Horrible Sufferings from Thirst.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 28, 25 May 1870, Page 3

Horrible Sufferings from Thirst.

Yvan WalUok, a ri&tivo of Poland, and a" resident of Queensland, who is under medical treaittneut in the Burke hospital, has furnished the Burke correspondent of the JDubbp, Qvpatoh with the following terrible narrative, which, he says, ia only one of many vhich have come under his notice since his residence on the Darling and its tributaries. People in the towns, and In the mountains, where the best of God's gifts gushes forth at every step, sparkling in the sunlight in purity and plenty, little know the agony and bloody sweat of suffering which overtake mon lost amid our desolate wastes, where -water becomes more precious than gold, and would be taken in exchange for liquid gems. Some three weeks ago Yvan arrived at Dunlop, a station some eighty or ninety miles from Burke, well-to-do in the world's goods. His horses were excellent, and his exchequer well supplied. Receiving instructions from & Chinaman at the place, he started up the river with a happy heart, little knowing what a horrible fate awaited him. Confident as to his route, he went on his way, when some simple cause—the tracks of sheep, for instance-—deceived the eye. At any rate, the road was left, and the wilderness, with its terrors, entered. Still confident, he journeyed on: what had he to fear 1 His horses were strong, and Hope, with her golden horn, played soft music to the patter of their feet. A dray track was visible: it would lead him aright J but until now the fearful word " Lost" had not occurred to him. The sun went down in crimson cruelty in the west—a globe of molten, throbbing heat, —and . the habitations or traces of man were absent. Thirsty, but trustful, he lay down among the solitude ; and when again the persecuting Bun arose, the traveller, who was now disturbed by a vague misgiving, followed the tracks of the friendly dray, for even the track of a senseless wheel becomes a frisnd in such a scene. As the heat arose like a vaporing veil, quivering and palpitating amongst the pulseless leaves and dried grasses, thirst, that unpitying foe, [resented itself. The tongue lost its pliancy, the lips clung to each other with feverish dryness, and the eye searched out every spot where water might bo found. Tht horses, too, had lost their springiness of the day before, and their eloquent eyes tamed imploringly to those of their master. Still, they nobly did their duty. Again the night's grateful coolness fell on the scorched earth, and the wanderer lay dawn, Lost ! Up with the morning fiist thought was the touch and su'lashing of war" All day long, in vain 'iv.3 helpless searu went on ; and the third sun went down, leaving the forlorn traveller weak, but hopeful. The fourth day—a terrible one—lawned, and went into the past ; and man and beasts shook and trembled, so weak' were they. Four days without water —fiur days of intense heat; and the wandenrs stood upon the brink of dissolution. Up rose the sun again, shining on a thousand streams so dearly coveted j and as om horse had lain down, the swigs were phced on the strongest, and both were left ;o their own instinct. This led them in an easterly direction ; and their master, laving, as is generally the case in such trouble, thrown away all but his trousers anl boots, followed them as best he could Here the narrator seems to lose the lucil description of his woes. He on—falls—prays God for release from lis sufferings —and becomes unconscious. The sun has struck him down; and cowering amid the bleak sands he lies, dead to his pains. By-and-by—hours aftemrds—he is roused by a sharp, pungent >ricking, reason resumes her sway, he itares wildly about as one aroused from he touch of

madness, blood is in clots aropd bis camp, blood is pver his prostrate bddy, and millions of ants are cleansing tkastains away. By his side is a sharp knife, whose point is coated with' dark fluid. There is a numbness in his arms. He urns to them, and two deep gashes are vis.ble. In his despair he had opened the veins, drinking, doubtless, the favoured stream, but this he knows nothing of: but it is rWisonable to suppose the thirsty lips sucked up the life of the famished body. Aaother torture presents itself. The naked body exposed to the solar heat was burniig and blistered, so that the half-crazed mav looked more like a leper than the stronj man of a few days ago. Cracked and peled, the skin came from the inflamed fb»h, leaving it raw and sensitive; but, stnnge to say, he felt better than on the previous day. Doubtless, the senses were laaumbed, and pain had lost its first bitterless. On he staggered towards the eas, the horse 3 were long since lost sight of, ntil at last the quiet passiveness of cert n death presented itself. All thoughts f relief had faded—hope now only wailcda requiem in his ears—the ,! fair fields of s olaud" had been thought of—cooling funtains had been visited—in dreams a inriher's smiles had been over his sleep ; butll now were vanquished, and the extent a his desire was to form a comfortable pie in which to give back the spirit to tfe God who gave it He collected a far fragment bushes of withered foliage, aid laid them in a dried-up water-bed, aid feeling at peace, he lay down j but, at his frenzied ~nvU , «wtH abont to clokr, the friendly glar:o assist Mr Law»oa » „ A

inaC: aroiised hiia Glaring, on it M ft | to make its fatal Spring, he uti a faint Cl 7» *nd crawling forward- "Vhf how slowlyl—-he painfully made to tlia • fira of some blacks. Water was gi\ ' m him, tllen t«aJ until, 1 little by little, lu '* ,ife The natives, for the bloo< ty knife, gave him an old hat and a fragrae. afc ,°f a a nd he reached at last tho vtation from whence he started, •where son 7 cheer was extended Mm.. At any rato, ii l shirt and hat given him by the blacks, hj« reached the'hospital/ With the two hoi " a< ® are two new saddles and bridles, wit. ,J i a W e wardrobe of new clothes, fourl <** aVo-pOund notes, and two sovereigns.