An Unpleasant Adventure.

Manawatu Herald, 9 January 1894, Page 2

An Unpleasant Adventure.

(BY ONE OF THE RESCUE PABTY.)

Last Friday a party of picnickers, consisting of three young ladies and several children, wended their way to the seaside for a day's onting. A few of the children returning home at duslc, and uot being able to account for the whereabouts of the others, was the means of making the parents ot the missing ones very anxious .for their safety. I do not think it advisable to mention the names of the lost one's, as I am quite sure they have suffered amply

without the addition of having their names published far and wide. Mostly everyone knows the waste of land that lies to tha south of the Messrs Robinson's property, facing the reach of the river leading to the bar, which is known as a perfect wilderness of high scrub, toi-toi, with drains by the score. This was the place that a messenger was dispatched from post haate by an anxious father to tell that help was needed to find the lost. This would be about 10.50 at night, and the messenger had the good fortune to fall in with a knot of persons at Mr Btansell's corner, who were just on the point of separating, when he appeared — to alter their plans for the time. The whole number at once volunteered to do what they could, and after procuring innumerable lanterns, a damper, and a rope, not forgetting the usual stimulant one should always carry when on an expedition of this kind, a start was made. One person with a little more foresight than the others appeared in gum boots, and another in leggings. On arrival at the end of Main-street, we fell in with three others, including Constable Gillespie, who of course helped to strengthen the party to a great extent. Fortunately we had the services of Mr 0. Robinson, who knew every inch of the ground, as one might say, and had it not been for him the successful termination of the adventure would have been pro longed. He of course led the way, and we followed, through gorse, down hills, through drains, and over tussocks, on a pitch dark night was a road far from pleasant, and one to be attempted only on urgent occasions. On arrival at the edge of the swamp, a fire was noticed, which did not seem to burn very brightly, and as it only consisted of rushes, this perhaps was the reason. The parent of the children was here found plying rushes with great vigor on the fire, wood not being procurable in that part of the locality From him we learnt more particulars, and in reply to his call we heard a faint " Coo-ec," an.l three of our party at once made oft' in the direction from which the sound emanated. But the first stop.-? taken proved that it would not be by any means so easy a task to accomplish. Up to our knees we would sink in slush and mud, if we happened to miss our footing, while the others very wisely stopped behind to keep the fire going. A large stream, which looked more like a river at night, met our view, when another halt was made, as to who wa.s going to act as navigator, but not much time was lost, when in plunged the one who was foremost throughout, and after a few minutes two of the missing ones, a young lady and a boy were found a short distance up the stream. By this time several others arrived, who had plucked up courage to make the excursion through the bog, but not forgetting their lanterns, and they seemed to watch the proceedings with enjoyable interest. A rope was thrown across the stream and tied to a lo£, while two or three held on fast and tightened the rope at the other side. Another person was asked to help the young lady across, as the stream was thought to be rather treacherous, and after a little delay, Mr B. Gow<jr made the second one to rush into the stream. The young lady was very bravo and said she did not mind getting wet in the least, and as there was no other way of getting them out of their predicament, she was the first to face the stream, which with the help of her rescuers she safely crossed, and the boy followed. We were then told that several others were missing, and in response to a call we heard a reply, that sounded as though they were indeed lost. Before another attempt was made to find the remainder, it was thought best to get the lady and boy out of the swamp, as the former was thoroughly wet through, and the other expedition might take some time before they successfully accomplished it. Away went the two heroes again, while the rest returned to the scene of the fire, and awaited their return. A find of wood was accidentaily made by one of the party, which gladdened the hearts of many, and a roaring fire soon sprang up, despite the remark of one that we would all be in a much warmer climate when it did barn up. Something to eat and drink was given to the famished ones by a wellknown local man, who was very profuse in his efforts to get them to eat something, and just to take " a wee drappie." Now and again the light from the lantern carried by the other two through the swamp could be discerned, and after watching it for some time we noticed it seemed to be taking a circuit round us, until at last we knew that the others had been found. They had crosssed the same stream, but lower down over which a log lay, and that saved them from coming through the water at the spot as the others did. The rescue of the whole of the missing was completed in the short space of two hours, two young ladies and a little boy of six or seven years of age being the last to be found. The boy was almost perished with the cold, and had to be carried most of the distance home.

Some reason must of course be assigned for losing themselves so n ear to town, but they had evidently

made their way across from the river, hoping to take a short cut, and had followed too far up, and getting once into the middle of the swamp, which is full of drains, they had found it a difficult matter to get out again, before darkness came on. Messrs 0. Robinson and B. Gower of course deserve the lion' 3 share of praise, but many others also were there ready to do or die, if there' was any necessity. It was very fortunate that they were found so soon, as the night was a piercingly cold one, and evil consequences might perhaps have arisen had they remained out all night. There is not any likelihood of the rescued ones attempting a similar short cut for some time to come, and I am glad to learn, from enquiries made, that none have suftered from their escapade.