IN THE WAKE OF FORTUNE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 30, Issue 9186, 13 October 1899, Page 2

IN THE WAKE OF FORTUNE.

< The Novelist. ►

(copyright.)

AN AUSTRALIAN STORY. BT IV AN DEX TB R. ■ ' ■ •-«■ OHAPXEB XVlll.—Continued. "Saltl Ah, that alters the case. What ft godsend a body of fiesh water like that would be in this place." " There would very Boon b8 a settlement around if it were fresh water," answered Grey. As they rode cloae to U & steam Beemed to arise and there was a total absence of the vegetation that might be expected in such a place. Far as the eye oonld reach stretohed a vast expanse of clear-looking water; but a glance was sufficient to show how shallow it was. In places ripples marked the top 3 of mud banks just protruding above the surface and showing how rapidly the drying up process was going on. The watsr looked bo clear that Tranoweth ' could hardly bring himself to believe it was unfit for use, and he dismounted to satisfy himself. He had scarcely got within a dosen yardß of the edge when he Bank up to bis knees in • sort of impalpable oose. Nearer the water he cculd seo what appeared to be accumulations of pure salt, and he soon found ont that it was really inch. The sun aontinually playing on the shallow water evaporated it and left the salt behind. Finding that he would haTO to wade through such stuff, he was glad to beat a retreat, for the mud was semi-warm and not calculated to cool one. As the spot where they first struck the lake was not a suitable one for making the camp, the party skirted along in a northerly direction until thoy came to a low •erub of what looked like a kind of salt bush. Here a halt was made and the same kind of arrangements made as before. The meat of the kangaroo and the wallaby was hung out in tha sun to dry, and the horses were allowed to crop the shrubs before mentioned. Thiß they did for a few minutes, when they seemed to become satisfied. A couple of hours afterwards the prospectors saw with consternation that the horses were affected by their new food. They showed extreme restlessness and irritability, and gradually got worse. Everything possible was done to quieten them, but in vain. A sort of greenish froth exuded from their mombs, while their tongues lolled out in a helpless sort of way. Their eyes became bloodshot and filmed, and at last one of tho oimals broke away arid gallopped madly n the direction of the lake. In a few seconds it was followe 1 by the other 3, and, -o the consternation of the miners, all the animals floundered into the briny water! *nd appeared to drink copiously of the fatal j j lirl. , Grey looked at the scene with a set face, I And then broke the silence with the re i mark: i " Our horses are lost, mates, and we will j led courage and skill to ourselves." '> ' It was apparent to them that Grey spoke he truth. The shrubs must have been poisonous.and perhaps were of the same species a* thoEe which killed Captain Sturt's horses on one of his expeditions. ! Alter drinking deep draughts of the saline water the maddened horses plunged out fur- ' ther into the steaming lake. j

The remorseless sun beat down vertically on the animals and the rays from the surface met those falling and formed a blinding heat which nothing but a salamander could long withstand. Within two hours of the fatal plunge a'l •hat could be seen of the horses was their dead bodies Seating in the shallow mud and water. The four man looked on as men in a dream at the strange sight that was being enacted before them. They well knew that probably it was but a prelude to a greater tragedy, in which they would have to play she principal parts, Considering the way in which they must be, fully one hundred miles from Mulwa station, and in auoh weather, it was improbable they could reach it. They had only a single day's supply of water, and it would take a week to reach the station on foot. The stock of provisions t?as ample, though it would ba difficult to transport it without the horss-i ; but water was of greater consequence than food in Bach woather. Trenoweth was the first to call his compaaions' attention to the situation. " Thare is no time to ba lost, mates. What (a best to be dane?" Joe Norton looked up aa he said : "The best thing I see is to try and get back to the station. Wo ought to be able to taanago it." " Yas," answered Grsy, thoughtfully, " it ia our only chance. We should be able to grj back in flvo clayu, and if we are lucky we sight manage. It might, iniieod, rain," ha added, looking up at the burning sky, as Shough to seek for hope there. " Will we go riKht back now ?" Tom Norton aaked, anxiously. "No; it would be the worst thing we sonlddo. The heat would shrivel us up," repliod Grey. This decision wns the moat sen-iihlo he could arrivoot, end he added to it by nrgit:-. on his mates to look upou their position hopefully. " Toa know," be concluded, " that if you giro -way to excitement or fear, it will increnac thirst, and that is the enemy we must conquer." He got out a little fond and served about a gill of water to each mnn, and then tbey stretched themselves under their impromptu ahnde, and gave way to gloomy reflections. The brave fellows had n>t a paxticlo of hitter feeling towards Ctf), however, although ho wan actually responsible for their being in their present unfottuuatt positi.A

CHAPTEB XIX.

THE BBTBBAT. For several hours the silence was unbroken. Trenowetb, for a wonder, slept soundly, and the rest was of great assistance to bim. Notwithstanding the heat of the day, he slumbered on until aroused to help in packing the stores. He sprang to his feet quite cheerfully and fully refreshed, and looked with surprise on the worn-out appearance of bis mates, " Why, its near sundown. How I most lave slept, he exclaimed. "Yes; you have Blept well, my lad," replied Grey, sympathetically ; " and will feel tha benefit of it tonight. I wish we all ■lid the same." Activo prepartions were now made to start. The saddles and other harness were left behind as useless, and only the straps were used in the packing. Everything was put in the most convenient form, and any article not absolutely wanted in the journey was cast aside. Half an hour before sunset the party began to retrace their Bteps. They intended j doing a long march that night, in the hope of reaching the waterhole before it was too j iate. If they could get a single bucketful there it would save them, but it was exceedingly doubtful if they could even squeeze out that modicum of fluid. The distance was fully twenty miles, and the country was not easy to get over, but life or death depended on haste, and they kept up a good speed during the whole night. At daylight they found themselves within two milea of the desired place, and in less than an hour they reached it. The first thing they saw in the dried-up hole was a dead wallaby, that had apparently perished of thirst. This was not a pleasant introduction, but they did not despair. They took the animal out and at once began digging at the bottom, which was intersected by huge cracks in the baked earth. Although not more than forty hours had elapsed since they got water at the place, it was now as dry as the Desert of Sahara. Several feet deep they laboriously excavated, but there was not the slightest indication of water. The ground was perfectly dry, for the hot air had penetrated the crevices and sucked every drop of moisture up. Still the prospectors worked on, for they all felt that their very lives depended on finding water. It was near noon when they abandoned ihe task as hopeless, every drop of moisture teaming to have shrank into the earth in terror of the hsat. The exertion of digging under such a sun caused an intolerable thirst to afflict the party. Though any one of them could have drunk the whole supply half a dozen times over, they had to be content with merely moistening their lips. A draught was entirely out of the question. All save one tent had been left behind and spreading this over some bushes the wearied men crept under it to remain until the sun yot low in the heavens. They tried to sleep; but, worn out as they were, they could not obtain the rest which wus bo necessary to keep up their strength. F..r a while they tossed restlessly about and then, as if by a common impulse, they rose and made arrangements to continue on their journey. Before going Trenoneth and Grey went and lookel down the well they had sunk to see if perhaps amiraclu.had taken place and water flowed in. It was aa dry as a hearthstone, and they turned bitterly away. Time was now of supreme importance, and it was agreed that they should travel day and night until exhaustion compelled them to rest. Strapping their loans on, another sip was doicd out, aud shey started about four o'clock in the afternoon.

Grey advised them to take a piece of the acrub along with them and chew it, but it was found to be so Balty that it rattmr aggravated than allayed their thirst. Through all the long night they went staggering on, and when morning broke they were on the great plain. A bait was called, for they felt they must have rest; and the wearied men could hardly oreot the sunshade. Then lips and tongues wera swollen and cracked, and in husky whispers it was decided to at once drink the remainder of the water. Some of it was being lost through evaporation, and a frightful longing possessed the stricken travellers to quench the burning thirst which was devouring them aa if in a furnace. It was a pathetic sight to see Grey measuring out the precious fluid in a small pannikin, while, with eyes of terri'fio longing, Ilia tuatea watched him. The loader's loyalty to his comrades will be understood when it is said he reserved the smallest quantity for himself; and, as water carrier, he could at any time have drunk the contents of the bag. The homesopathic draught had a reviving influence on the men, who were able to eat a little food after it; and then, one after another, they tank into a wildly.fevered sleep. It did not last very long, however, for the heat was dreadful, and they awoke with bloodshot eyes and a . sensation of choking. Their finger nails seemed to be oracking off, and their hair felt brittle as glass. It was past noon when tbey awoke, and silently they took up their loads for another start. Witnout a word Grey took the lead, and under the full force of the pitileßS sun, they headed across the apparently interminable plain. Sunset came, and with it a slight cessation of the heat; and, with the energy of despair, the doomed prospector! struggled on. All that night the power of human endurance was exemplified, for the monotonous tramp was kept up. Wban daylight came Trenoweth looked round :s if waking from a trance, for be had only two companion!. He looked bard at them to see who they were, and be recoguised in a dim sort of way that they were the brothers Norton. Grey waa missing, and Joe and Tom appeared to be quite unaware of it. Half dead as he wan, Edward could see that th(;re was a"-look in the eyes of the brotheis which aeemod strongly indicative of insanity.

The swollen tongues and lips of the men refused speech, but by eigns it was decided to rest. Mechanically the shade was put up and the three eshairated travellers crept uader it. In a few rainntes Trenowetb. had fallen into a deep sleep, which held him in a tranoe for hours. With a Btart he awoke to fail misery, as night wsb falling on the earth, or that horrible portion of it where he then was. He looked round in a dazed and stupid fashion, as if expecting to see others about bim ; but, save for a few buszing insects, he was alone. He staggered to hia feet and walked round the raised screen, but no human form met his wild eyes. He laughed to himself at his position. What an excellent joke it was to be left alone in such a placet How he would rally his comrades upon it when he saw them ? Yes, it was moat amusing to have suoh a trick played on him ; but, of oourse, it was only a joke. Ah 1 what about the water bag? Where was that? He mußt have a drink IHe recollected in a sort of plirenzy.as he dashed madly under the screen where it was usually kept. Groping on his hands and knees, he sought in vain, and in his search he scattered the contents of three swags which lay on the ground. In hia delirium he picked up a round tin containing preserved sheeps' toungues, and ; imagined it was full of water. ; ■ With eager haste he brought hia jack knife into use, and soon had the top of the tin of. Seising the tongues he slowly devoured them and also the jelly which was with them. They were very juicy, and ware grateful to his parched throat, for the soothing effect produced partly restored him to his seases. He again glanced round for bis companions, but not seeing them, commenced a search outside. Then, in a voice that was more like the croak of a raven, he called them by name, but no answer came. The echoes of the hoarse oall echoed over the desolate, parched plain, but t&ose called were as mute aB though Death had placed his hand upon them. It would have been merciful if he had thus saved them from an awful, lingering death by thirst. The Btars were shining out brightly in a cloudless sky, and Trenoweth looked up to them aB if in silent appeal for help and companionship. Then he stood like a statue for fully half an hour, until, as if rousing himself from a reverie, he went hurriedly back to the shelter and began doing up his swag. With curious canning, he carefully took with him half a dozen tins of the preserved tongues which lay about. Then, recollecting that night was marching time, he Ballied out, leaving the shade as it was, and started off on hia lonely journey. He kept on at a rapid pace all night, and when morning came opened another of the tins and voraciously devoured the contents, although he almost choked himself in the act. About a mile to the east he could see a small clump of trees on the side of a conicalshaped hill. Tuwards this he made and reached the grateful shade before the sun's rays became too strong. Aa be stood under one of the stunted euealypts and looked towards the summit of the hill.a keen desire possessed him to ascend it aud see if human habitation could be seen from it. He instantly acted on the idea and slowly began the toilsome ascent. It took him over an hour to gain the top, and when he did he saw he was on the edge of an extinct crater, which sank to a considerable distance, As he looked into the abyss a fascination seized upon him, for far down below he could sure) j see water shining. Yes I It was no delusion I The crater held a small lake in its centre which could easily be reached. Who can describe the haste with which the suffering man descended to that which was more precious to him than all else upon earth.

In a few minutes he was beaide the water and swallowing it as if he would drain the crater. It was a wonder that ha did not kill bimsuit, for the water was totally unfit for human consumption, and he must, hare drunk a gallon. Nature, however, came to his relief and he gut sick; a fact which no doubt saved his life. Tue cool liquid, also, had an instantaneous effect on his blackened and swollen lips and tongue. In a few minutes they became soft and reduced in size ; and, creeping under the shaiiow of an overhanging pieao of lava, he again had recourse to the tongues. This time he ate them with a relish, and a few minutes afterwards he sank into a refreshing aieep. The sun, in its westerly course, pouring its rays on the slumbering wayfarer, awoke him from his strange bed. He got up refreshed, though with a heavy sense of his desperate position, and decided to take a. small drink of the vole ;nic water He filled the empty tin which lay beside bim and drank a few rnouthfuls. . It bad a moat unpaiateable taste; but a man in his position cared very little for such a trifle as that. After this he again filled the tin and then climbed up the crater to get another view of the surrounding country. In fact, he had seen nothing in the morning gave the water at the bottom of the crater, and once he bad realised its pretence he had wanted for nothing else. The day, though intensely hot, was clear, and Trenoweth got an excellent view. To the west lay a vast plain, which he had a dim recollection of crossing. In a southerly direction the country was also level, wbile to the north it was broken by a couple of small mounts. Easterly he could see a great rang* of hills stretching for many mile» and rising to a considerable altitude. It occurred to bim that this would be the most likely direction to meet with fresh water, as such an important range could not fail to have springs or affluents. He was quite lost as to the nearest way to eiviltratlon, but concluded that he would reach a station as soon to the west as if he went due south. As be looked across the great plain he wondered what had become of bis late mates and how he had managed to get to far to the east, Evidently the party had been going in the wrong direction for tome time, as, on tue outwurd journey, nu tills were visible at all.— TthCoMituud W P 1»