LOST ON THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS.-EIGHT DATS IN THE SNOW WITHOUT FOOD OR FIRE.

Southland Times, Volume VII, Issue 518, 13 July 1866, Page 3

LOST ON THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS.-EIGHT DATS IN THE SNOW WITHOUT FOOD OR FIRE.

(From the Qma beyan Ar/e, June "7.) To the many instances on record of persons lost in the wilds of Australia, and rescued by a singular providence from a death too horrible to contemplate, it falls to our lot this week to add a case truly marvellous, not only from its fortunate issue, but from the variety of thrilling incident experienced by the subject of our story. Henry John Goodwin, a young man of thirty years of age, a native of "Jnniskillen, 'but whose parents reside at Kiamr, was recently sent by his employer, Mr A. Mackay, J.P., of Wallenbeen, near Murrumburrah, across the country to Kiandra, via the Tumut, in search of missing horses. Goodwin had not been long out in the inhospitable ranges stretching away between the Tumut and Kiandra, before he encountered heavy snow storms which totally obscured the sun, his only guide to his far-off destination. In the very heart of the Australian Alps, in the depth of winter, the heavens obscured for days by drifting sleet and snow, he of course became baffled, and after several endeavors to put himself right, gave himself up as hopelessly lost. The few rations he had with him had been alre.ady exhausted, except a little tea and sugar, which, together Avith his matches, he unfortunately lost, and thus he wandered, he knew not whither, dragging after him a jaded and famishing horse, and having no means of protection from the inclemency of those remarkable regions but his blanke+s. It is strange that as night after night came on Goodwin felt not the slightest inclination to sleep, his experience being contrary to that of most persons lost in snowy regions who aver that one of the pecularities of such a forlorn condition is to be almost irresistibly disposed to sleep, — to succumb being inevitably to sleep the sleep of death. Probably the intense anxiety of the subject of our story kept him wakeful. But it is not easy to imagine the misery of nights such as he spent. No fire, no food, no sleep ; the only refreshment passing his lips day by day being the chilly water of the mountain rills ; and his only company, packs of native dogs, with their dismal howlings, aad his patient horse. Six days were thus passed, since he lost himself, and became destitute of fire and food; and Goodwin had begun to feel very exhausted and desponding. For some two or three days the warrigals, which at first only visited him by night, now became his constant attendants, and in increasing numbers evidently awaited his extreme prostration to make him their prey. Goodwin says this was to him a peculiar dread. To die amid the snow he felt was his certain fate, but to fall, and perhaps before death had fully asserted his dominoiu over him, be eaten up by a pack of hungry wild dogs, it was his constant prayer that such might not be his doom. He felt he could die°easy if it were possible to reach the neighborhood of some station, and being abandoned by the dogs, lay down his bones in the hope that some friend hand would find and consecrate them with Christian burial. Still travelling as well as his extreme weakness would allow, through snow fully two feet deep, Goodwin was cheered on 'the sixth day with a glimpse of the sun, by which means he was enabled to make out the direction of Kianclra, and going straight forward in two days more he reached Mr O'Bourke's station on Monaro. At Mr O'Eourke's Goodwin waskindly and hospitably received and cared for, as his case demanded: and five or six days' nursing got him tolerably round, although his toes and fingers were severely frostbitten. At the end of this time, desiring to come down the country for medical aid, he set out for the next station— strange to relate, again without food or matches. Missing his direction he was lost a second time, and for three more days and nights passed through a like experience. Belief came to him sooner this time, as on the fourth morning he made Orooal, a station on the Cotter river, occupied by Mr Archibald M'Keahine. But his additional sufferings and privations began to tell more seriously on a constitution strong and healthy even as Goodwin's. He was unable to walk or make much use of his hands, from the effects of frost-bite. Mr M'Keahnie kindly entertained Goodwin, and assisted him to Naas Valley, the residence of M. Herbert, Esq., J.P. Mr Herbert drove him to Cuppacumbalong, the station of Mr L.E. De Sails, M.P. for this district ; and Mr De Salis kindly placed the sufferer in his carriage and sent him to the hosipital in Queaubeyan, where he was received on Sunday last, and where it : .$ hoped the skilful attention of the medical officers will soon restore him, as far as possible, to health and strength. And thus fortunately has ended as remarkable a. case of being " lost in the bush'" as has ever been recorded; for a more inhospitable region in which to wander lost is not to be found in all Australia. Dr Hay ley, who is attending Goodwin, states that the patient will lose several of his toes, but he has good hopes that his fingers and hands, as well as his feet, wi)l yet be restored to soundness. Goodwin, with an overflowing heart, desires to express his gratitude to the various gentlemen who so kindly received and cared x r or him, upon both occasions of his remarkable escape from a horrible death. Ainerchant, knowing little of geography , on hearing that one of his vessels was in jeopardy, exclaimed, "Jeopardy, Jeopardy, j where's that?" ' j What is the difference between a | couple of mermaids and summer and j autumn ? The former are two seadaughters, and the latter two sea-sons. He who erects a perpendicular jiae upon a horizontal one makes a right angle ; he who fishes for trout with a aaaud hook woks* n wrosg angle.