LOST IN THE BUSH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5414, 3 August 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOST IN THE BUSH.

Under the above heading the Australasian of the 20th instant publishes the following letter from au old colonist who has had much ’ practical experience, and whoso suggestions ‘ may prove valuable to bushmen generally: — " gir,—At the request of your contributor * -Eglcs,’ in the Australasian of the 6th, I venture to offer a few observations that 1 hope may be the means of lessening the number of valuable lives that are in the bush. I may toll you that I am a very old colonist, and have had much experience by travelling in . various parts of-the colony. I have always considered it most essential when travelling' ' never to start without a box of matches, or ‘burning glass; and if matches should become dank, and the sun should make its appearance, by tearing.off a piece of the cotton shirt fire can be’ got by the aid of the glass. But if one has no match nor sunshine and is armed with a ’tomahawk, select a dry log, and cut out a nick sufficient to insert a stick

with a sharp edge to it- into the nick, and by drawing it smartly across the log, and /keeping a piece of rag or soft dry grass close to it, fire can be obtained in three minutes. When 'fire is obtained cut down small saplings of valley scrub, if they are near,, into ihort lengths, say four feet, and place thorn upon the fire, and the heat will cause the sap to flow ont at each end of the wood sufficient to .prolong Hfo. Or, by cutting the roots of the myall or vs Hey, more particularly the latter, a-good drink can be obtained. Further, persons sometimes become lost where there are a few quandong trees growing, and by gathering the stones that have dropped from the trees, and eating the kernel of the nut, life can be maintained, I have often taken out a kernel from the shell and placed it upon the point, of a knife and set it on fire, and it has given ont a flame four or five inches in length, proving that it must contain a great quantity of oil j to me it appears a sin to cut down such beautiful and useful trees. If the lost one should find himself upon a creek let him keep upon it, for it must lead to a river. Or if ho comes across a fence never leave it, it must

lead to. a gate upon some road or track. Thu timber invariably has a list to the east in consequence of the prevailing winds from the west, and most of the largo timber blown off upon the west side. ' It is a wise thing upon becoming lost to sit down and consider well any given points which you can remember, and if you come across a bullock track it generally leads to water. Also, if hunger sets in, select I hollow box trees, insert a reed or small thin stick into the hollow of the tree, and you would feol an opossum if therein, .When felt by, the stick measure tho distance down the tree from the opening, cut a hole with a tomahawk into tho tree and take out the opossum, theifan excellent meal can bo had.—l am, &c,, Jajizs Willoughby,”