LOST IN THE BUSH.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2973, 26 August 1878, Page 2

LOST IN THE BUSH.

From different.correspondents we hare receired the,following suggestions for the benefit of persons, lost/.in the buih, in response, to of our contributor "' JSgles" in a recent numb«. :J""' * " Thirty Years a Bushman " writes:— " I think if all pertons in the bash would bear in mind the iday; through: the way the sun is trawHing.^lsoythe.direction of hills mountains; or land^aarka, at sunrise or sunset, fewer persons' would be lost. Nearly all the, eucalyptus! tribe..gum-tree ' or malice, hare a store of water in their N .rootpwbioh,-when, broken,, will be aeea to be perforated 'with, small holes';' these hold their supply of "water for the dry timei>' lhe! roots may juoally be found by a crack or -raited line in the ground, which the blacks know well. Tb»j poll the root out of the growd^ strip off the bark, break it in short lengths, and suck the water out of the end, or hang them on water, or stand the roots' in" a * billy and let them drain"out. A good root will yield a pin tpf good fresh water.-, pearly •all the lizard tribe may be eaten rwhen roast id' son ; the fire, talsp. tb* white' 1 ends of the leaves "of ferns or grasses. Ido hot know of any bulbs or roots that are poisonous.,, The gum,, of the wattlegis well-known to be eatabl«7 Cattle tracks, of course, either, lead opt to grass or to water. If going to the water the tracks, if they branoh dff, 1 will'• likely come together again, ..but, if going from water they will lead: off in dilerent'directions to where the best feed is, and become less and'less iilllos^ - As the different mobs leare the main line, therefore notica should be taken'if the tracks or paths become smaller or larger, or whether many lines branch off. If the tracks or paths,become smaller, and many lines branch off in j different directions, it is likely to be the outward tracks; thereTore do toot follow; them.|| In^looking for one that'is lost in the bush we'are too apt to look too far, off, whereas he or she may be walking in a circle close at hand. A gap or gorge in the hills, is a likely place to make for to find water, but this too often ends in disappointment/! .. • "ft.B." (MajorcV) says :-i." One rery simple pla,u of finding your way when lost in hilly or undulating country it always to go down hill. By that means you follow the watershed down to the Btrearns orj permanent water, where homesteads' are sure to be fdund if followed far enough.. This, of course; cannot be done.in flat country.,.. There, if you are on horseback,-drop'tne reins'on the horse's neck, and let him take you home;, if you are on foot, sit down directly your head begins to twirl, and you are uncertain which way to go, and do nothing' and think of nothing for, a quarter ,of an hour, to.get your brain straight"; then begin thinking'quietly of home,, ofr a leading road or stream, how they rub, according to , the points of.the compass,? and the direction you are out from them; then,',if' the'wind is blowing, how it blows in relation to them, or, if the sun is shining, how it rises and sets, &o.) in relation to them. Then, your eyes being shut while you are thinking, set-ypurielf in relation to the sun or wind, facing in the right direction, for home. > Now ; stand up, find out where thaisun or wind is, and set yourself in .the position you imagined yourself to be.in. before, and. go straight forward, keeping the! wind for sun always in that position; then'you will hare a rery good chance of finding, your way, although the appearance "will be rery strong that ..the. wind is blowing the wrong .way, and the sun has, got to the wrong side of the;sky. ; They, will coma right, if you,keep on-7that is, your head will get right and, enable you to see them in their right plapesi'V^^nlßSian.