The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-01-22

To be lost in the vast Australian
bush during a season of drought may
safely be regarded as one of the most
terrible experiences which can befatl
a man, and the list of explorers, pros
pectors and others who have perished
by the cruel death of thirst is unfor-
tunately long one. had come
down from Wileannia, on the Darl-
ing, to Adelaide with friend for a
holiday after a rather lengthy spell
of monotonous station life, and hear
ing that things were booming in the
great silver 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, "a 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 should strike off to find water.
With rather heavy swags but light
hearts, we started merrily off, little
dreaming of the trouble in store for
as. For the first week or ten days
we managed very we'll, coming across
farms and stations where we could
obtain rations and water, but gradu-
ally things began to get decidedly
worse with us as we reached the less
poulated 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 lonely hut where we were
kindly welcomed by an old Scotch
shepherd, who was genuinely glad to
see fresh faces in his isolated little
dwelling. 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 I was naturally relying
on his thorough bush knowledge.
The old shepherd on hearing our de-
cision gave us full directions as far
as he was able, explaining to US the
exact position of certain dams where
we might find little water.
Early the following morning we
started off again, rested and re-
freshed, with our water bags and bill
lies 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 a dam, and our water
bags were empty. The heat was ter
rife, and at times the burning sand,
filing our boots, made walking sim
pie agony. By the evening we were
vainly 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 a she oak, and was only
too glad to do the same. Though
went about prospecting little way
in all directions, l could neither see
nor hear anything to indicate human
habftation.
well, Ned" was his greeting on
MY return, nothing? l 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 moody silence, and 1 flung
myself down beside him with a feel
ing of despair which 1 tried hard to
stifle. 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 relieved us for the moment it soon
made us more parched than ever. To
add to our misery there was a 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, muir
muring incoherently, and had also
just dozed off when we were startled
by the bowling of some dingoes close
by, and soon after my poor mate
called cut, "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!
knew it could not be far Off" 1
looked eagerly around, but could see
nothing but bush, endless bush, lying
calm and cherries in the light of the
brilliant moon. Trying to put on an
air Of hopefulness which I was far
&c. es..1s..e. A...r,nd 4s. ny a.....u.n,a