18 August 1932

TRAVELLING IN THE NEVER NEVER

THE MAILMAN AND THE CORPSE

We who live within the radius of civilisation should sometimes gives a thought to the pioneers of the Never Never country, and the things that they endure. The following account of a coach journey between Farina and Innamincka is valuable for its description of travelling conditions outback before the advent of the motor car.

Unenviable Experience

Until several years ago, the mails from Farina to Innamincka were carried by mail coach. The four-in-hand left Farina at 6 a.m., and travelled north-east, through saltbush and blue bush plains, until lunch time, when it came to copper-bearing country. The horses were changed about noon, and the coach pushed on until nightfall, when the passengers camped for the night, out in the open. Next morning they left at daylight, and at about 11.30 sighted Murnpeowie from the top of a rise. The run down was across a creek (the water came from an artesian bore on the station) across lovely pasture, and up to the store.

The arrival of the coach was an event, and was watched, from various positions on the station, including the blacks' camp. As far as Murnpeowie the journey was pleasant and interesting. From there on it was interesting, but not pleasant.

The mail contract was in two sections, from Farina to Murnpeowie, and from Murnpeowie to Innamincka. Soon after lunch, we left Mumpeowie by another four-in-hand, and made Blanchewater station by night. There we camped in an empty house. We were off early in the morning, and arrived at Mount Hopeless about 4 o'clock, where we stopped for the night. Here we found a man who, for a small charge, provided a hot meal and clean beds. Mount Hopeless is really a plain of drifting sand, and was named by Bourke and Wills. They were trying to reach Blanchewater, where there is a lake of fresh water. It is really a basin of rock on top of a hill, and is always full of water. For this they were making, but they thought it was much nearer. When they struck a desolate plain of drifting sand, the named the place Mount Hopeless, and turned back.

The next night we reached Carraweena. Here, also, was a man in occupation. He didn't possess any idea how to make travellers comfortable. But he did have two lovely 'bung eyes.' His work was to have a change of team ready. The flies were so troublesome that even the horses had 'bung eyes.' The next stop was Tinga Tingata, on the Strzelecki Creek. There was one more outpost after we left Tinga Tingata, and then came Innamincka. Soon after leaving Farina we came to some roadside graves. Some had no mark whatever to show the place. Others again had a rough cross, and one grave was a well. The story goes that some men were getting it ready for retimbering. Two were in the well removing decayed timber, when, without warning, a ton or more of earth fell in on them. It was thought hopeless to attempt a rescue, at the peril of more lives. Now there is a rail fence around the well with a wooden cross, and the names of the victims axe on it. Old bush men who know the story keep the railing round the well in repair.

On one occasion, the mail contractor, when leaving Innamincka, had a passenger, an elderly man, who was very ill and was hoping to reach a doctor. The trip by coach from Innamincka to Farina occupies seven days. When they were about half-way between Innamincka and Tinga Tingata, the old chap leant against the driver. The driver asked him if he felt tired. He got no answer, and when he looked at the old fellow he found he was dead. Now, the law provides that no corpse shall be carried on the Royal mail, and no corpse shall be left unattended. Neither can the body be buried unless there is a minister or a justice present. The mailman had his 18-year-old nephew with him, but the law says no person under the age of 21 can be in charge of the Royal mail. It was therefore impossible to send the 18-year-old lad on with the mail. It was equally impossible to have him therewith the corpse. The coach was stopped, the horses taken out, and the boy, on one of the already tired horses, went on to fetch help, two days' journey distant. The rest of the horses were turned loose to find what feed they could. The corpse was laid on the ground on its bedding, a fire lighted, and the maildriver sat down to keep his lonely watch. No one was within 50 miles of him, only the wild dogs. At about 10 p.m. he thought he heard a moan. He didn't attach much importance to it, thinking it was a sound of the night or wind. After a while he was horrified to hear it again. 'Surely,' he said to himself, 'the old fellow is dead! What if he isn't?' Perhaps he had only fainted, and wanted a drink or some thing. He got up and went over to the corpse. It was dead all right. He went back, and sat down by the fire. A little later the moan came again. 'Heavens, what should he do?' The old chap couldn't be dead. Again he went across and had another look at the corpse. He certainly seemed dead. The driver examined the fire, and by and by the moan came again, and so on through that terrible night, miles away from a living soul, and a dead man, who didn't seem quite dead, for company. As soon as it was daylight he went to look for his horses. Then the mystery was explained. Within a few chains of his campfire he found one horse had somehow fallen and broken a leg. It was the moans of the stricken animal he had heard. — A. Whitehair, Kielpa.

Those Awful Bikes.

— In these days, when motors are seen everywhere and aeroplanes are a common sight, it is hard to believe that less than 50 years ago the old 'push bike' was a marvel! A young man fortunate enough to be able to purchase one was the envy of all his pals, and when he rode abroad more concern was felt for his personal safety than is now shown the safety of a man flying to the Pole.

I remember hearing of the time my uncle procured his first bike. He then lived a few miles from Lipson, on Eyre Peninsula. One week-end he decided to visit some friends. Grandma said, 'Be sure and come home on Sunday evening. I'll be worrying all the time in case you meet with an accident with that awful bike.'

Sunday evening came, and no sign of uncle. Grandma became anxious. She passed a sleepless night, picturing her boy lying helpless with broken limbs somewhere on the roadway. Early in the morning grandma persuaded grandpa to harness up the horses, and, with a mattress, bandages, and ointment, they set off. After driving eight or nine miles they met uncle on his bike, whistling away in the best of spirits.

'Hello!' he said. 'Where are you two going?' This was too much for grandma! She proceeded to tell him what she thought of him. 'Look at these bandages, the mattress, and ointment we've brought for nothing,' she said indignantly.

Another old lady in the same district had a perfect horror of these bikes. One Sunday afternoon she and her family were driving home from church, when uncle came riding along behind the buggy. She looked around, and before the driver could pull up, with one horrified cry of 'Those awful bikes!' she made a flying leap out of the conveyance, and landed on her back in the dust. — 'B.V.H.' Yeelanna.

Blue Lake At Mount Gambier.

— The sides of the Blue Lake were once covered by the green waters at a time when the coral was alive and covered by the sea. A thousand fishes frisked for a while, then died and left their forms imprinted on the stone.

Today fishes and reptiles are gone, but the stones tell how they lived and died. The reef become a sandy desert without a drop of water, or a sign of vegetation, a vast and dreary solitude. But Nature soon changed the scene. Subterranean thunders were heard, earthquakes rumbled and rocked the ground; masses of stone fell in and gave vent to smoke and steam which rushed from the centre of the earth. Fire began to appear, and Nature, no longer able to restrain the ravages of the heat, sent it forth in a bubbling, hissing cauldron of molten stone. The air was darkened with smoke and ashes, and huge fragments of stone were hurled into the air to fall into the hissing, seething mass below.

But now the smoke has cleared, and the fires are extinct. Nature is at repose. The melted walls have cooled, and an azure blue lake covers them. Fascinating as the story of its birth is, the sidelights one hears of the lake's behaviour at the change of seasons is more interesting still.

The rise of the water level in the lake takes place in accordance with the heavy rains in the Grampians (Victoria), in the winter. This seems to indicate that soakage takes place through that expanse of limestone country. This conclusion would also account for the unique qualities of Blue Lake water as for drinking purposes.

Curiously enough the rise of the water level is coincident with the activity of the blow holes near McDonnell Bay, over twenty miles distant, from the lake. It is believed there is a connection by means of underground channels.

This reminds me of the story told by one of the early pioneers of Mount Gambier that in the early days two black swans were kept in the Cave Gardens, about a mile and a quarter from the lake. One day these birds were missed. Nothing was heard of them for a fortnight, when they were seen swimming peacefully on the lake. The residents assumed that the swans had reached their destination by an under ground channel. — Colin H. Chant, Prospect.

Faint Heart Ne'er Won Fair Lady.

— I attended the funeral several years ago of a man, who, when alive, was a walking testimonial to that old proverb, 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again.' He was not possessed of any great physical beauty, nor was he one who shone at social functions. But he had that most priceless possession — a heart which never became downcast at the defeats it suffered.

He decided to marry, and proposed to a girl of his acquaintance, who refused him. Nothing daunted, he remarked, 'There are as good fish in the sea as ever were caught!'

Next week be put the question, to another girl, only to meet with another refusal. He said, 'Apples will grow again, and there are other girls!'

Within the next few weeks he proposed to several others. The joke got about that he would propose to any one who was left alone with him for five minutes. As proof of this a young lady and her small sister wert one day walking when along came 'Romeo.' They all strolled together for a short distance. The child ran ahead a few yards to gather some special flowers, and the man grasped the opportunity to ask the young lady to share his lonely life! He received the usual reply, but was not downcast.

By the end of the year his score stood at sixteen. Then a young lady from a distant part of the State came to stay in the district. When told by a girl friend about the joke, she replied, 'Aha! Let him ask me! I'll soon marry him.' She was as good as her word. Wedding bells rang out, and they lived happily ever after. — 'R.V.H.,' Yeelanna.

Welcome With An Unexpected Ending.

— After the Great War, Australia was visited by General Pau, one of the greatest soldiers of France. Excitement prevailed in all towns honored by the presence of this hero. One small town which looked forward to the visit was Port Germein.

Flags and bunting were in every conspicuous place. Hotels prepared dainty menus fit for royalty. People congregated in the streets and the school children stood in line and sang the French National Anthem as the general and his escort rode into the little seaport.

One young lady, wishing to make the visit memorable, stood on the balcony of the hotel overlooking the party. She held in her hand a paper bag filled with rose petals, and showered some over the general. But the unexpected happened. The bag with its petals slipped from her hand and landed on the general's head.

The interpreter told the people that the general had always prayed to be delivered from his enemies; he thought now he would have to pray to be delivered from his friends. — 'Wattle Blossom,' Port Germein.

Thought It Was The Devil

— About 50 years ago, in one of our suburban cemeteries, the grave digger, during the hot summer did his grave digging at night. This necessitated using a lantern. On one occasion he had finished his work, and with his lantern started up the ladder out of a grave.

About this time a merry party of young people on their way home from a social gathering decided to walk through the grave yard, as it was a short cut home. They had got about half-way through when they suddenly saw a light issuing from the earth. The girls screamed, the young man ran. They thought the grave digger was the devil. — 'T. E. F.,' Wayville.