SEAMEN SUFFER THIRST AND HUNGER

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21976, 28 December 1936, Page 8

SEAMEN SUFFER THIRST AND HUNGER

♦ LONG TRAMP THROUGH NORTH AUSTRALIAN BUSH (FROM our own correspondent.) SYDNEY, December 10. Two men underwent a terrifying ordeal and showed great fortitude in Northern Australia after their lugger was wrecked. They lived on two tins of condensed milk and a few yams on a lonely beach for 10 days and tramped more than 60 miles through rough country to a cattle station, where they were found, when one was almost dead. The men, J. Ahmat and T. Flynn, both of Darwin, were members of the crew of the lugger Chantress. After the wreck of the lugger, which was bringing a cargo of buffalo hides from East Alligator river to Darwin, Flynn and Ahmat decided to camp on the beach in the hope of salvaging the lugger during the low tides. After working at salvaging the cargo for two weeks their supplies of food and water ran out. They were without anything to eat or drink for four days, .when Flynn decided to swim through the shark-infested waters to the lugger half a mile from the shore in the hope of finding provisions. He swam to the lugger and found two tins of condensed milk, which they mixed with salt water and drank. When this was exhausted both again swam to the lugger, which was high and dry on the reef at low tide. They found that the lugger was not as badly damaged as was at first thought, and they manned the pumps and pumped the vessel dry. Flynn went below in search of food. While he was still below the lugger, which was floating on the rising tide, suddenly sank. The hatch leading to the galley was slammed shut by the rush of water, and Flynn was imprisoned in the cabin, 25ft under the water. The water in the cabin was quickly rising, and Flynn had almost given up hope of rescue when Ahmat, who had been swimming above since the lugger sank, dived below and pulled the hatch open. Both managed to reach the shore. On the tenth day they decided to attempt a 60 miles’ walk to Herbert’s Station. The legs of both men were swollen by jellyfish bites, and they received numerous injuries during their tramp through the scrub. “I did not think we would be able to stick it out, but we got there somehow,” said Flynn. When they arrived at the station Ahmat was weakly endeavouring to carry Flynn, who was then almost dead. Seeing the men in the scrub, station employees rushed to their assistance and carried them to buildings, where they were immediately treated. When they had sufficiently recovered Flynn and Ahmat were taken to Darwin by motor-lorry.