The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-08-09


| hour; nor did the gum trees afford
much shelter, for Australian foliage has
a notable tendency to turn edgeWlse
to the sky. This mattered little, how
| ever, for the thick high grass now wet
me to the skin at every step; but l
felt somewhat concerned Tor my cart
ridges.
Another shower, even more violent.
succeeded the first, heralded by blind
ing fash and roar of thunder. In
the course of a few minutes the clay
fats were flooded. What was even
worse a mist rose, following the show
ers, and it became quite impossible to
keep to my course or find the gums
previously seen across the lowlands.
Gladly would l now have retraced my
steps to the pony and returned to the
ranch; but before 1 was really aware,
1 lost my way, and was hopelessly
pushed"
Not to make bad worse, l sat down,
with my back to gum, to wait for
daylight; and wet and uncomfortable
as l was, l presently fell asleep sit
ting there.
Day had dawned when l walked, but
that dense mist still enveloped every
thing. Apparently the sun was up,
yet for the life of me could not tell
which was east For an hour or more
sat there, hoping that the fog would
lit, and meanwhile made a frugal
breakfast off my bread and cheese. MY
general impression was that the sea
lay to my right; and l finally set OH
in that direction, walking fast for an
hour or two.
The thick grass thinned out at last,
and l came to little creek. swollen
and turbid. 1T is all right, now,"
thought to myself. Il will follow this
creek down." for l had no doubt that
it flowed intoNthe sound somewhere to
the westward of our supply shed.
Then for fully three hours followed
that creek, expecting every minute to
grew quite bewildered. l could not
understand it, for knew had come a
distance Of fourteen or fifteen miles.
Presently the mystery was cleared.
Right ahead of me l suddenly saw a
broad channel of deep, swiftly flowing
water, into which my wandering creek
debouched. 1t was, it could be, moth
ing else than the Fitzroy river, which
at it's nearest point is twenty miles to
the northeast of our ranch. There is
no other such large stream In north
west Australia. And all the time /
had thought that l was going to the
west!
Now, at least, knew where I was;
and as I was still determined not to
give up my trip, ate what was left OF
my food, and set of to follow the river
to salt water.
l had gone but a little way, however
when came to deep lagoon, or arm
of water, which opened back from the
river. A strong current was setting
into it, too strong to cross: and l fol-
lowed It back and round for mile or
more, and then found that it broaden
ed in a large pool three or four hun
dred yards in diameter.
AS 1 stood looking across it, espied
what looked like log hut on the far
ther side; and thinking that this
might be the camp Of white hunters,
naturalists or prospectors, at first
"cooeed" across, and then, receiving
no answer, went round the pool.
1t proved to be log cabin, evident
ly constructed by whites, but had been
for some time deserted; grass and a
few young oats were growing about
the doorway. Except mildewed copy
of the London Times and two beef
tins, there was nothing whatever in
doors; and I was about to proceed
when, glancing across the pool, I saw
four black fellows, armed with spears
and kylies, going along the other
shore, one behind another, all bent
forward and moving quickly, as if
tracking game.
watched them a moment; and It
then occurred to me, far more sudden
ly than was agreeable, that l had my
self passed along there but a few min
utes before on my way to the hut, and
that l was the game.
The conviction was unmistakable,
and gave me a most unpleasant thrill.
felt anything but certain as to my
cartridges.
But was not long rejecting that it
was best to keep those spear and kyle
fellows on the farther side Of the pool.
So, stepping out in sight, cooked my
carbine and shouted across. All stop
ped short and stared at me. Then I
saw one Of them half-raise his hand
and all four dropped out of sight in
the grass.
To let them know l was armed, as
we'll as to try my cartridges. took