A WONDER LAKE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 October 1924, Page 7

A WONDER LAKE.

IN MID-AUSTRALIA' PROSPECTOR’S DISCOVERY SYDNEY, Sept. 25. Almost famished, having been Avithout Avater for several days, James Wickham, a Western Australian prospector, avlto had Ayandered into central Australia, Avas filled Avit’h unbounded astonishment while making his way toAvards Alice Springs late one. afternoon recently to come upon a beautiful freshwater. lake. In the far distance he had noticed patches of vivid green standing out amongst the prevailing grey of those pai’ts. Used as he Avas to mirages and illusions he took little notice, thinking that in his weakened state his mind was exaggerating some fantasy. But his Avay lay in that direction, and, as he said later, in discussing the matter at ■ Wyndham, where he has just arrived for the purpose of obtaining supplies to enable him to folloAv up his discovery of some fine gold specimens Avhich he had Avith him, he Avas amazed as he AVent along to find that the character of the A'egetation Avas changed, becoming green and thriving'. As he, pressed on through the trees birds became plentiful, bright plumaged parrots soaring screeching overhead, and in the open spaces he caught sight of unusually lai'ge kangaroos and other game Avhich bounded off at his approach. Pressing on doAvn a natural dip in the countryside his amazement became supreme when theve stretched out before him a great stretch of Avater slrmmering in the setting sun. Hurrying through thick A’egetation to its edge he was delighted to find that it was fresh and sweet. As he drank he noticed a number of blacks some hundreds of yards further round the edge of the lake talking excitedly and gesticulating towards him. With a bushman’s knoA\leclge of the blackj he threAv off his swag and laid doAvh a stout stick that he Avas carrying, so as to disarm any suspicion 'that they might have of him, and walked toAvards (them emipty-handed. As he remarked aftenvards, he pinched himself to make sure that he Avas really alrte and a-Ava-kc. Such a. scene in the midst of all hut desert country Avas so astonishing that he could not ’grasp its reality. The blacks, hoAveA’er, Avere much more astonished to see him than he Avas to see them. It Avas soon evident that they had never seen a Avhite man before. All crowded round him jabbering and laughing, plucking at his clothes, seizing his hands, fingering his face, and displaying in a thousand Avays their stupefaction at the existence of such a cur-ious-looking man so different in colour from themselves. At first they appeared to think that his clothes Avere part of his body, and there was gleeful laughter Avhen he unbuttoned his his shirt and shoAved the Avhiteness of his chest. By this time the news had spread, and it wa,s not long before nearly a hundred blacks, Avith their gins and piccaninnies, Avere feasting their eyes on the wonderful creature that had strayed into their midst. Mr. Wickham stayed seA’eral days Avith the blacks, and found that around the edge of the lake, AA’hich had a. circumference of betAA’een 30 and 40 miles, there Avere hundreds of blacks living a. Ave-11 system, atised community life. The lake, AA'hich reached a depth of 30 to 40 feet, had abundance of fish, Avhilst the surrounding country abounded in game, so that life Avas pleasant and easy for the natives, The tribal customs were strict, and nothing could have be«n more hospitable and friendly than the. treatment tlm-t Mr. Wickham received. It Avne; Avith reluctance t,ha+ he parted from the lakeside, and hones while again in that localitv to A’isit it again. In 1922 a similar discovery Avas made by a police petrol about TOO miles from the site of the present discoverv. The lake in that, case was smaller than the one found by Mr. Wickham., and there were not so many blacks livinrr around if. The existence of the lake is a mystery.