SEARCH FOR RELICS OF LEICHHARDT, THE EXPLORER.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 96, 30 January 1872, Page 3

SEARCH FOR RELICS OF LEICHHARDT, THE EXPLORER.

The extraordinary story told by a prisoner, named Andrew Hume, respecting his wanderings in the far interior, and the discovery of documents and other relics of the Leichhardt expedition, is about to be put to the test. It will be in the recollection of many of our readers that Hume, at the time he made his interesting statements, was a confine in the Parramatta gaol, serving a sentence of ten years’ imprisonment for robbery with arms. Little more than half the sentence had expired, when the Minister for Works, accompanied by the Surveyor-General and several gentlemen well acquainted with the North-Western portion of the Australian continent, examined Hume in the Parramatta gaol. This was about the middle of August last. Hume proved himself to be a man who has been much with the blacks. He appeared to be well acquainted with their customs, and spoke the language of several tribes with tolerable fluency and accuracy. In a written statement to the Colonial Secretary, he said that when about eighteen years of age, he became possessed of a strong desire to ascertain the truth of strange stories he heard about

blacks, and as lie was tbcu acquainted with many tribes be commenced bis wanderings in the interior. This was in 1848. He returned to settled districts in 1857, and worked on stations on tho Culgoa until 1861. He started in that year for Mr Wills’s station on the Comet, where he remained for some months. He then, to use his own words, “ stalled for the west coast, crossing all the rivers running north. Passing them I came to small dry plains, and with difficulty succeeded in reaching the falls ; where, as I got plenty of water, I stayed with the blacks until I happened to find a man who had been amongst them some time.” While with him he was shown some trees marked — “L. C., Nov. 1847, Dig;” and “L. C., Aug., 1848. Rock.” And, to proceed with his own statement :—“ Underneath the first tree was a bottle containing letters : in the rock, or rather in a hollow of the rock close to the second tree were papers rolled up in a saddle-bag, some of which were written documents and some appeared to be maps or plans. I placed the letters which I found under the first tree along with the others under the second tree. After doing this, I promised the white man who was with me that I would either bring them to Sydney myself or let the Government authorities know where they were. I must not omit to mention that I found a quadrant,_ telescope, and thermometer with the articles concealed in the rock under the tree. As the above is only a rough sketch, I am ready to answer any questions which you may deem necessary for throwing further light on the matter. I would have made all the above facts known before, but I thought that the authorities might fancy that I was only endeavouring to obtain my liberty by some fabrication of my own.” He was cross-questioned for upwards of an hour, and the manner in which he answered the questions and made his statements, was such as to give rise to an impression in the minds of those who heard him that he was speaking the truth. He answered with wonderful readiness and correctness questions relating to the topography of the north-western portion of Australia, the position of rivers, the direction in which they ran, their sources the character of the timber and vegetation, and other features of the country, right across to the west coast. A few weeks later, Hume was removed to the gaol at Darlinghurst, where he underwent another examination. His manner on the second occasion only tended to strengthen the impression entertained with regard to his truthfulness. We understand that the Government, after carefully considering the circumstances of the case, have released Hume on condition that he will at once proceed to the interior for the relics he alleges he found. The Government arranged with the South Australian Government to provide a passage for Hume in the steamer Otneo, which left Newcastle a day or two ago for Port Darwin, with stores, &c., for the telegraph construction party. The South Australian Government have also arranged to protect him as far as possible in his explorations, and have instructed their officers at Port Darwin to provide Hume with revolvers, blankets, and other necessary equipments for his journey to the West Coast. The Government of this colony furnished him with £ls for the purchase of a suitable outfit. —-Sydney Morning Herald.