22 December 1932

KILLED AND EATEN BY DINGOES

Woman's Experience In the Bush

DESPITE generations of relentless hunting the dingo still holds its own over wide areas of South Australia. Being a menace to sheep, a price has been put on its head. A good, trapper with a wide, area to work is able to make up to £10 a week. The dingo resembles the wolf, in that it is a silent hunter. Cases are known where the pest has attacked and killed human beings.

Many years ago, near Cowell, a man was killed and eaten by these animals. Later his bones were found scattered about the scrub. The animals had even chewed his boots to pieces.

When people first began to use the overland track from Cowell to Adelaide dingoes were a common sight on the western side of Spencer's Gulf. One huge dog had his lair somewhere between Cowell and Whyalla. As cars passed he would give chase. One day he ran beside a car for miles, snapping and snarling at the occupants. That act sealed his doom. The men got guns and cartridges at Cowell and went back along the road next day. The old dingo began his chase again, but it was short lived, A bullet put an end to his life.

A friend of mine at Warramboo had an unenviable experience in the early days. Her husband was ploughing a field and wanted to go to a neighboring farm. So she said she would drive the team in his absence. Shortly after her husband had departed a large yellow dingo came out of the scrub nearby and commenced following the plough. The girl was desperately afraid the animal would attack her. She kept the horses moving round and round with the dog following about 20 yards behind. She dared not stop the team for a minute. After what seemed a lifetime of terror her husband returned. When he saw the situation he shouted a word of encouragement and raced to the house for his gun. A minute or so the dingo had 'gone west.' The girl said she had never expected to leave the field alive.

I remember a man telling me of a experience he had on the West Coast. One dark night he was walking along a narrow road in the scrub to a friend's home several miles away. Suddenly he heard an animal following him. He was new to the country and all the stories he had heard concerning dingoes flashed through his mind. He decided to make a dash for it and broke into a run. The animal, to his horror, rushed along after him. Steadying his nerves, the man forced him self to walk once more. Still he could hear the 'pad,' 'pad' of steps and the panting of the unseen animal. He was soon bathed in perspiration and really desperate. He decided to stand and fight. The moon at that moment broke through the clouds and he whirled around and faced the 'terror.' It was a neighbor's old black and tan cattle dog! The man said the feeling of relief was almost as over powering as the fright had been previously, and that for once his knees were too weak to do their job — 'R.V.H..' Yeelanna.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingo_attack

Lake Leak Ghost.

— Some eighteen miles east of Millicent lies Lake Leak. For many years this lake was supposed to be haunted, and few people had the courage to go near it at night. The lake is of the volcanic type, resembling the Blue Lake at Mount Gambler. It was commonly known that at one time a man had been drowned in the lake, hence the origin of the 'ghost.'

On clear moonlight nights one could see a silver grey figure, strangely like that of a human being, lying on the dark waters of the lake. Many were the men who on seeing this ghostly figure set spurs to their horses and had not drawn rein until miles separated them from the lake.

For many years people firmly believed in ghosts, until one settler more daring than the rest determined to find out all he could of the 'ghost.' So for several nights he watched the ghost closely, but could not define its cause.

Then by chance he wandered upon another 'ghost.' On the opposite bank, standing out against the dark outline of the scrub, was another silver grey figure. The startled settler hurried forward and was surprised to find that this 'ghost' was nothing more than an ancient white gum stump, polished white by wind and rain. Investigation then solved the mystery of the ghost on the lake.

When the moon shone in a certain position, the shadow of the old stump was thrown on to the water, creating the Lake Leak Ghost.— "Charles Latimer," Millicent.

Talking Of Snakes.

— In the summer of 1912 I was employed dam sinking on Moonarie station, north-west of Port Augusta. The weather was very hot. One night, I was lying on my bunk. About midnight I dreamt someone was pouring cold water on my feet. I shifted them, but the water commenced again.

This time I jumped out of the bunk, and my bare feet landed on something very smooth and cold. I woke at once, somehow knowing I had put them on a snake. By the help of the moon I could make out a large grey snake. I dived outside, seized an axe, and hit at the reptile. He disappeared, but I saw that I had cut off about six inches of tail.

I woke the boss and told him. We both looked about, but could not find the snake. The next morning when talking of the snake, my mates would hot believe me. They said I had dreamed it. and added, 'Anyway, where is the tail.' I went to get it, but it was gone. The camp magpie must have taken it. For several days they barracked me, until I was sick of them and the snake.

Then one day, when two station hands were there, and we were all sitting round the table, with the boss on a box at one end, my employer again started the joke about the snake.

Suddenly a large snake dropped out of the brush roof and fell across both his arms. He gave one yell, and fell over backwards. One chap caught up a stick and gave the snake a crack that killed him. When we examined him he was about 5 ft., and he would have been 5 ft. 6 in., but that he was minus six inches of tail. From then on I never heard another word about my 'dream.' — 'Hoppy,' Kalangadoo.

A Meeting Of Creditors.

— Millicent was noted in the olden days for meetings of creditors. One man who had been battling for a long time with indifferent results, at last reached the turn of the tide. He had had a good crop, and it being a drought year in the north, prices for chaff were high.

Old Jimmy came into the town, changed his cheque at the bank, hunted up a man who did clerical work, and engaged him to go round to all his creditors, and tell them there was a meeting of Jimmy Reed's creditors at the Somerset Hotel at 2 o'clock.

They had hardly expected such a catastrophe, but nevertheless they went.

They found Jimmy and his wife there, sitting at the table in the hotel parlor. Jimmy had the exact amount of cash for, each account, which he duly handed over. The creditors, all expecting a composition of "so-much-in-the-pound," got the most pleasant shock of their lives, with a drink into the bargain.— 'Tanta Tyga,' Millicent.

Snakes.

— Many years ago an adventure befell a friend of mine. It was during summer. One coolish night she retired as usual at about 10 o'clock. About four hours later she was disturbed by something moving about the foot of her bed.

She got up, lit the lamp, looked in the bed, but saw nothing. So she resumed her slumbers.

Next night she was disturbed again, but nothing could be found. She had the same mysterious experience the third night —always about 2 a.m. On the fourth night, when it commenced, she took every rug and blanket off the bed one by one, and there, in the fold of a blanket, found two big brown snakes, which, as the nights became colder, had crawled there for comfort.

Now my friend always looks in the clothes before retiring.— 'Debly,' Cortlinge.

Back In The Sixties.

— In 1865, the last year of the big '60 drought, my father and I were coming into the Blinman on Shanks's pony. The horses were all dead.

We were over taken by a wild blackfellow. He wore no clothes, had a string around his waist, and a bunch of emu feathers hanging in front. He had a letter tied in a split stick, addressed to the police station at Blinman.

My father spoke to him, but he made no reply. I then asked him in blackfellows' language where he came from, and he answered. "Umberatana Station. Mr. Stuckey sendum fetchum up policeman. White fellow killum nother one. White fellow with fire stick (gun)."

We were not home long when Sergeant Wourp rode up to our house, and told my father to get ready as we had to go up to Yurnamunta mine. Jim Purdie, a married man, had shot the caretaker, the son of a peer. This case was tried in Adelaide, but owing to a written declaration made by the murdered man, Purdie got off with a sentence of six months. — C. E. Roberts, Blinman.

Rescued by A Pig.

— On a certain farm, about nine miles from Mount Gambier, lived an old pig, who deserved the laurels given to dogs who save life.

The owner of the farm had a young daughter, very delicate, who often had fits. Her father gave her the pig when it was not much bigger than his own hand. She raised the animal, taking a strange liking to it.

One day, about five o'clock in the evening, the girl could not be found. Her mother remembered seeing her playing by the gate. Then the farmer had an inspiration. He went to the pigsty and let out the pig. It ran round the yard and suddenly dashed off towards a swampy marsh.

The farmer ran after it, and on turning a bend in the track saw the pig, with his feet firmly braced, holding the child above the water into which it had fallen in a fit.— 'R.A.J.,' Tantanoola.

Mystery Hiker Of Nullabor.

— Many years ago a black boy and myself were at Eucla. In those days the town was a big repeating station with a large staff of men.

While I was there a swagman arrived, very weary and foot sore. He was a peculiar looking man. His fair hair was about eighteen inches long, and hung down his back. He was a little eccentric. He wanted to get to Melbourne as quickly as possible.

As I was leaving next morning, I offered him a lift as far as Nullabor Station, 130 miles away. I told him he had no chance of reaching there on foot, as there was not a bucket of water on the track. He thanked me for the offer, but said he was afraid my black or I might kill him on the track.

As he was determined to go alone I told him I would place bottles of water along the track at convenient stages, and would cut down a tree and make a mark on the track at each place where I left water. I placed over two dozen bottles on the track.

He came along and found the lot, and reached Nullabor safely. After leaving there and going through the Bight sandhills, he struck hot weather, and came to a tank which was dry. He then wandered along an old kangaroo hunter's track and died of thirst under a large mallee, the roots of which contained plenty of water if he did but know it. I don't think he told any one his name. He told me he was a compositor, and professed the Deist religion. It is astonishing what a number of travellers die in mallee country without knowing about this water. — 'M.J.A.,' Coorabie, W.C.

Real Life Stories Of South Australia (1932, December 22). Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), p. 15. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90631264