A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 33, 24 December 1880, Page 2

A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.

» A miraculous escape from a fearful death occured on the railway line on Wedueaduy afternoon. :-hortly after leaving Oroan Bridge station, and when running down the incline towards Jaokeytown, the pansengers heard the driver giving iho danger ttignals, " Breaks down." The passen^TH immediately thrust their heads oufc of the windows, und were in time to sco a liSuori spring up from the line, imd bound some ten feet aw»y. The native's hair, which was Hliuhtly curly, was literally standing on end, and his eyes stared with fright. He appeare to have laid down alongside the line to bleep, and his head was resting on the sleeper, only a few inches fiom the rail* His hat, which had dropped beside his head when ht> laid down, was, we beieve, struck by the passing train. Upon arrival of the train at Palmeralon the drive", T» Rogers, informed our reporter, who was on the train at the time, that when he first saw the dark object beside the rails, he. supposed it to be a black pig, but on getting nearer saw that it was a man. At the time the train was travelling

about fitted! miles an hour, und as it was running down an incline, it would have been extremely difficult to stop It before renchinir the native. Tho speed Was grea_tly slackened, however, in the course oi tt**f§W seconds, and the rapid mauner in whiojf the Maori sprang to the perpendicnl r when hi* knew of his daugur shotasd that he was not desirous of'ahuffliujf'off this mortal coil with the "help 1 of ft. railway trnin. The: eujjino was ouly abdtit 150 -yards away from him .when ho awqifee. Probably colonial beer,- bad put him into tho' dangerous position he occupied . -: