MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2079, 14 May 1907, Page 3

MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.

raiIRIJJLE EXPERIENCES OF A SHOOTING PARTY.

A ‘‘hunting foray” on the range of the mountains in the northern part of County Antrim lias been attended with the loss of throe lives. .Five young men, the sons of farmers, set out from their homes, about Parkmore, early one forenoon, and met at a prearranged rendezvous at the foot of Collin Mountain, which rises 1700 ft above the Glens of Antrim.

Ascending about half-way, they beuinie so engrossed in the day's sport that they did not notice a thick cloudy mantle, creeping down the mountain side, and soon they became enveloped. "With numerous ravines around, and night approaching, they became wildly alarmed, wandered about for a few hours, and lost their bciarings. One of the party, Kielty, seeing, as he thought,a light in the distance, and thinking it denoted the small farmstead of a man named Courtney, whom he knew, went off, with one of his companions, White, in that direction/to obtain guidance. They were not seen again alive. The other three, Miller, Smith,and Connolly, remained behind together, the last having become exhausted and ill. Out of the darkness they heard the voice of Kielty shouting, “Pat’s down,” and understood that Patrick White had probably fallen into a bog-hole, or down a river; but Kielty did not return.

They suffered so greatly from cold during the night that Smith volunteered to attempt to reach Courtney’s house and bring assistance. Scarcely able to crawl. Smith eventuall- reached the farmhouse, but fell insensible before he could deliver liis message.

With hot fomentations and such other rough and ready treatment at the cottage, he revived after a few hours and told his startling story. Meanwhile Connolly had died in the darkness of the mountain side. His sole companion, Miller, realising that he could bo of no further assistance to his comrade, marked the place where his dead body lay, and •with the approach of dawn lie alsq crawled away. With many rests, lie reached Courtney’s farm. Courtney himself, having previously learned some of the circumstances, had set out at the break of day down the mountain to tlio nearest village post office, Martinstown, and telegraphed to Connolly’s father. When ho returned Miller and Smith had sufficiently revived,and the three went off to find the body of young fJbmnj/lly, which they carried on an improvised stretcher to the village. Meanwhile the elder Connolly had organised a search party of a dozen friends. When the old man learned that his soli’s hodv had been' already recovered ho and his friends removed the remains to his home.

A large body of police and civilians went lip tho mountain seeking for Kieltv and White. Their bodies were found late in the afternoon jn a stream which tho melting snqw and heavy rains had swollen into q raging torrent.