DESERT TRAGEDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19476, 11 May 1925, Page 7

DESERT TRAGEDY.

PROSPECTOR'S DEATH. DOST FOR SIS DAYS. CFsou Oon Own ’ COBEESPONDBHT.J SYDNEY, April 2a Perils and privations beset the hie of the prospectors for gold, tin, and other minerals, whose tracks mostly lead into the least habitable and habited portions of Australia. They are hardy follows, some young and middle-aged, but most of them old, foS the long, patienoe-trying searches and the finnicky scratching for “colour” are not so attractive to the impetuous youth of today as they were to his prototype of a generation ago. These old prospectors are scattered all over the country. They continue their work mostly until (loath drops them in their boots, for they seldom seem to strike a rich patch, or if they do, the proceeds of it apparently disappear in quick time. Oontsantly there ia being reported some tragedy or accident which illustrates the life of hardship the old prospector leads. The most recent occurred in the desert of Western Australia in the Daverton district, where an aged prospector met hia death through becoming lost, after leaving his camp, to search for a strayed horse. A party which searched for him, travelled 152 miles in six days before they came upon the body. Frame Can Oaptiena (aged 61) and William Tasker had prospected in many parts of Western Australia and a staunch friendship had its roots in this life-long partnership. They had pitched a camp about 40 miles from Laverton. Towards evening Uaptiena found that one of the horses had strayed, and he set off to find it. He had not returned by nightfall, and was still missing the next morning. Tasker became alarmed, and decided to go to Laverton. for help, leaving a note telling of his more in case Oaptiena should come back. Tasker, returned to the camp with a constable, two trackers, two sulkies, and three horses, with sufficient rations to last seven days. Oaptiena had been missing for three daya when the search began. His tracks were picked up, and were followed through heavy, sandy country, partly covered by thick spinifex, with a scarcity of water. Twenty-six miles from the prospectors’ camp; the tracks turned in several directions, to end at times in circles, showing that at this stage of his tramp Oaptiena was lost The searchers found a spot where Oaptiena had camped on three occasionsHere the missing man’s tracks circled back to the camp three times after he had covered a-quarter of a mile. There were also marks showing wherd Oaptiena had dragged his gun through the spinifex. The part kept on through the night, and the following morning, the sixth day of their search, and the eighth day since Oaptiena wandered from the camp, the searchers found Captiena’s body lying on its side, ■the state of the tracks and the condition of the body indicated that the unfortunate prospector nad died one or two days previously from exposure, thirst, and starvation. The search party covered over 150 miles, ■ but the body was actually only six miles from the camp, so oonfused had been Captiena’s wanderings. He had abandoned looking for the horse three miles from th» camp.