PERILS OF THE BUSH.

Colonist, Volume XXVI, Issue 3481, 14 June 1882, Page 3

PERILS OF THE BUSH.

The following narrative is a transcript from a letter addressed by a gentleman at Culmurrah-to a friend in Adelaide, and published by the 'Observer:— "The raiu has; come 15 inches at Goondabrima, which is in the flooded grounds, surrounded with channels. It rained for two days and nights incessantly. On waking up on the morning of the laat night of tho rain, we found all the channels running a banker. Here was a pretty go. To the nearest point of the ranges, about one and a half miles, on the one side, and on all the other sides miles and miles of flooded ground covered with water. Jim and Joe immediately started to look for the horses barefooted, and found them in a bog up to their girths, and in a wretched state. We managed to get them out to higher ground, and then tried to get round the cattle, on account of,the bog, water, and prickles. "We then went back to the tent and camped. Id the afternoon the black boy brings news that ' Big fallow flood come up.' We lost not a moment in tying up all clothes, saddles, rations, &c, ,ia our blankets, and put them up a tree; then mustered t!ie horses aud started for the stones, with only a hat and no clothes. We had five swims of 400 yards each, and a fearful strong current, which used to take us down the stream like wildfire. However, we and our horsea reached our destination safely at about sundowp, but in a nice plight—no tucker or clothes and fearfully cold ; but we had matches tied up inside our hats, 'so we quickly lighted' a fire, and got through the night somehow. The. next day at noon Jim started down to Chastleton (20 miies) bareback, and a fearful bog the way. I caught a snake in the all meanwhile, which we ; soon.,.eat. : Jam returned the next day With clothing, j and enough tucker for one meal. No' flour at the station. We got fearfully sunburnt, and could hardly bear our clothes on us for the next ten days. We had notbiug to eat except snakes, iguanas, &o. A few days after we crossed Jim and I went back with two i horeea to see if we could get at the cattle, but failed again. "W c nearly loat a horse coming back. The current washed him into a tree, and he got caught, but I swam to him and got hold of his head, turned him into the stream, and saved him. Since that I have been laid up with a bad' leg, it being raw with the sun. I eithtr got i it poisoned with a bite or stick. Sly ! leg gob rotten (if I may use the term) | from the ankle to the knee. I never' experienced such pain before. I could not put my foot to the ground. Mr Kogan, Chaetleton, drove up and took me down to Chaatleton, and I was there three weeks. .Never got off my bunk even for meals. It cost me £7. It is not all right yet, but I can go about. After the water subsided, Jim and I got 400 head of cattle out, all in a fearful state, being in ths water and bog nearly ,a month. We have brought them down,to Oulmurrah, and I am going lo start in a few; days to see if I can get the rest, but I am afraid they are, drowned. • Two men lost their lives in the flood, aud there has beeu a tremendous lot of stock lost, Ac Culniurrah the water was to the top of the wall plate in the hut, and George, the old gentleman, had to take) to s the s sandhills. It,has been the largest lobcl ever kriovvW The country looks grand."