LOST IN THE BUSH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5465, 24 January 1885, Page 3

LOST IN THE BUSH.

A Sad Narrative,

Blaukall, says a correspondent in that far Queensland town, has just been the

soono of a most tragical occurrence. George McKenzie, aged 20, nephew of Mr James McKenzie, a local storekeeper, arrived in Blackall a few months ago from Aberdeen, Scotland, intending to assist his uncle in the storekeeping business. On Sunday, December 7> Mr McKenzie suggested, that as some mats of sugar, which had boen brought from towa across the river (or rather tho place where the river ought to be) were uncovered, and rain appeared imminent, it would be advisable to cross over and cover them up. George started off, wearing merely a singlet and covering for his body, the day being exceedingly hot, and accompanied by a poodle-dog. At the latest George should have been back by 4 o'clock. Not arriving, Mr McKenzio walked across to the selection,and found tho sugar duly covered, and the tracks of his nephew apparently leading back from tho rivjr. Thinking his nephew had gone to a neighbouring paddock to hunt kangaroo rats, he went home. George nob returning home that evening, the trackers wore got out and started early on Monday morning to find the lost youth. The tracks led along the river for a short distance, then went out toward tho plains, and were eventually lost on a sand-hill, which had been swept clean, and thetracks

obliterated bySunday'sduststorm. Besides

the police, several private parties were out scouring the river channels and neighbouring scrubs. The trackersreturining to town unsuccessful, a large party was formed and started out on Monday night, circling the plains and carefully examining every clump of timber. Fires wore lighted at intorvals, at each of which was placed some food and a bottlo of water, Guns wore also fired to attract attention. The party returned to town at 4 o'clock on Tuesday morning, unsuccessful. Hopes of finding the young man alive were fast diminishing; it was known that no water-holes were in that part of the country,nothing but dry, arid plains, clumps of shelterless timbe r^and-hill?, and empty gullies. The heao of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, was something terrific.hot winds blowing all day with fierce dust stoim. Before daylight on Tuesday morning Constable Ryan and his trackers wero in the saddle again, and cast about to find tho trail. Later in the day Mr H. Fell

found them leading in the direction of the terrible. Malvern schrub, where many poor fellows have already lost their lives. The tracker " Alick " was then enabled to follow the trail tolerably easy, though in some places very indistinct footsteps appeared in the sand, where the dust had been swept clean by the wind. The tracks were followed through several wire fences, then across Borce Greek until they came quite close to some sheep yards. The trail then wended in a zigzag fashion almost parellel with the Malvern road through some.scrub, just through which the place whore tho poor follow had lain down on Sunday night. Near this place was found a button, which had evidently come off his clothes. It being then dark, tho track could be no longer followed. The party were about 14 miles from Blackall.and having no food or water, returned to town. After procuring fresh horses tho party started out again and followed the trail at daylight. They were joined by several people with necessities. They had not far to go. The tracks soon showed signs of one fatigued, and wended from side to side. At intervals the lad sat down, and evidently pulled his socks and shoes off and on. Presently the party came across three fires, lighted at distances of about half a mile apart, scad at the lost of these the party came across Monday night's camping place. On the party went; they came across poor George's hat, then a little further on the tracks came to an end, and the lad was found quite dead. The body was dressed wirh the exception of the hat. Tho dog, which had followed him throughout up to now, had wandered off into a patch of gidya ecrub close handy, but was not found. The party carried the body threo miles to tho Malvern road,and a portion went into town to convey the sad intelligence, and to procure a conveyance to brinj; tho remains in. Upon the arrival of Mr Kelly with the terrible news, the townspeople with one accord put up their shutters, and mourning was general. Tho conveyanco with the corpse arrived in town at 8.15 on Wednesday night. The poor fellow had a painful look of fear in his face, and had quite a dried appearance. His sufferings must have been intense before giving up his

struggle for life. The tracker says he probably died at 4 p.m. on Tuesday ; but experienced bushmen believe it must have occurred as early as 10 o'clock on that day. The funeral took place on Thursday, December 11, at 11 o'clock, and was the largest known in Blaekall. Tho cortege. comprised 68 persons on foot (including 25 Oddfellows, of which body deceasad was a member), besides a large number of vehicles and horsemen. The saddening event had cast such a gloom over the community that we could not rejoice at the splendid rains which had fallen. Would that they had yisitod us a couple of days earlier, and saved a life which gave so much promise of usefulness. George was interred in the comotory in the grave adjoining the last resting place of a young man named Wallace, who died the other day from the effects of bathing in a waterhole whon heated, combined with sunstroke.