THE DUNSTAN.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 33, 22 August 1863, Page 5

THE DUNSTAN.

REPORTED LOSS OF FORTY LIVES BY AN AVALANCHE. (From the Otago Daily Times) Half-way House, 15th August, 1863. Dunstan Escort. Sir, —I regret to report that when at the Deep Creek, on the 15th instant, I was informed by a party of nine miners, whose names appear in the margin (John Tippings, Thomas Blair, Charles Clerk, Samuel Harris, Qeorge Bonham, James, Robert Bligh, James Abercrombie), that an accident of a fearful and most melancholy nature took place at the head of the Serpentine Gully, situated 10 miles from the Black Ball Hotel, the particulars of which are as follows: John Tippings and his mates, together with some forty miners, were working in a small gully at the head of the Serpentine. Their tents were pitched immediately under a huge cliff or bank. On the morning of the 14th instant, an immense snow drift, which had formed on the top of the cliff, fell upon the tents, completely covering all of them. Tippings' tent being situated farther from the cliff than those of the others, he and his mates, after great difficulty, managed to effect their escape. After several vain attempts to rescue the unfortunate inmates of the other tents, who, they state, are covered with some 40 or 50 feet of 6now, they were obliged to desist. When they arrived at the Deep Creek, some seven miles from the Serpentine, two of their number were terribly prostrated. I have also to report that I left Constable Finnigan at the Upper Taieri Station, with instructions to proceed without delay to the scene of the accident, and if he found the statements of the miners correct, upon finding any of the bodies to communicate immediately with Mr. Bailey. I have the honor to be, &c, (Signed) Gilbert F. Percy, Sub-Inspector. St. John Branigan, Esq , Commissioner of Police, Dunedin.