The Double Drowning.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 244, 11 September 1884, Page 2

The Double Drowning.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

(To the Editor Woodville Examiner.) Sir, — Am the Associated Press hai »ani forth vuch a blundering report, I >>eg to .state that the following are the facts relative, to the sad accident at A.wapurua on the 3rd instant. After having worked from 9 to 11 p.m. on tuesday securing tuiilter, Ac, I watched and took note of the rising water every fifteen minutes until « quarter to 3 o'clock "tin Wedue»d&y morning. The last hour the water rose 18 inches; the. hour previous 9 inches. At about 3 o'clock we built a raft, consisting^ oi eight seasoned white pine. planßs 8 x 3, 20 feet long, .and fastened f Sogetl.er, ,with several hoards, firmly' nailed cro&sVise. The raft was built within 40 fiiet of my house, wlr'cli stands within 3 chains jof Mr McKenzio's. The raft was placed over li road recently formed by Mr Carver, leading by niyi house across the lagoon to the terrace near the. inspector's house. -*'In ease of accident I had iakefrr the pvecaatiou !to haive a strobe-rope 4 -^ t«?etl«mg made iasl to the stern end of the raft. The first trip across we took Mr Clarence McKeYme, who Was lame* The second trip we , took Mr H. McKenzie and his jtwO '".tittle 1 girls. These two trips We accomplished, easily. The third trip 'we started with Mrs MciKeiuie and my; wife, and got into the Channel jiist in' time to be caught i by. the. ( ;trßtfe«rful rush of water caused by the Manawata ovei'leapiug its banks above... When about Iml f way jieros*, the bow «>£ the raft, which I was poling, swung down against the cabbage tree, uud the strong «urrent ; rushing jagainst it caused it to sink and tilt over, and Mis McKenzio slipped off into th« water. William McKenzie: wag im. mediately overboaid to assist M» mother, and while I held* Mi^Seavey on ami righted the.- raft, the mother and son soon climlied on to it. Our. poles being gone we soon commenced fipatiug down the, lUgoon,-.-. William Melteuzie pioke'd up "t&fe^rope and swauv ashore, but it becoming; en— tangled around his leg and the frank being covered with brush. apd yine« he swam back behind tl\e raft to th» other side of tli§ TugdoH, ,*ud Mr McMillan swam afior r to* /; 'asii ! st him. I saw the apjuoaching dang<»r^ and asked them if they could check the raft. Their answer being m the affirmative, I- got' betweon the two ladies and had tKem ready to jump wheu the iaft if ohecked, would swing u^ainst the point that then extended into the breakers. The men failed to get a tbothold. McMillan got on shore-ihtliiai- lagoon, but ;VVilliam McKenzie stuck tb'the itipe, and was drawn -into the^lJreaker*. He made the.; shore half drowned about' a bundled' iyard^.) belW the mouth of the lagoon. As soon as the raft struck tlio brea kern it? commenced to tilt, and the rushing water swept completely over us. About 7Q«prBO yards from the mouth of the lagoon the raft struck another torre^t^in--stantly capsized, and precipitated ivy r - self and the two ladies into the river facing tho southern bank. , I gulped Mrs McKenzie's dress or shawl and .Mrs Seave^ 's djess^ai '-tlie leffcfiirui, 'iii'in'ly m. my ' right L^aml, = andiWwim.iijiug with the left strtfokyjotft for the north bftnk, whioh, >\a>i about gO feat distant. I saw Mrs Mo^enzieiatiugi ling m the water behind; .me, white Mv.«i SeJEkvey/iiolding Iny overcoat under her breast, .rsVvam. lightly .Ueaide me. I felt I wa>e making but little progress Until ni3'-teec sfruTcif^fwo hillocks, when J^ppetued to be within 6 ieet of tl»e. bank. The water again rushed ever us, and I last remembeivf grasping .^jlnotty pole. When I recovered" cdn^ciousnesH f found niyself with ni^ face out <if water, clinging >to a^piile, about 250 yards down (tie river' from the lagoon ami was surprised to*re.alise,jJiat«Alro Mclvonzie anojuy beloved wife had gone from^my "grasp. feVonKthe fact of fiitding^liis Se|i|e^A)l|id^*on the stern of the Taft, whfch was liottom up, near the rope/ my conclusion now is that wlvm we were capsized and 'started for the .sliqierslfeMustin* »o7ne way have come Vnt&Tigled*in the lope as it trailed underneath '- us, aud that I was towing the raftr ail' tKe time.- — lauv&c, , ...- T . Wfi'i"*..*.'' "• : WVS.;SBATEt.