Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-14

Mysteries That Have Puzzled the
:
World.

From Parsons Weekly.
There have been recorded many strange
tragedies Of exploration in lone and dis
tant lands, but no one event OF the kind
has ever 10 stirred mems minds as did
the total disappearance Of the well found
aud spiendidly equipped expedition which
Lr. Ludwig Leichhardt, the Franklin OF
Australia. led into the central deserts of
Australia in 1S4S.
Leichhardt's design was to march right
across the continent from the east coast
TO the west. and as he had already led a
SUCCESSFUL expedition nearly 1900 miles
through q previously unknown part of
australia, 1t was generally 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 refused to
subscribe toward the expedition on the
ground that they were not going to help
him to commit suicide.
The members OF the expedition number.
ed six whites and two blacks, an un-
usually large number for exploring
expedition Of this nature. and besides
being amply provided with -four. biscuit.
tea. sugar and SO on, they drove along
with them fifty bullocks and 30 goats
They had also spare horses and mules in
abundance.
At that time the. most westerly station
In southern Queensland was occupied by
sQuatter named Mcpherson, who dwell
on Cocoon creek. From there Leichhard'
wrote 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 not
withstanding the fact that expedition
after expedition was afterward sent out
in search Of them.
AS completely as though they had beer
swallowed up by the earth. they van
ished.
This is the most puzzling part of the
mystery-its completeness. Had they
been killed by the natives-as was at frs
wrongly reported-some relics Of the
explorers would long since have been re-
cover ID from them. In some shape the
iron work of the implements and arm.
they had with them would have sur
vived.
And what Of the stock? Some of the
goats, at all events. must have been left
alive. one would have imagined. for these
are VIGOROUSLY hardy animals. able te
none OF these. nor any of the horses
mules or bullocks were ever traced.
The probability is that the Inflated ex'
petition struck one of those waterless
central Australia-into which the black:
seldom or never venture. 1t is not difficult
in this case TO prophesy what would have
been their fate.
Their reserve barrels once emptle0 Oh
their precious contents. the little waite,
carried by the men in their canteen:
would not last more than a day or SO. lr
the shadeless bush. in that terrific heat
death comes swiftly under such circuni
stances. About forty-eight hours Is the
limit of human endurance. Usually hall
that times offices.
The explorers. We may be sure. would
struggle on to the last however. nus
banding their water to the uttermos
drop. The animals would be the first K
go, and the desperate expedient of drink
ing their blood would be resorted to.
Hotter and hotter grows the air. as th'
doomed men stagger further and 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-and fal
and die.
Day after day the terrible and pitiles
sun looks down upon them lying there
and sees them dry and shrivel into mum
mics.
And still no rain falls.
But one day, 1t may be years afterward
| there arises q sandstone of exceptional
violence The wind blows with all tn
strength and fury Of an arctic blizzard
but driving before 1t sand. not snow.
When 1t ceases, the desert Is there a.
before: the same. yet different. Noun
tains of sand exist where before wer'
valleys.
The mummies have vanished from hu
man ken forever.