WILKINS OF POLAR FAME

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 June 1928, Page 11

WILKINS OF POLAR FAME

Ti HE story of G. H. Wilkins’ daring and fame rings through Australia. His exploits have been heard of before, both at the South Pole anti on the Western front, lie has been in many tight, corners. But there is no doubt whatever that he would say that, the closest call he ever had with death came within the borders of his own land. It happened this way. In 1925 he wanted to see something of .wild Australia, and hit upon the western shore of the Gulf country as the likeliest, spot. He called in at the Church Missionary Society’s lonely station on Groote Eylandt, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, to get his bearings. He then started off alone in a small boat, skirting the coast and going inland to make, as he said; independent inquiry -necessary ' when meeting strange- arid hostile people. After going two days he ascended a river and made camp. He left the camp for a few minutes in order to inspect the surrounding country, and when he returned he discovered that, the natives had entered his camp and stolen several things. They had evidently been waiting and watching for the opportunity. Captain Wilkins hallooed and shouted friendly greetings, and invitations for them io come back, but there was no response. He felt sure that, somewhere in the bushes sharp eyes were watching him, but he could not see them. There was no little eeriness in the situation, for he knew that the Groote Eylandters had killed several people in order to rob them —and ho was all alone. So he made a record of the situation, and buried the record beneath a blaze on a tree. Pie fixed the acetylene lamp, and crawling beneath a mosquito net, prepared for bed. lie read for a couple of hours and finished the hook to find that his lamp was almost empty. He had heard nothing of the blacks, but on. several occasions the splash of a fish in the water or a falling twig had startled him. Then he heard the grish, grish, grish of stealthy footsteps in the sand. His skin grew tight, and cold and his hair stood out and bristled. The lamp at his side still shone and silhouetted his shadow on the wall of the mosquito net. He could not have been a better targeT. Grish, grish—the steps were hesitating, but coming nearer. He felt that he must do something, so coughed and asked who was there. There was a rattle of spears and a quick rush of feet. Wilkins was breathless until the rustling of the bushes in the distance told him that the intruders had retired. The lamp flickered for a time and then went out.

Soon he heard again the crunching footsteps in the sand. They approached from both sides, and he tells us that, he stiffened with fright, that a cold sweat broke, and he began to wonder just where the sear would penetrate. The footsteps came slowly nearer. There was utter silence. With hated breath the explorer lay almost benumbed. Then the footsteps slowly and cautiously retreated. He was soon normal, for he felt now that he was safe until the morning. After a few fitful, starts he slept an unbroken sleep and woke ere earliest dawn coloured the eastern sky. Captain Wilkins was now wide awake. He was too old a hand to be caught napping.

AN ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT

INCIDENT lIN AUSTRALIA

So he settled himself in the best position to scan the greatest field, and waited and watched, knowing full well that the blacks waited the breaking of daylight wherewith to begin an offensive. For a while nothing happened, and then, just as sunlight flashed the waters, he caught sight of a spear shaft fitted to a throwing stick showing above the bushes, ile gripped himself tightly and waited. Presently a curly head stole round a tree trunk, and a dusky body moved forward. Wilkins was keeping his eves fixed on the figure almost obscured by the bushes, when, for some reason he turned his head, and. there at his side, not thirty yards away, was a crouching form with a spear fitted to a throwing stick, and poised in throwing position. Wilkins shouted Hello, what do you want?’’'With a screech the native bolted, dropping his spear as he went. In a trice the man had disappeared

With the natives on the defensive Wilkins did not expect to get. in touch with them again. However, empty-handed, to show that his attitude was peaceful, he followed the track of one native, lie went on for over a hundred yards and then shouted. After several calls there was a faint response, and another call from across the river. He continued to advance and call, and they to answer. Then a native appeared, and as Captain Wilkins moved forward the native backed away, his spear fitted to his throwing stick. Then it was that the captain stopped and shouted as boldly as he could,: “Don’t run away. Why are you frightened?” Evidently the native understood something of the call, for he hesitated, then dropping his spears to the ground, but stealthily fitted one between his toes and advanced with his throwing stick in his hand. “Bring all your spears,” shouted Wilkins, motioning to explain his meaning. The native turned back shamefacedly and picked up his spears. Then the other man appeared, dripping wet, for he had swum the river. The man understood finite a lot of pidgeon-English, so talk ensued, but. nothing was said of the night’s happenings. Back the three went to the camp, and the fire was stirred and tea made, Wilkins sharing his breakfast with them. When the blacks were asked why they had stolen from the camp, and why they had epme sneaking about, the previous night, they at first denied. But when their tracks were pointed out to them they hung their heads. The wrong of stealing from a temporarily abandoned camp was fastened on them, with the result that at last, with tears in their eyes, they said: “You no more talk, talk. We bin takem. Now we very sorry.” They stayed with Wilkins several days, and became his fast friends. They said that they had come to the camp intending to kill the white stranger, and as they stood beside the tent that night each beckoned the other to do the deed. But something “inside” them would not let them do it.

These men had seen something of the missionaries, and they had learned to respect them. In Wilkins’s opinion it was quite likely that if it had not been for the knowledge that, he had come from the mission station, they would have had no hesitation in killing him as they had killed other strangers in their midst.