The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-12-27
A DESERT ENIGMA
Mystery Of a Vanished Party Of
Australian Explorers.
The Lsiehhardt Expedition Disappear
cd a. Though Il Had Been swallowed
UP BY the Earth, Which May Indeed
Have Been tie Fearful Fate.

cd a. Though Il Had Been swallowed
Up BY the Earth, Which May Indeed
Have essn-its Fearful Fate.
There have been recorded many
strange tragedies Of exploration In lone
and distant lands. but no one event Of
the kind hns ever NO stirred mems minds
as did the total disappearance Of the
we'll found aud splendidly equipped ex-
petition which Dr. Ludwig LEIGH
hardt. the franklin Of Australia. led
into the central deserts Of Australia In
1S4S.
Ieichhardt's design was to march
right across the continent from the east
coast to the west. and as he had al
ready led successful expedition near
~ 5000 miles through u previously un-
known part Of Australia. IL was gener-
ally thought that he would be able to
accomplish the task.
Still. there were some who doubted
and prophesied disaster. and more than
one wealthy friend of the doctors re-
fused to subscribe toward the expedi
ton on the ground that they were not
going to help him to commit suicide.
The members Of the expedition num-
bered six whites and two blacks. an
unusually large number for an explor.
ing expedition Of this nnture. and be-
sides being amply provided with dour.
biscuit. ten. sugar and so on. they drove
along with them fifty bullocks and go
gonts They also had spare horses and
mules in abundance.
At that time the most westerly sta
ton in southern Queensland ". oc-
cupied by squatter named McPher.
son. who dwelt on Cocoon creek. From
there Leichhardt wrote a brief letter as
he was about to start into the unknown
land beyond.
That was the last ever heard Of him
or Of any OF his companions. and this
Notwithstanding the fact that expedi-
ton after expedition was afterward
sent out In search of them.
As completely as though they had
been swallowed up by the earth. they
vanished.
This Is the most puzzling part Of the
mystery-its completeness. Had they
been killed by the natives. as was at
tirst wrongly reported. some relics OF
the explorers would long since have
| been recovered from them. In some
shape the iron work of the implements
and arms they hnd with them would
have survived.
And what Of the stock? Some Of the
goats. mt all events. must have been
left alive. one would have imagined
for these nre notorloussy hardy ami
mails. able to pick up a living almosi
anywhere. Yet none Of these. nor any
Of the horses. mules or bullocks were
ever traced.
| The probability is that the Ill fated
expedition struck one Of those water
less patches OF country common II
parts of Australia. into which thu
blacks never venture, II Is not difficult
In this case to prophesy what would
have been their fate.
Their reserve bnrrels once emptied OF
their precious contents. the little water
carried by the men In their canteen'
would not last more than day or so
In the shadeless bush, In that terrific
heat. death comes swiftly under sucl
circumstances. About forty eight hour
Is the limit OF human endurance
Usually half that time sufflces.
The explorers. we may be sure. wout
struggle OIL to the last. however. hus
banding their water to the uttermos
drop. The animals would be the first t.
20. and the desperate expedient o
drinking their blood would be resort
ed to.
Hotter and hotter grows the air n.
the doomed men stngger~ further ant
further into the rainless desert.
Some lose their reason: all lose hope
Then comes the end. They separate
and struggle away In ones and twOs
aud, fail ana die.
Day after day the terrible and pitileE
sun looks down upon them lying ther,
and sees them dry ana shrive ints
mummies.
And still no rnin falls.
But one day. It may be years after
ward. there arises a sandstOrm of ex
ceptionnl violence. The wind bl0w'
with MI the strength and fury Of al
arctic blizzard. but driving before I
sand. not snow.
When II ceases the desert Is there nj
before: the same. yet different. Noun
tains Of sand exist where before wer'
valleys. H.,
The mummies have vanished from
human ken forever. er.-Pears0n's Weekly
| ------7------------->------