NARROW ESCAPES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1755, 1 February 1888, Page 2

NARROW ESCAPES.

[per Pbbs3 Association.!

Wellington, January 31. A narrow escape from a great catastrophe happened m the Manawata Gorge fast evening. Ab the ooaches from Woodville to meet the Wellington train were passing through, on rounding on^ of tho mo t dangerous bends they found that the whole of the bush on one eide of the hill above the rond was oa fire, and tho horses were j ist pu'icd iv m time. Notwithstanding the d'inger, Peters, the driver of the first coach, took out the horses atd led them across, and as they passed the worst epot, a large fall of hot sones and debris came down. Tbo result was that ono of the horses bounded over the ciiff. bat was caught m a shrub, und was consequently drjgged up by ropos. Eventually the coach was also palled past tho worat spot;, but not until the men hai been driven away from it several time a by falling fire irom above A similar experience happened to Jones and Hunter's coach, but they were not so fortunate m getting the horses past. One bounded over and broke h<s baok on the beach below. There is not the least doubt that if the fire had not bejn noticed by the drivers the horses and coaches would have gone over the gorge.