WA Explorers - Wylie Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache is part of the WA series celebrating our early explorers and pioneers. This is one of 12 caches spread throughout the south of WA. There is a clue placed inside this cache in the form of a letter and a number that you will need as it will be used to find the two bonus caches for this series.
Wylie, a Noongar from the Mineng (Albany) area, was nearing manhood when taken by ship to Adelaide by Edward John Eyre in May 1840. He was sick when Eyre attempted to explore the interior, but joined Eyre for an overland expedition from South Australia to Western Australia in January 1841.
Following the desertion by the other two aboriginal boys in the party after they had murdered Eyre's assistant, Baxter, Eyre and Wylie were left to battle on alone across the Nullarbor. By May provisions were very low and both men suffered greatly from exhaustion. At times conditions improved and Wylie went in search of food, bringing back kangaroos, possums, ducks and swans, yams and roots. He also knew how to take water from certain leaves. On 22 June, east of what is now Esperance, they sighted the Mississippi, a French whaling ship. Wylie enjoyed his stay on the French ship and gorged himself on the generous rations. They brought ashore many stores, with pipes and tobacco especially for Wylie who was a great smoker, and cans of treacle which he liked to eat with rice.
Nearer to their destination the King River was in flood and they became badly bogged and had to camp overnight instead of reaching the settlement as planned. Next day Wylie met a member of his tribe and learnt that he had been mourned by his people. Soon there was an excited crowd to greet the wanderer.
Wylie was rewarded with a weekly ration of flour and meat by the government and with £2 and a medal by the Agricultural Society of Perth. For a time he served as a police constable but was soon suspended because his duties were hampered by his addiction to drink. In 1848 Eyre heard of his plight and had his small ration increased, but nothing certain is known of his later life.
The cache is hidden near the Bibbulman track which celebrates the travels of Noongars throughout the south west of WA. Many of their traditional pathways are now our major roads.
Note: Do not intrude into Water Authority area or follow Water Authority security fence
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Sbyybj yvggyr cngu qbja sebz Ovoo Genpx vagb tynqr. Uvqqra ng onfr bs fznyy pyhzc bs gerrf