Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-12-20
ACROSS AUSTRALIANS HOT
GAMING
A Journey over the Great Desert. of IN.

SAHDS.
A Journey Over the Great Deserts of the
Big Island.
A trip across tie inland deserts of
Australia is interesting, dangerous and
toilsome Port Augusta, in South
Austria IA, IS the starting point for two
great tboroughfAres -ohe by the north
east to the great grazing downs of in
ner Queensland, the other by the north
through dry valleys and dusty noun
tains- The first marks its tracks be-
yond mistaking in the bleaching bones
of Gait that have fallen by the way
side, the other is marked by thread
of wire strung overhead. the line Of the
overland telegraph that connects the
big Island with the worlds news. A
railroad is now being constructed over
this route. Tobacco is necessary ar
ticle in a traye er's baggage, for in the
Australian bush it is the only thing
that passes for money.
We started out ON the north route,
says one who recently made the journey
across the great de- ert, taking the rail-
ROAD as far as it is buiit-to Baitsna.
Here cainels were taken. 1t is barely
possible that there exists some locomo-
tive agent more intolerable than the
came, but, if so, it is not known. The
wretched beast maintains distinct gait
il each of it, fur legs, it swings its
mead with the motions of still fifth
mode OF progre sion, aud the roll of its
body is resultant Of all three and yet
other forces not clearly to be identified.
Then the camel may crane his neck
and bite you.
TIE camels carried us across the
Falt desert, where horses cannot live, to
Umbum. Here horses, the most wicked
OF the equine species, were taken,
which carried us over 1000 miles, and
the remaining 500 miles we're per.
formed with those only reliable agents
OF locomotion, ones own feet and legs;
and these long miles were the most en-
ioyed. So much for the manner Of
making the journey.
The road is no road, it is not even
trail to sight less keen than the black
fellows eye. The plain direction is
never to lose sight of the telegraph
wire. Following the faint shadow OF
the line upon the sand, one comes to
springs or pools of filthy water at long
intervals where the thirst is quenched.
At intervals of about 100 miles are found
the relay stations OF the telegraph, uni
formly neat structures of stone, where
TO men live in lonely company. watch
Iag that their wires work uninterrapt-
eddy.
In such gradual journeying the
scenery changes but slowly. The first
third of the way lies over deceptive
plains which seem level aud yet
strangely bar the view with their unno-
ticed elevations. This is the land OF
baked clay, of blue bush aud salt bush
and the thorny spinilex. The second
third of the journey is among noun
tains and rolling hills. Here are no
great heights and no deep valleys, vet
the change is an agreeable one; water
begins to be more plentiful and of
better quality; there are even traces OF
rain in the shade of green vegetation.
There are dry stretches between the
ranges, but fer the first time clouds are
seen in the sky with promise of moist
ure, promise which every northward
step brings nearer rea 'ization.
The final third of the way lies within
the trolics, showers begin to come and
soon develop into down-pours. The,
dry plain changes to the rank sogginess
of marsh land, there are suggestions Of
alligaters, there are mosquitoes and all
manner of venomous flies. At last
Palmerston is reached on the shore OF
Port Darwin, which opens into the In,
dian Ocean. The journey is over, and
at the end no one thinks it in any way
remarkable.