FIGHT FOR LIFE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XVII, Issue 5878, 3 April 1920, Page 3

FIGHT FOR LIFE

SURVEY PARTY'S TERRIISLE ORDEAL.

ZEjMAN (Tas.) March lo

Mr Paton and party, who were surveying the track route from Lake St. Clair tb Gormansto.n, and whose no'iiarrivel at Gormnnston caused anxiety, have reached the latter place safely. Bush fires, extending for many miles, swept with startling velocity througn 'the country through which the party traversed, which is probably the heaviest and densest timbered land in Australasia. A veritable i'nferno oO fire snrroundered tiiie party, and the men had t desperate, figh!t for life. They only saved themselves from being burnt to death bv standing in the centre of an ivrfeiamted '-reek, ,a,ud isplashi'lig vrater on each other for the best part <V" a day. Mr Paton has chartered the waterfouraa as ''Saivat'.on CVeek." They could manege to save only a very little food. The fire shut thorn off from all further supplies. They wore, forced to 'reduce /th-\r rations .during the first week bv nearly 40 per cent., «!nd the second week by 70 per cent. Weakened thr'ough lack of food, they had to face tremendous difficulties through the donee undergrowth, and only just rearfiGormanston in time. The adventures >.t the partv ar? describe! :is the hardest in the history of Tasmania*! exploratory w'ork.