SHIPWRECKED MEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 December 1936, Page 9

SHIPWRECKED MEN

LONG TRAMP THROUGH BUSH. 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, one 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 Flynn and Ahmat’s 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 luggei” 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 trapdoor over the kitchen was slammed shut by the rush of water, and Flynn was imprisoned in ; the cabin, 25 feet below the surface. 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 r sank, dived below and pulled the trapL door open. Both managed to reach [ the shore. t Flynn and Ahmat were then in a . weakened condition. “Only for the r fact that we found tw'o more yams on which we lived for three days w< - would have died,” said Flynn. 5 On the tenth day they decided to e atempt a 60 miles’ walk to Herbert’s s Station. The legs of both men w’erc i swollen by jellyfish bites, and. they i received numerous ' injuries during o their tramp through the scrub. “I did □ not think we would be able to stick >• it out, but we got there somehow,’’ :- said Flynn. 5, When they arrived at the station d* Ahmat was weakly, endeavouring to

carry Flynn, who was tiffin 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.