BUSHED. 
like a bloodhound on the scent. Up to the 
point where Field had first sighted the tur- 
key, the aborigine followed the regular 
track unhesitatingly, only once or twice 
stopping a second where Field had wan- 
dered from the track. As the party reached 
the summit of the slope which Fie‘d had 
descended the previous evening, the native 
dropped on his hands and knees and care- 
fully examined the ground. Suddenly he 
straightened up, and holding out the palm 
of his hand, displayed a little roll of partly 
burned tobacco. 
“One fellah Charlie no finish smok’. 
Empty pipe clos’ up here, quick fellah.” 
That was the native’s way of telling the 
others that Field had; on first sight of the 
game, stopped smoking and possibly shaken 
out the contents of his pipe. 
The tracker descended the slope, care- 
fully watching the ground and the bush on 
either hand. Coming to the point whence 
Field had first fired, he plunged directly 
into the bush. It was then plain sailing for 
the native. One can not pass through the 
thick bush of tropical Queensland without 
bending or breaking numerous vines or 
bushes that impede his progress. To the 
native this disturbed undergrowth was as 
plain as so many tracks in the snow. 
Making his way directly to the fallen 
tree where Field had shot the first turkey, 
he pointed to where the scattering shots 
had ripped up the bark; then examining 
the grass closely a moment, jerked out, 
“Catch him one fellah turkey here.” 
He jumped over the prostrate tree, and 
led the way deeper into the bush, the min- 
ers having difficulty in keeping him in sight, 
so rapidly did he pass through the tangled 
brush. For about half an hour they trav- 
eled in that manner, the trail, toward the 
end, twisting and turning in every direction. 
Suddenly the nigger stopped and held up 
his hand with the exclamation, “What 
name!” This is the native English for 
“What is that?’ None of the party had 
heard any sound to arrest their attention 
while breaking through the bush, but then 
all listened intently. A faint cry for help 
reached their ears, coming from a point 
immediately to the left. With one accord 
they rushed in the direction of the sound, 
in their excitement tearing their hands and 
clothing, with the sharp sword grass and 
lawyer vines. A cry from Hugh, who was 
in the lead, checked them in their headlong 
rush. He had barely escaped falling over a 
steep bluff, the brink of which had been 
hidden from view by the thick bush. Part- 
347 
ing the bushes, the searchers peered down 
on a most unusual sight. The sides of the 
bluff went straight down to a depth of 30 
feet, ending in a fairly level terrace, thickly 
covered with lawyer and _ stinging tree. 
Tightly imprisoned in a giant lawyer bush, 
its thorn-covered vines wound round and 
round him, was Hugh’s lost mate. 
The tracker was not long in finding a 
point at which they could descend to the 
terrace below. Five minutes later, sturdy 
arms had cut the wirelike vines and ex- 
tricated Field from his terrible position. 
He had fainted before they could release 
him, and little wonder, as it was an hour 
past noon, and he had lain in that position 
since the previous evening, with his arm 
broken by the fall. 
The rough miner of Australia has many 
times had to act the part of surgeon, and 
when Field opened his eyes it was not so 
much the effect of the whisky which Hugh 
had forced down his throat, as the pain 
caused by 2 of the diggers in roughly set- 
ting his broken arm. In a_ remarkably 
short time they had the injured member 
bound with splints. Although weak and 
still suffering intense pain, Field was able 
to give the party an account of his accident, 
while the native started a fire and boiled 
the billy. 
When Field fell over the bluff, his foot 
had caught in some vines, throwing him 
head foremost, and he had landed on his 
left shoulder in the center of the lawyer 
bush, breaking his arm and frightfully lac- 
erating his face and hands. With his right 
hand he attempted to free himself, but at 
every move the octopus-like vines wound 
tighter and tighter about him, until he was 
pinioned fast. In this way he passed the 
night, twice fainting from the pain and hor- 
ror of his position. When daylight came, 
he meade frantic calls for help, but with lit- 
tle hope of being heard, as the position in 
which he lay prevented his voice penetrat- 
ing far, even should anyone be in that lo- 
cality. Had not his faithful mate been so 
prompt in making a search, the dangerous 
vine would surely have held a corpse before 
the sun had set. 
After all hands had eaten their lunch of 
damper and tea, they rigged a rude stretch- 
er of saplings and carried the injured miner 
back over the long. tedious trail to the main 
camp. A week later he was taken on 
horseback to Geraldton, where, at the hos- 
pital, he received proper medical attend- 
ance, until he was able to return to the 
bush. 
Our dearest friends are those who en- 
tertain us unawares. 
