Overland 6

 William David Hamilton's continuing journey north

Between Tenne[a]nt and Attack Creeks we came upon the grave, marked by a rough cross, of Mr. John Milner who was fatally speared by the natives He with his brother and a man named Mr. Ashwin, were I believe droving a mob of sheep from South Australia. The sheep ate a poison plant and in one night 2000 of them succumbed.

We tended his grave by restoring the fork and rail fence round it, collected a horse nearby which later proved to be the murdered man’s. We restored it to his brother at Darwin who was in sore straits there and was glad to regain a horse worth then at least £50.

For some time our food supply had been gradually but surely giving out. At last only flour was left of the provisions and finally came the end of even the daily ration of a tablespoon of flour. We had been supplementing hitherto with whatever could be found. But from now on we were forced to live like the natives without their experience in acquiring food. Bush rats, mice, snakes, lizards, grubs dug out of trees, pig weed and yams all formed part of our varying diet. There were many lean patches however when precious little of these could be found.

Occasionally we were lucky enough to shoot wild duck over a water hole. That was luxury but as water was scarce so was bird life. I remember a water hole, to which my uncle had gone at  sundown to fill a billy, covered with wild ducks. It was a marvellous chance. My uncle, our crack shot, brought down three with his revolver. Untold joy! a whole duck to each hungry traveller. I roasted mine in the fire and devoured it immediately but the other two, older and wiser, made soup and stew which carried them over two meals. The next morning while they were still consuming duck my breakfast was again a la aborigine.

 In parts of the interior hundreds of hawks would hover our heads for hours at a time. These could be shot, but although reasonably palatable at first, we soon sickened of them. at starvation point however any food at all was acceptable.

Sometimes from the isolated telegraph stations we would be lucky enough to receive a few tins of bully beef and some flour but although generous the men there had little to spare. We all suffered badly from barcoo rot and scurvy but gradually we made our way towards the better country.