RESOURCEFUL BOYS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18924, 12 February 1927, Page 8

RESOURCEFUL BOYS.

IN AUSTRALIAN BUSH. LAD WHO LIVED ALONE FOR A MONTH. v. (FBOSI OUR OWJI CORftESPOHDEHT.) SYDNEY, January 27. The Australian bush has bred many resourceful boys in the past, and that the spread of modern settlement and inventions has in no way lessened their calibre has been proved on two recent occasions. • Up near Rockhampton in Queensland there has just come to light a case in which a 12-year-old boy left his home, and for over a month lived alone in a bush hut, content with a dog for a companion. The boy, James Kenneth GrettK. lived with his stepfather. When his mother died about 18 months ago, the lad foil lid solace and company in the bush, and soon became well versed in bushcraft. Occasionally he would disappear for a fortnight, and everyone knew that he was alright. He never attended school, and lived on stewed and baked wallaby and iguanas. On December 3rd., Jam.es left home, and »fter more than the usual period of his absences had passed, his stepfather became anxious, and the scrub was thoroughly combed bv search parties, which failed to find trace of the boy. Apparently on one occasion the boy rttiirned to his home, while his stepfather was visitinc a neighbour, for, oil the latter's return, provisions were missing from the house. The Heir* of the police was enlisted, but seewch parties organised by them failed to find the lad. . At the end of last week a party of 18 residents was formed, determined to find the little bush lover. It seemed that the task must end in failure, until suddenly a dog appeared, and it led the part-v to a hut on the fringe of some scrub. Here little Jimmy was found, not a whit the worse for his long absence from home. The hut was only two miles fi m his stepfather's house—evidence of how well the boy had covered his tracks. He showed no inclination to go bnck, declaring that the "hush would do him any day.'» But his stepfather insisted, and he was brought home, the stepfather taßing steos to ensure that his future welfare and education were oared for. Over 20 inches of rain had fallen durine the period of the boy's absence from home, and this certainlv did not add to the pleasantness of .Timmv's outdoor life. Lost Boy Chased Camels.

The second example of resourceful and plucky Australian bush boyhood conies from Mount Nor'-West station, hear Farina, in the northern part of

South Australia. A 10-year-old hoy, Harold Moran, was missed from the station on Friday. Parties searched for him throughout the week-end without success. On Monday he was found about 15 miles nwny from the station homestead. A man who was about to saddle a horse to join in the search, saw Harold running towards him. crying, "I'm lost .I'm lost!" During his wanderings, yuan;; Moran had shown extraordinary commonseiise and courage. When he realised that he was lost, lie made for and kepi tiluiijj; the fences. During the three days he was "hushed" he had only brackish water to drink, hut before he found it he suffered severely from thirst. Hunger he allayed by eating saltbush. At night he slept under trees and by day struggled on in the despairing hope of finding his way home again. His most dangerous experience was when he was chased by a mob of wild camels. Many of these animals, formerly used in the transport of wool from the outback stations in the dry interior, have been replaced by motor lorries, and many of them have been allowed to eo back to the bush. In several districts they hare bred rapidly, and it was one such mob that young Moran encountered. He escaped by just reaching a fence before them, and crawling under it. A few hours after he was found the boy was little the worse for his unenviable experience.