The Washington times., 1905-04-09
By FREDERICK R. BURTON.
CHAPTER l.
In the Australian Bush.

they are going to send an expedition to
learn the fate of DIR. Van Dietrich.
That makes me smile. l see them
toilins wearily through those vast Aus
traiian forests, across the great gray
deserts, over precipitous. moss covered
mountains, and all for nothing. Some
OF them may perish of fever. or the bite
OF the Queensland spider, or from the
treachery of savage servants. but even
If all return eventually to the coast,
their journey viii have been in vain.
No, not wholly in vain; / was putting
1t too strongly. They will discover, say.
a new variety of marsupial. shoot per-
haps a larger boongary than has yet
heen found, and they will bring back
any quantity of weeds and flowers with
fnterminable Latin names for the en-
rfchment of museums.
Doubtless, too, they will add to the
maps by tracing certain rivers to their
sources, and they may immortalize
themselves by attaching their own
names to some of the mountains in their
way; but the real purpose of their quest
will not be attained.
Wait. though. what right have 1 to
assume so much? l know a thing or
two about this matter, and perhaps my
very knowledge should make me con-
servative.
Let's see again what the paper says.
Here it IS, part of an editorial article:
Scientific societies in Germany. Aus
tria, Denmark, and England have or
ganized an expedition to traverse the in
terior of Australia for the purpose of
ieasrnine what became of Dr. Gabriel
an Dietrich. The enterprise has the
sanction Of the government mentioned.
including the special authority of Great
Britain
DIR. Van Dietrich was one of the
worlds greatest savan.s. A German by
birth and education, he had devoted his
life to the exploration of Australia His
one DOCK conveying the results of his
researches around the Gulf of Carpen-
taria had made him famous the world
over and established him as a traveller
OF rare discernment and authority
At that time the fringe of coast coun-
try included all that was known about
Australia. 1t was about fifty years ago
that Dr. Van Dietrich undertook to
cross The continent from cast to west
Save one or two messages sent back to
the coast shortly after ne started, moth
ing was ever heard from him or about
Linn afterward.
Since that time the continent has
been crossed successfully. but the Incl
dental exploration has revealed only a
thin line of country, and today the vast
interior is almost unknown as it was
the benefit of good luck
There is more of the article; a lot of |
learned speculation about Van Diet |
rich's course and experiences; but no |
matter Somehow, 1 do not smile now |
They will be brave, hardy men who |
undertake the search. They will be bet |
ter provided for battling with difficult I,
ties than we were. And they may have |
the benefit OF good luck.
Why may they not, then, discover the !
truth? / am certain thai it would be |
well If they did so. Our knowledge of |
the great continent would be enlarged. |
Van Dietrich would be-well, rescued is
perhaps the word-and--
There are so many other considera-
tions besieging my mind Here I am
scribbling away for the sake of getting /
my thoughts into conerent shape so that
] may understand myself.
Ycu see, ! am oppressed by a grow
ing conviction that / ought to give the 1
rev expedition the benefit of my ex-
i
it-heaven forbid,-Im an old man
now, and | have seen enough of Aus
tralia-but by putting in writing the
facts that came before my eyes nearly
half a century ago.
l knew Van Dietrich well A profound
scholar. enthusiastic in his devotion to
science, and big-hearted. fine type of
man. which latter to my thinking. is
+har oil ha FriT ,,f !
ton.
He seemed at times to be man Of one
idea-science; his ardor in the pursuit of
Knowledge can be Iikened 10 nothing so
well as to the self-forgetful ecstasy with
which our great composers give them
selves up to the makir~ of music: but
he would miss capturing the rarest
specimen fer the sake of nursing the
wound of comrade. and he never con-
sciously made the rest of us suffer by
overworking Us.
Nevertheless. he set hot pace, and
IT took a deal of endurance and all the
enthusiasm that he kindled in his fol-
lowers 70 keep the party together And
IT Will be big feat for this expedition
If its members succeed in discovering
what became of him.
Whether 1t goes further or not I will
continue or rather begin now. to set
down what I know
The political turbulence of Germany in
the late forties brought about nv de-
partrre from my native land. There
were other reasons of n family nature
upon which it is not necessary to enter
here, though they may be referred TO
later
The point Of Importance is that
Otto Schmidt. and my cousin. Hugo
Ganz. went awandering and eventually
struck upon the wilds of Australia on
an eager hunt for gold ,
We were, indeed, pioneers. The FL
Dorados of Australia had not then been /,
discovered. There were rumors of gold
in plenty, but mighty little Of It was
in sight
Following the hints OF natives. pros- ,
pectors had Knocked with their ham ,
mers at the adamantine doors of the
mountain treasure houses and had (
sifted the sands of a few streams: here
and there quartz was found .'>at showed
a faint color. cnd now and again s
pan OF dust was shaken from a river :
bed ,
Perhaps because we early birds didn't I
know our business, but more likely be-
80 Ia s.lly IT,