AN INTERRUPTED FPNERAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 829, 30 May 1910, Page 9

AN INTERRUPTED FPNERAL.

STRANGE STORY OF THE EARLY DAYS. In 1 some reminiscences of Murchison on the Buller River in the early days Mr. Thomas Bell tells a strange tale in the "Nelson Evening. Mail." Once there had been a death at Owen Junction. A Mr. Michael had died, and, writes, Mr. Bell, was to bo buried in the Murchison Cemetery. The river was' flooded—no vehicle could cross—so the coffin was brought along tho road opposito to the cemetery, and Downie's canoe was to briqg it over the river. It was a.'sad little procession that .came' down the bush track to the river and placed the coffin in tho canoe. Messrs. Downie and Ribet were to bring the canoe one in tho stern and tho other in the bows, with the coffin amidships. A couple of strokes of the paddles and tho canoe was tearing up stream, nearing tho rock which caused the whirlpool, out,into the down current, and turned turtle.

Ribet was a powerful swimmer, and relied on that; hut in such a swirling, turbulent, hissing stream, there was 110 chance of' helping anyone else, and Downie could not swim, but fortunately held to his paddle, and was soon .washed alongside tho upturned canoo, which ho managed to struggle on to. The river was bank-high, with driftwood and logs , coming ' down. Downio got astride .the. canoe, and down stream at' about eight knots an hour they went, now coming near the bank, then off again, sometimes looking dowji. stream, then up or across, past his own house, wcro his wife and children, who were quite unconscious of what was happening. Men ran to tho bank and hold out poles,, but 011, on, the canoe sped, seeming to revel 'in tho thought of destruction!- And just when the watehers thought- it was hopeless, the canoe shot near 1 the bank, whero some scrub was dipping into the river, and with a desperate leap Downie managed to lay hold of a bou£h, and held 011 to it for dear life. Ho was soon brought ashore ■ apparently little tho worse for his ducking and fright. tho black driftwood floating down the river, it was difficult to tell which was tho coffin going over the fall near Howe's. Now, how it could bo intercepted was (he question. Someone thought of tho puitt, some five miles down the river at the lower end of Four lliver Plain. John Moonlight was told oil with his trusty horse, Rory, who did that distance about-as fast as ever it was done, and warned tho pnnt man to keep a sharp look out for the unfortunate coffin. The canon had stranded on the beach opposite to Bowk's Hotel, now known as O'ltourke's Crossing.

The watchers at the punt were not rewarded at all for their vigil, so all concluded that the coffin had sunk below the surface. and had gone to sea. It was one of those leaden wiulr.v days that has tlio effect of depressing the spirits. But it did not (need this as all were sad enough. Towards evening someone suggested tha t tin? canon ought to lie. secured, or thai, it too might he lost, and on those who wont turning the canoe ri«ht si'le up, to their £reat surprise the coflin Heated away. It was soon secured and taken to a place of safety, anil another start made for the cemetery, which in the dusk of evening the. few who still remained in the township gathered around that ornvo, and the last rites were performed.