Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1854-03-25
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THE DEAD GOLD-DIGGER.
AN INCIDENT IN AN AUSTRALIAN FOREST.

AN INCIDENT IN AN AUSTRALIAN FOREST.
A narrative of two goldfnders, lately
published in the London Emigrant, con-
tains the following melancholy incident :
Our progress through the forest was not
very rapid, for wehere lost our way. We
killed several snakes, and were somewhat
amused by the numberless insects Of every
possible description. At length we OBJ
served a number Of birds lowering lazily
around the top of huge eucalyptus, as if
aIlured by some object mits neighborhood.
This was happy sight for us. We eX-
amined our guns, primed them afresh,
and stealing from tree TO tree until within
easy range, a successful shot brought one
tumbling and hutterlng to the earth. The
others took flight, upwards of dozen Of
them rising from about the foot Of the
tree, which convinced us that there was
something there more than usually atlrac-
tive. We kept ourselves concealed, leav-
ing the wounded bird to lis fate until the
others should recover from their surprise
and give US another chance at them. AS
several had flown but short distance, it
was agreed that Raikes should remain
where he was, whilst should, as STEALTH
ly as possible, endeavor to crcumambu.
late the ground until within shot, when
might be the means of driving them in
his direction again, whilst would make
pretty certain of another bird. This was
in my case successfully accomplished; ;
but as a couple passed over the head OF
Raikes, with a wild screaming and caw-
ing, he missed them, declaring that if
there had been only one, he would have
brought 1t down, but there being two, he
did not know which 10 take, got confused,
and lost both. One of them was very
large, rushing through the air with the
velocity of tempest, and with noise
like the sweep of a scythe in the hands of
a strong mower cutting the grass before
him. We now picked up our game and
proceeded to the foot of the tree to find
what could be the object of such attraction.
1t was expected that there could be nothing
less than bed of grubs, every one as
large as mans finger at the least; but
you will Judge of our surprise when we
found the skeleton of an unlucky Digger,
who, like ourselves, had lost his way in
the woods, and had evidently perished
from WEAKNESS and want. The position
in which he lay was even revoltingIy nat
ural. His feshless skull reclined upon
the bledEhed bone of his arm, as if he had
just laid down to repose whilst his head
had turned little, perhaps TO enable him
10 look to Heaven 10 solicit drop OF wa
ter, or an end TO his miseries. His cab
bage- tree hat had rolled from his head,
whilst his skeleton-hand still guarded the
gun which he had, no doubt, looked to be
the source of his preservation. He lay
upon his blanket; and pannikin of tin,
rusted and partially filled with dry mud,
stood by his side. His clothes had been
nearly all torn away by the eagerness OF
the birds Of prey to devour his flesh and
his boots, which still encased the bony
shafts of his legs, were the only articles
of his dress in tolerable state of preser-
vation.
Poor mortal sufferer" cried Raikes,
with deep emotion, "what have you gone
through -
"We must turn the body" said l, "and
see if we can find any clue as 10 who he
was"
Whilst doing this, some Of his ribs
broke away from their sockets, and Sill
nv saake crawled from under his side. |
bruised the head of this loathsome thing
with the butt-end ofmy gun. We now
discovered little turned ivory box, such
as would easily enter watch-pocket,
where il had evidently been kept, but now
lay close by the other hand, as if it had
fallen from its grasp with the last breath
which terminated his existence. Taking
it up, and anxiously unscrewing the I'D,
we found it TO contain few small pieces
Of gold, weighing, perhaps, little more