TASMANIA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 5, Issue 280, 10 May 1862, Page 3

TASMANIA.

REPORTED LOSS OF AN EXPLORING PARTY. From an article in the Hobart Town Mercury, April 7th, we extract the following relative to the fears respecting the fate of an exploring party, headed by Mr. Gould, the Government Geologist : — Probably in no district of this colony do the difficulties of travel, even to an experienced bushman, present themselves in such frightful combination as in the country intervening between the settled districts and Macquarie Harbor It was to explore this country, and to solve some of the great practical questions on which hangs the problem of its availability either for settled industry, or for furnishing the materials of a profitable commerce, that a small party of adventurers, headed by Mr. Gould, the Government Geologist, set out about the beginning of the month of February. We regret deeply to state that nothing has since been heard of Mr. Gould, and that those best acquainted with the terrors of the Macquarie Harbour country, entertain the most painful apprehensions as to the fate of this poor gentleman and his companions. On the 23rd March Mr. Gould must have been away from the Eldon Ranges at least six or seven weeks, and it is known that he and his men, when they started from that place, had only two weeks' provisions on their backs. Perhaps no one is so well acquainted with the Macquarie country as Mr. Gunn, who gives a graphic account of bis own narrow escape from starvation whilst travelling in that district. This gentleman, we understand, has expressed his fears as to the fate of the missing party in terms which leave it almost impossible to hope that the explorers, under the circumstances, could survive after the failure of the supplies they took with them. The length of time consumed in the journey is almost proof of some great disaster. But if occasioned by nothing more serious than entanglement and obstruction, through, the difficulties of the way, it is believed impossible that they could find anything to subsist on for seven weeks, being in the first instance only supplied with 2 weeks' provisions. The country is pronounced to be singularly destitute of every resource for a starving party to fall back upon. The exploring party was last heard of at the Eld<>n Ranges, from which place it is supposed they started on their perilous enterprise about the commencement of February. A letter written at the Ranges was received from Mr. Ibsen, a member of the party, in which we are informed the writer stated that he had great fear of the expedition, but hoped nevertheless that they would reach Macquarie Harbor in 2 weeks from that time. If not, Mr. Ibsen expressed his conviction that there was little chance of his ever returning.