Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-19
kSEARCH FOR WATER
Failure of the Lindsay Party
i'm the Exploration of
Inner Australia.
EVENCAMELS BR0KED0WN.
For Twenty-Four Days the Big Beasts
Hadn't Drop to Drink.
AN OASIS THAT HAD SHRIVELED.
Where Giles Found Pure Springs These
Men Found all Parched.
NATIVES DRAWING WATER EPON TRPES
EVENCAMELS BROKEDOWN.
AN OASIS THAT HAD SHRIVELED.
Where Giles Found Pure Springs These
Men Found all Parched.
NATIVES DRAWING WATER FROM TREES
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcH.1

fitted out at great cost, over a year ago, te
complete the exploration of inner Australia
The terrible heat and the parched desert
areas, where hardly drop of water could
be found, are the primary causes of the dis.
aster
The highest hopes had been aroused by
the enterprise. The scheme of exploration
had been formulated by the ROYAL Geo
graphical Society of Australasia The
money required, amounting to thousands of
dollars, had been provided by one man
Sir Thomas Elder-the weathiest and most
enthusiastic promoter in Australia ofscience
and discovery. Everything looked bright
for the expedition when in April last year
David Lindsay, tried and successful e1-
plorer, started from Adelaide with IL COM
rades, including scientific staff of 9 men
and 42 camels to complete the map of Aus
tralia- The work of exploring inner AUS
tralia had, in the past, devolved chiefly
upon nine men, of whom Lindsay was one.
Our map shows the most important routes
of these travellers.
Three Unknown Lands to Explore.
Three great tracts of which nothing was
known were TO be brought by the tenth e1-
pedition to the knowledge of the world.
All of them are west of the overland tele-
graph. The first unknown area to be
visited was that between the southern track
of Giles and that of j. Forrest, and is about
1900 miles long from east to west and $50
miles wide. After crossing this strip Lind
say was to turn north to the headwaters of
L., Al, L
back East through the unknown region be-
tween the routes of Giles and Warburton,
estimated to be 900 miles long and 200 miles
wide. The third unexplored district where
Lindsay was to end his labors lies in what
is known as the Northern Territory, mostly
between the overland telegraph and the
Victoria river, and is region of some 400
miles by 300 miles.
The routes across the great interior which
our map shows could never have been fol-
lowed if ii had not been for the introduc-
tion of the camel. Early explorers used
horses as baggage animals, and their success
was poor because water is scarce COM
modify in the great wastes No Arctic
enthusiast, no explorer of tropical Africa
has ever endured more terrible suffering
than has fallen to the lot of Australian
travellers.
Canels With Arabian Drivers.
1.-THE History Of Australian Explora-
ton" says Reclus, 'gives the highe st idea
of the grandeur and fortitude of man."
Steam brought in a new era in Arctic explor-
alton. Canels introduced into Australia
from Arabia in 1916 made long and sue
cesstul Journeys possible in inner Australia.
The camels Lindsay took with him were in
charge of their Arabian drivers. They had
been in the country three years, and having
become accustomed to the changed con-
ditions of air and forage, could be depended
upon for good service.
After leaving the line of the overland
telegraph, Lindsay's real work began at the
Everard range of high hills. He soon dis
covered that his arduous enterprise had
fallen upon evil times. In all that region
not drop of water had fallen in two wears.
Sources of water that had been discovered
earlier were wholly dried up. At the start,
however, the party were able to fill their
water bags, and they set out bravely for the
unknown West Over the parched plain
they toiled, past Blyth range and on to
Borrow range. At the Blyth hills they OBJ
talned small supply of water, but BY the
time they reached Borrow range the situa-
tion had become very serious They de-
cided wisely that to push into the unknown
regions beyond would probably cost the
lives of all. 1t became now hunt, not for
geographical discoveries but for water.
An Oasis ShriveIed and Burned.
Over 400 miles southwest was remark
able little oasis, discovered by E. Giles in
1875. He reported that thousands of cattle
and sheep could be raised in this verdant
place. There was abundant animal life and
a fne growth of grass in the little area
few square miles in extent, and Giles called
the water he found there Queen Victoria
Springs The Lindsay party struck out
straight for these springs. What was their
horror, when they arrived there with their
camels in perishing condition, to find that
the terrible heat and drought had turned
the green oasis into scorched and barren
desert Not drop of water could be seen,
and vet they must have water or die.
With the frantic energy of despair they
began to dig in one of the hollows, and at q
depth of 20 feet they reached water so i'm
pregnated with alkali as to be almost un-
drinkable, hut, bad as it was, neither man
nor beast refused it. The party filled their
water bags and advanced 150 miles further
south before they came to a fairly good
water supply. 1t had been one of the most
terrible marches in the history of explora-
tion. For 50 DAYS the party had marched
under the blazing sun and had found only a
few quartz of water.
For "a days the camels had not drop to
drink, and the 13 men had an allowance of
only three pints each day. 1t is surpris-
ing that only three of the camels died, but
when they reached the coast at Esperance
Bay on October IA last, they were scarcely
able to stand. Two weeks rest was neces-
sary before the party could start north
again in the hope of saving their expedition
from utter failure.
Our map shows Lindsay's route North |
when he started again for the unknown. He
learned that he could not count on drop of |
water to the north of Hampton Plains. |
Turning to the West and then to the North |
west he struck out for the upper Murchison |
river, his camels becoming rapidly weaker |
on account of their great suiferings from |
thirst.
At last, the long latent dissension in his |
party burst into fame. TIE entire scientific |
staff accused Lindsay of unkind and arbi- |
trary conduct and grave mismanagement |
They resigned together, and making their |
way to the west coast, left Lindsay to |
struggle on with his brother and camel |
drivers
Called Back by the Socie ty.
Though for a short time his camels were
so far gone with thirst that they could not |
eat the plucky explorer made fair progress
until he reached the Cruikshank's ranch |
not far south of the Murchison. Lindsay
now thought his troubles were nearly over
and he had high no pes of accomplishing
after all. What was his dismay, |
to find at the ranch telegram
from the Geographical Society calling him
back The news of the desertion of his
scientific comrades had reached Adelaide,