Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-14
LOST In THE BUSH.
AYoUNe GIRLS TERRIBLE ExPERI-
ENcE IN AUSTRALIA
Graphic Account Of the Finding of O
Child Who Had Been Lost In
the Wilderness for
Three Weeks



lowing graphic account of the finding Of
| q young girl. Clara Crosbie. who had been
lost in the bush for three weeks: 1T was
on the twentieth day after the girl left
Mrs. Haines' house that couple of
friends started out to look for horse
which had strayed in the ranges. J. q.
Curwsn, farmer and contractor of War.
burton, who has been fourteen years in
the district and knows his way about.
was accompanied in this quest by W lillian
Smith, piano forte tuner of Kew, who
was on tour through the district They
struck the Cockatoo creek, and as they
watched the turbid stream flowing
through the oozy bed of large
morass. Mr.. Corwan began to expaiiate
upon the advantages of canals for drain,
age purposes with as much fervor as the
late Hugh Met oil used TO praise canals
for irrigation purposes. The friends grew
so interested in the sub ject that they got
off their horses to discuss il. and they
were soon deep in the history of the Suez
canal and that of its engineer. De Lesseps.
Then remounting and skirting the swamp,
they were riding rapidly away, when Mr.
Smith found the head of starved domes.
tic cat which had vainly sought succor in
hole in tree. Mr. Curwan obliged his
-town cbum. as he calls him, by wait
ing till Mr.. Smith once more left his sad
die. and with stick fully disentombed
the feline victim of misplaced confidence
in the nutriti e resources of the Lnydale
bush
-He was just mounting again when a
low sound like young blackbird's
whistle caught the acute ear of the ex-
parienced bushman by his side. Hist
said Mr. Curwan. What's thatr Again
the wailing. plaintive note was born softly
on the breeze. 1t was enough this time
Mr. Curwan was sure it was a coo-ee 1
never, he says. hear a coo-e-e twice in
the bush without answering it. / answered
it and the soft, weak voice came TO US
again. yet little louder ! was sure
something was wrong. but could not say
where the sound came from because of the
echo of the hills galloped up the rise in
front of US and COO ed now and again.
Every time we coo-e ed-indeed. ofteuer
we got the response Of that low yet
piercing note of distress When we got
on TO the hill was sure the voice came
from the swamp we had left. As fast as
legs. bogs and ravines would let us we
advanced toward the spot where we had
been talking about canals. | heard some
one speaking but could not make out the
words. and the scrub was so thick / could
not see anyone.
AT last caught sight of little girl,
and it went to my heart to see her so thin
and woebe gone. / ut could not believe
it was ClaIs Crosbie, or that she could
have lived so long The little creature
was tottering toward us In her ulster,
without shoes or stockings on, hut quite
sensible. She said - | want to go home
to my mother l have been lost three
weeks. She was so weak that she could
scarcely stand l jumped off my horse
put my coat around her, and took her up
in my arms. She said sne wanted a
drink. but wished to hasten back TO the
camp with her, as I was afraid she might
go OF. 1t would have been terrible for
her TO have died in nv arms after all she
had suffered and / had found her. She
said she had lived In tree, and
used to go for water. but that she had
been too weak to 60 for any for two days,
and could quite believe it She said her
clothes were in the tree. but We did not
stay to look for them, but started home
at once
-Mr. Smith went ON to bring some tea,
and. although he can ride. never saw
man go across country in better style. as
If there was such a thing as breaking his
neck in such a tangle He met me half
way, but had given the little thing a
drink out of my hat before that Didn't
she lap il up eagerly. and then talked all
the more about how she wandered away
and crossed the creek and found the hol-
low tree. and got too frightened and too
tired to travel any more. We gave her
some tea and toast. and when we got TO
the camp the cook said he saw a man who
was lost In New Ie land, and the doctor
gave him some oatmeal with some brandy
in IL But Clara smelt some pork and
potatoes and she did beg hard for some Of
that dinner. l believe she thinks me
hard to this day.
After she had eaten a little and now
that she felt quite safe and the excitement
was over, she began to look worse than
when we first found her. We could see
the ravages which hunger and exposure
had made. but, considering what she had
gone through, she was wonderfully
chirpy. She kept asking to be taken to
her mother. She was taken there in the
blankets Of six of the boys. for every man
wanted to have share in wrapping her
up. and then she was washed and put to
bed b. Mrs Claxton at the hotel. which
was nearer than her mothers house. She
has been improving ever since but you
will see her for yourself bye and bye, and
get her to talk TO you In q week she
will be as wight as ever, but it was a close
shave. l ion't think she would have
lated another night. as the next night q
stiff frost was on and she had got too
weak TO 60 to the creek for the water
upon which she had lived How she
lived. God knows have seen men used
to hardship knock under in fourth of
the time And then think of the loneli-
ness and the wildness of the place where
she was found 1t was enough to drive
a child lie her mad She's living
wonder