THE GIPPSLAND BUSH FIRES.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12899, 9 February 1906, Page 3

THE GIPPSLAND BUSH FIRES.

PERSONAL NARRATIVES.

(Melbourne " Argus.")

Mr Lamb, who was in the thickest of tlie lite, tells his own tale jus follows

"I left Foster on Tuesday at 4 p.m., accomplishing -Mr Hambhn's daughter Ruth, who came iu on business in ihe

morning. Two nuies distant from the township' we were met by a sii«et of il.ime, the whole country on either "side i S ih road being like a furnace. To retreat was as dangerous as to advance, so we set our horses at full gallop along the tortuous Bollarah road. "lire girl displayed -ihe utmost coolness and pluck. Hamblin's place was reached after a thrilling ride, trees falling in front and behind us. The tire had not touched the home-

stead of the Hamblin family up to then, so leaving Rath at her home 2 made my way along the road to Square-top, the residence of Councillor Clemson, president of thesiiire, which was bv this time in

ruins. All the outbuildings were demolished, and the horses and fowls roasted alive within 10 yards of an iron tank, in which Clemson and his wife and familv

had taken refuge. The scent* at this juncture was awful in the extreme. The flame* ■were leaping from hill-top to hill-top, and the deafening roar of the flames, the falling of huge blackbutt timber, and the blinding smoke, .together with the sufferings of animals and human beings, making an appalling spectacle. .The occupants of the tank \ •were: totally blind. ,1 snpplkd an eye lotion and clothing, aad administered stimulants, afterwards proceeding to Griffiths*:?. place .half a miie to -she eastward. Mfliica was also (surrounded by flames. All the outbuildings were burned to ihe ground, but the house was still sUr.dinjr. and tin inmates were found in a potato field. I provided tiient with food and stimulants, and. after a ride of four hours, relumed to Foster."

. ; -Messrs Dolphin (bank manager),, Price, and others had a hard ride along A niyes's track to get to Councillor Gardner's !evidence. The whole road was- in flames*, apd trees were.Jalling in every direction. The country oa either «ide of the ridge -a magnificent spectacle, every tree being on fire. The men, in making the jour* ney. carried their lives in their hands. Messrs Stuart and Johnson, who endeavoured to save an invalid, J. Williams, and were caught in the flames, had to drop ,their bunkn and make to a small water - hole, where they remained for two hours. Stuart was badlj, burned about the anas •and face, but was able to get about. A relief patty to-day brought- the sufferers into the township. The Exchange Hotel is like a hospital, Mrs Makeham and htr •staff acting as nurses. Councillor Clemson, president of the relates his experiences as follows:"At 2 o'clock our house, dairy, etc., were surrounded by fire. Four other men were •with me—Messrs Beasley, Graham, Oi* •borne, and vßenaClavarino. When we Nrw the Are coming towards us, Bewley said, *You mod not -be alarmed; there l ! iureJari&"of os, and -we could save the' [-flOiase and other buildings easily.' In a few moments " after the wind changed. '•lfteo. camei b\trs& ! -of flame wod with* tte^^Sfflnig 4 'ia all dinectkiM, ■stiid cattle stampeding". l ' The "wind was so "strong .that!, it ..Wew . over' an, 800-gallon t anEl Wit K 'drii tigGd'Tiie *t ank out on the ploughed ground, between the dairy and the cowshed, and turned tb« back of it to the flames. I placed my wife and our twin babies, also my wife's a-unt and-her two children, together with a few blankets I hurriedly'obtained from the house, in the took. The heat tit' the time was indescribable. Beasley, Osborne; and Braham then crossed the road to my neighbour's water-hole, wluch contained about 3ft of water, whilst Clavarino battled single-handed to save my house. Seting there was no hope to save my property.! 1 said to Clavarino, ' 1 don't think there is a hope of pulling the wife and children through, or of paving our own lives.' 1 then thought of a large cask, near the back door of the house, about a quarterfull of water, which I snatched up and took to the front of the tank, where my wife and children were soaking rags with water and holding them in their mouths, as there, was not, sufficient water to give ?h*m a' drink. At this moment two honM»> standing 10 yards from the tank dropped dead from heat. Clavarino said "I dont think there is any hope.' 1 said 'we will ] fight to a finish.' The house by this time was demolished, and the dairy, on tho left side of the lank, was catching fire, while the- cowshed -was being consumed on the right. The heat of the tank was so great that when water was thrown on it the water hissed and sizzed. Mr W. Lamb. «f Hill and Co., came out about midnight fr;.m Foster, and greatly relieved far sufferings with stimulant:;. He jv-ve us nil a good wash, and supplied all •:ye lotion, and 1 can speak in the highest Seuns «f gratitude for hi* great kindness "o us •rre.it persona! risk to himself. Mis Make* ham. of the Royal Exchange Hotel, kindly sent out her cab with her son Jack, and we arrived safely in Foster, where wc are slowly recovering and receiving the greatest- kindness and attcnt:«-n." The experience of M:s was a. thrilling cne. w.-.«« waj'.iins clothes 30 y.'nis away ;i cai I" : h<>use. v:.e;i slie siw that t;:c !v.:iMir,~ !;-"l r.i'isl.'. fi:<\ Her children were in the bud-fine. the rushed i! • i'ie. ;s;?«l wbs ;';^i in '.inie 5" save toietn. the roof crashing down amid i a shower c! sparks aa she rescued the

last one. X«xl morning U'tc SnW «f water which had co&uined ibe dwlbox Mt» ton ttas trashing were foaixi filled *iih ashes. In the vicinity a team *d *» bullock* were :o.i*!ed lo dc-aflfo.

The 3«».mU in all dkt-cUt®* a*« block <xl by J.-dJen timtwr, mucli which is *till burning. This rccdm travelling dif (kail and dangvtmis, and make* it alrnwat impossible to convey mpplic* in sufferer* in iibe m«re ttmnic district*. (lie W«nyij> ma<l innuHjtra3»!e bw- -vrsd wallabies :we lying dead. At Mr McEvoy'm jilaoe five wallabies took j>:he3c«r izi a »hcd. -tnd wet® consume*!) hv the Slamc?.