STOCKMAN'S PLUCK.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18430, 10 July 1925, Page 11

STOCKMAN'S PLUCK.

TALE OF ENDURANCE. VFROU OVB OWX COBBESPOJCDBHT.) SYDNEY, July 3. Many deeds of everyday heroism occur in the Australian bush without ever being heard of by tho dwellers in comfortable city homes. Old-timers' will say that these deeds are becoming fewer and fewer, but now and again one such act receives the publicity it merits and bo refutes the allegations] that the Australian bushraan of to-day-is not what he used to be. A striking example of the pluck of a Queensland stockman, which has just received space in tho Brisbane newspapers, haa directed attention to the fact that the breed of the out-back still ru'ns true.

While out mustering on the Buckingham Downs Station on June Litli, William Fitzgerald, head str.ckman, contracted a chill during a spell of bitterly co-Id weather. Ho was'then on a remote part of the run, but as the cattle were already mustered, they had to bo taken to the nearest water, about '2O miles away. Fitzgerald's illness became worse, and the pain became so acute that every time he coughed, asony forced him fo hi 3 knees. His illness grew so bad and the pain bo excruciating that he was forced to lie down. He sent his musterers on with the cattle, and after rolling himself in a blanket directed his black boy to go on a horse and acquaint tho manager. of the station., of his plight. The boy rode 45 miles and telephoned to the head station, 35 miles iufther on. Fitzgerald, ,left alone, had only a ! waterbag of muddy water to sustain, liim. His plight became worso. Ants, scenting a weak victim,. swarmed over him, and the agony of ant stings was almost unbearable: Every movement he made in an effort to drive themoff only added to his torture. In theso' circumstances he wolcorned cold drizzling rain which set in about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The cold became more intense, but the rain drove away | the ants. Luckily, Fitzgerald had a. tent fly. and despite extreme pain ho managed to purl it over him. There he lay, resigned to a long wait through, hours of darkness, with the night rain becoming; heavier. D . . .

As soon as the station manager re-, ceived the black boy's message by telephone,, he'set out after 10 "o'clock at night in a car to find Fitzgerald. AH he knew wks that Fitzgerald was from 20 to 2-5 miles away from the nearest road, and to get there he would have to go through a range of hills,- then travel over a dozen or more broken gullies and some difficult creeks. It meant a journey of 70 miles- by- road,

and then would follow the worst part of the trip. Rain poured all 'night, but tho manager's sense of direction v.-as almost uncanny aad never failed him. How .he found Fitzgerald has since puzzled .the oldest and most experienced bushmeu. The manager found Fitzgerald at daylight. Fitzgerald was 'then in a bad •war. Ho was placed in tho car, and the* return journey of 160 miles to the Cloncui-rv Hosnital commenced. Every jolt of the car brought Fitzgerald pain, but the hoDo of relief kept him cheerful. The following morning he was out of danger.

In 179G a Chancellor of the j oner imposed a duty on bats. All heart- v iear made of "fVIt or wool w w""*T € or any leather or japanned &*»"■"? 'A within tho «opo of tli« tax. Bb* •» .Edinburgh, merchant, a-tute «««g5 £* .j observe that straw was not ;- the legal enumeration of W* B ; { used, introduced straw-. to "«-• J land for. the first time, J» VZ j 'summer of 1703. J the enterprising hatter, » to tho Wet within a few , 1 the popular to pavment. Tho Acs,*"*?* -wASa***!,3 in force until 1811, &**** to nightcaps, "-"fSfe^BH