A Terrible Ride.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43082, 16 April 1907, Page 2

A Terrible Ride.

ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE VICTORIAN DESERT.

It was recently reported that F. Birtles had been forced back into civilised territory and had abandoned his attempt to cross the Great Victorian Desert, which stretches for 700 miles from Laverton (W.A.) to Alice Springs. Writing to a friend in Perth Birtles gives a few particulars of the difficulties he had to face, and he appears to have been extremely fortunate in again making settled country. Tbe following extract from Birtle’s letter conveys an idea of wbat he had to go through. He writes: “I have made my second attempt to cross the desert, and have failed. On this occasion J got 120 miles into the desert, which is in a terrible condition owing to the last two dry seasons. On Sunday (February 10th) I was forced back, and had to retreat for lack of water. The following day I had nothing to drink. I was in a horrible condition, legs cut and swollen, and a bad head, some insect had bitten me while asleep. Add to this that I had to push my bike nearly all the way, sometimes in sand nearly up to bubs of tbe wheels. You will readily understand my plight when I tell you that the temptation to leave my ma- bine and take my clothes off was oply prevented by knowing that I would be fiuishad if I did so. During the 240 miles I travelled in the desert country I only found water twice. I one instant the rockhole was full of dead rabbits, and a viler mess I have never seen.' Even the dingoes wore lying dead round empty holes. On mj retreat from the desert I had a terrible time. Luckily I happened to know of a soak some 60 miles away, and about 40 miles out of Kurralpi, and to this I managed to struggle. On the way to the soak I began to get so bad that I could conlinu- | ally see water alongside of me, whilst every time I took a rest I saw a dingo i slinking around in tbe scrub. He followed me for 60 miles to the soak. Here I got a couple of quarts of water and waited j a day; then I got two more, which carried me back to Kurnalpi. You can imagine what I had to go through when I m ention the fact that the temperature at Kurnalpi when I got back was llOdeg in the shade. This will give you an idea of what it was like pushing a cycle and luggage, weighing close on 1201 b through the desert. Fortunately neither bike nor tyres have given the slightest trouble, despite the fact that I have covered close on 500 miles of trackless country, and, in all 1314 miles since leaving Perth. I have come to the conclusion that it is absolutely impossible to negotiate the desert in its present state so intend crossing to Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, via the coastal route.” —Hawke's Bay Herald.