Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-05
Miseellaneuu5 8mding.
LOST IN THE BUSH.
An Experience In Crossing Interior of
Australia,

|
Oy the c'Iel death Of thirst is unfor-
tunately long one. 1 had come down
from Wilcannia on the Darling, to Ad-
elaide with friend for a holiday af-
ter a rather lengthy spell of monoton-
Gus station life, and hearing that
things were booming in the great sill
yer mines of Broken Hill in New
South Wales, we decided to try our
luck there.
My experiences of the Australian
bush were at that time rather limit
ed, but my mate, native of South
Australia, was an excellent bushman,
as he had often proved himself dur
| ing the time we had worked together
on the station. We had also come
across a miner, who having accom-
plished the journey on foot himself,
gave us full directions as to certain
| landmarks, such as blazed trees, and
carefully instructed us as to where we
would strike off to find water. With
rather heavy swags but light hearts,
we started merrily off, little dream
the first week or ten days we man.
aged very well, coming across farms
and stations where we could obtain
rations and water, but gradually
with us as we reached the less popu-
lous country, but still we trudged
hopefully onward in spite of the heat
and the scarcity of water.
Late one night as we were going
through an outlying cattle station we
struck a lonely hut where we were
kindly welcomed by an old Scotch
shepherd, who was genuinely glad to
see fresh faces in his isolated dwell
ing. We told the old man of our
plans but he shook his head very
doubtfully and strongly advised us to
turn back, as the country before US
was in a shocking state. He said that
the few creeks and lagoons were all
empty, while the dams had been dried
up for some considerable time. But
charlie, my mate, had made up his
mind to push on if humanity able TO
do so, and 1 was naturally relying on
his thorough bush knowledge. The
old shepherd on hearing our decision
gave us full directions as far as he
was able, explaining to US the exact
positions of certain dams where we
might find little water.
Early the following morning we
started on again, rested and refresh
ed, with our water bags and billies
full, having taken leave of our kind
host. However, on the second day
after we had left the hut we had seen
no trace of dam, and our water bags
were empty. The heat was terrific, |
and at times the burning sand, filling
our boots, made walking Simply
agony. By the evening we were vain
~ trying to quench our burning thirst
by chewing tobacco. We had hardly
spoken to each other all day, and at
last Charlie threw down his swag
under an oak, and l was only too
glad to do the same. Though went
about prospecting a little way in all
L
hear anything to indicate human hab-
itations.
well, Ned" was his greeting on
my return, nothing? 1 have been
pushed before, but it strikes me that
we may consider ourselves lucky if |
we get out of this alive" He then
fell into a moody silence, and 1 flung |
myself down beside him with feel
ing of despair which l tried hard to
8 life. We could not resist the temp
tation of trying to quench our thirst
by chewing the leaves Of the salt bush,
although we knew that while it re-
lieved us for the moment it soon made
US more parched than ever. To add
to our misery there was hot wind
blowing from the north, so that we
could easily have fancied that we
were standing in front of a fire, with
the flames blowing in our faces.
At last Charlie fell asleep, murmur-
ing incoherently, and 1 had also just
dOzed off when we were startled by
the bowling of some dingoes close by,
and soon after my poor mate called
out, "Ah, Ned, lad, we are all right
now! What pair of fools we have
been not to see the dear old river!
Why there is the Darling! l knew
| it could not be far Off" l looked
eagerly around, but could see moth
| ing but bush, endless bush, lying
calm and cheerless in the light of the
brilliant moon. Trying to put on an
air of hopefulness which l was far
from feeling l turned to my COM
panion, saying, Lie down, Charlie,
old chap, and keep quiet while l go
and fill the water bags and billies,
and thus l managed to soothe my de-
lirious mate, until again he fell into
an uneasy slumber.
So the long hours of night dragged
wearily on, and we were thankful to
heaven for every moment of uncon-
sciOuSneSS. But with the dawn we
were fully awakened by a couple of
laughing jackasses in the branch of a
tree nearby. Their almost human
laughter seemed to mock us in our
misery. Charlie was now conscious,
but thoroughly exhausted. He tried
again and again to speak to me, but
was unable to do so, his tongue being
double its normal size. My own clare
to the roof of my mouth and l was
hardly able to swallow. | really
think, as / look back on the horror
of it all, that the only thing which
saved me from going mad was the
strain which l was forced to put upon
my naturally slow brain for the sake
of my more prostrated mate. All at
once, with an unnatural energy, Char
lie picked up his swag, glared at me
with bloodshot eyes, and, pointing in
to the distances toward the sun, beck
oned me to follow. | looked in the
direction he indicated and saw in the
near distance q beautiful blue lake.