A TRAGEDY IN THE BUSH.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1046, 9 March 1882, Page 4

A TRAGEDY IN THE BUSH.

The following letter from Western Australia, published in the Bairnsdale Advertiser, gives particulars of the melancholy end of Mr Win. Lowe, la'e of Gipps Land, who visited Western Australia in search of new sheep country:— “ Winchester House, Geraldton, Champion Bay, Western Australia, December 10, 1881. Fred. Lowe, Esq., Ome : My dear Mr Lowe : I am in receipt of your telegram asking for information about Mr Lowe—l suppose your brother—and I regret to say 1 cannot hold out any hopes for a result other than indicated in my telegram. 1 enclose you a local paper which gives a correct account so far as known. Mr Brockman is a gentleman of all others that wou'd never have been expected to get into such a position in the bush, being a thorough bushman. It appears that while at a small pool ‘ rapidly drying up,’ the horses got away, and they had to walk searching for water. They then returned to the pool, and remained the night. By this time Mr Lowe was a little light-headed, and the suffering in consequence of want of water soon caused him to be delirious. Strange to say, the following morning Mr Lowe’s horse left the others and came back to the pool. Brockman wished to take it and search for water, as he was not so knocked up as Mr Lowe, but Lowe, not knowing what he did, and having the strength of delirium on him, forcibly took the horse and rode away, not knowing where he went. Brockman made in the opposite direction, and found a clay pool nearly dry. He remained at this all night, then travelled until done up, and lay down, not expecting to get any further. He had a pistol, and one barrel charged. An emu came close to him, he fired, and fortunately killed it. After eating what he could he made for a station — travelled 90 miles in four days without a drop of water—and when within two miles he fell not to rise again. Fortunately, he had been seen from the station by a man looking for sheep. He was completely exhausted, and the crows were hovering about him. Within a few hours of this a search party started after Lowe, and this is all that is known at present. I am sorry to say you will be kept in suspense for some time, as we have no regular mail to the Gascoigne until the end of January, but you may rely upon my sending you the earliest news received. 1 deeply sympathise with you and his friends, but can hold out no hopes. On his first arrival he and I formed an acquaintanceship not readily done by strangers. —I am, dear sir, yours truly, Charles Crowther.” The following is an extract from the local paper referred to: —“ After Brockman was found, he waited but half a day to recruit, and in the state he insisted on going back to lock for poor Lowe. This conduct of Brockman is beyond all praise. Heroism such as he manifested is worthy of every recognition. The Victoria Cross has been won many times for an exhibition of bravery which utterly pales beside the dogged, unflinching courage shown by Mr Brockman. 1 dare say that not one man in a hundred would have had the pluck which enabled this gentleman, not only to save himself from what appeared inevitable death, but to go back immediately he was m safety to attempt the rescue of his companion. Such is the stuff of which the brave Australian pioneer is made. All hopes of finding Lowe are now entirely abandoned.”