Goldfields Hikes in 1893

How it was… by Gungare of Mt Lawley

Western Mail 16 June 1938, page 11

In November 1893, Hannan’s leases were opening up. My mate and I were working on a shaft 30 feet deep when he called out for me to wind him up as he could not climb the ladder way. When on the brace I could see he was pretty bad and could not stand. The upshot was that I carried him about a mile into the township. I bathed his knee with hot water and could not tell what was wrong until I went back to the shaft to collect the tools. In the shaft, I found a large dead scorpion he had knelt on in amongst the quartz. My mate was delirious for a few days and I persuaded him to leave for Northam. The flies had blown his knee and I was worried, not knowing at the time that the doctor had prevented gangrene and no doubt saved his leg.

A week later (Christmas 1893) the Kurnalpi rush broke out and he left to go to the rush. He took the train to Kellerberrin and walked from there to Kurnalpi, over 300 miles, with a strap tied to his boot most of the way, his knee being very sore still. I followed on a bicycle a few weeks later, bringing our gear on a team, but unfortunately, I had an accident and broke both my arms. The team went on and I had to follow or lose my consignment.

I had no doctor and walked 26 miles in that condition. My stuff was dumped at Coolgardie and I had to get camels to take my load on. A couple of young men gave me a hand, essential with my disability. I passed two crippled mates on that occasion going in the opposite direction, it was 300 miles to get medical aid.

Extracted from the book Dollypot by PJ Bridge, ISBN 0 85905 100 5

Extract from the book Dollypot – a magnificent collection of prospectors’ and miners’ stories from the pages of the old Western Mail newspaper. Humour, sadness, thirst, booze, hard luck, life, people, and poetry of the goldfields – from the Kimberley in the north to Ravensthorpe in the southeast of Western Australia.