THE BARBOUR COUNTY INDEX — MAY 19, 1909
Sailor’s Trying Experience with Shipwreck and Hunger Off Coast of Australia.
London.—A walk of 230 miles, the weathering of a cyclone on a bamboo raft and an existence of three weeks on turtle eggs and guanas are some of the experiences which recently befell Capt. Williams, in charge of the lugger Nebraska, which was lost on Green Hill island, 100 miles or there-about from Port Darwin, in the northern territory of Australia.
When the lugger broke up Capt. Williams swam to Green Hill island and then tried to make the mainland in a dingy which he was able to make seaworthy. He was caught in a squall and after drifting for three days was carried into the gulf and eventually landed on Feld island, off the mouth of the Alligator river.
This island is destitute of water, but some rain fell, and he eked out an existence for 12 days on the small supplies thus obtained and turtle eggs. Both turtles and alligators were numerous. He then re-embarked in the dingy and made his way into the mouth of the West Alligator river, but could find no fresh water. He obtained from the bark of trees sufficient liquid to sustain life until rain fell.
Abandoning the dingy he made his way up the east bank of the Wildman river, living on sweet potatoes and iguanas. His matches having been exhausted, he carried firesticks with him. He eventually crossed Wildman river and came out on what he thinks was Lake Finnis, where he found plenty of swamp turtles, iguanas and other native food.
