still heard the call. The rata was in full bloom, such a deep red, distinct from any other red, and seeming to be toppling over on the precipices. A naturalist should go into these delightful places to realize what the beauty of nature really is and the feelings on these lonely spots. The birds and the music had kept us from worrying about our position; it was one of those spots one becomes so fascinated with that one forgets everything but the immediate surroundings. I wish I had a more able way of expressing my feelings, as I am afraid my description does poor justice to the experience.
– Samuel Turner, 'Bivouac on Tree Trunk' (1920), in The Conquest of the New Zealand Alps (London: Fisher Unwin, 1922), p 241.
https://tepuna.on.worldcat.org/oclc/9104115