Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal (NSW : 1851 - 1862; 1872; 1882; 1885 - 1897; 1899 - 1904), Friday 18 August 1893, page 3


NYNGAN.

(Observer.)

Boiling down establishments in Nygan will count more than one within a month, and no wonder. It is astonishing that this industry has not been started long ere this, by reason of the position, con venience, and cash-saving appliances through having the railway at our doors, and our central position, including fine stock routes at command. Mr. Joseph Millar, in charge of Booth-ulla cattle, was camped near Nyngan on Wednesday afternoon, and having to visit the town left the men in charge of the herd, with instructions to get into camp at dusk, which were carried out. Supper being ready, all hands were piped for

their feed, and the cook not coming across the salt, easily, and which was wanted, delved into a bag of stuff which Mr. Millar had picked up on the road a few days before, and distributed it amongst the men thinking it was salt, and it looked it too it too in the dusk. Mr. Millar returned to camp about 8 o'clock, after having dined with Messrs Naylor and Co., his agents in Nyngan, and consequently was not fit for another feed, luckily so. Smoke O came on, and old drovers' yarns were just about commencing with pleasant anticipations of the delivery of cattle in the morning after a long and hard trip, all were in good spirits, when the cook had a somewhat sudden pain in his McElhonian bingey, and then dropped semi-paralysed crying out for mercy for the present time and the great hereafter, so acute was the agony. Another dropped off the log alongside the

camp fire, and Mr. Millar luckily thinking of the white mixture that had been picked asked whether it had been opened and used for salt, and getting an answer in the affirmative, saw at once that poison had been used for salt, and the cases were serious. At this time all hands in the camp were performing a corroboree, and not losing his presence of mind, got salt and mustard hot doses ad lib, and admin-istered them to the patients. The cure appeared evidently worse than the disease, but in the end all were turned inside out, and really lives were saved. The supposed salt was a patent kangaroo skin cure, and contained all imaginable, and it was a wonder no fatal results occurred. Mr. Millar said it was about the liveliest night he has ever experienced, and the yells and prayers of his men will never be forgoten. The camp next morning was somewhat like a boiling down establishment, says Mr. Millar. All up to the present have got over the two doses, and as one re-marked, ' We'll watch that blinded cook if we ever travel with him again.'