A GALLANT RESCUE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 90, 15 April 1880, Page 2

A GALLANT RESCUE.

• ,-. v- ij i^^M^i VI AdbertistrAj. Wyndhamwaa the scene of a piece j ' qjp daring o'ql]ra^-' i laDd^intrep.id' bravery ■/oa..tfib' , 2Bfli i i .tf.rtii well; worthy, of the at.tehtiqn of the i Humaoe "Society; . On tbat date and the two previous: days there 'had beeu a' heavy fail of rain at i W^ndhSm ; r aqd;i6ri;^the plaihsP, but up to % ;j^, ? oS. on tUe;^ay iv tho water remained t -at. its,; ordinary, level,, exhibiting no appearance of a change. Jt was .about this time; •or perhaps 'nearer -hkli-past four, that a; ; child of j al)ut' ll'^eife, daughter of^ Mr O'Brien, i flf Wyudham^wasreturhing home from the towtistiip, crossing' the river a short dißiance- belOw thebridge at a bank '.rb tha centre' of the stream, known as M^Dbnahi'd laland. Lingering." a taw ■• momeulßr'on .the, bank, the litila. girl was-suddenly. roused Irooa her reverie by a heavy rushing noiie, and on'looking." up the' river the. Bi^ht. she'" saw piralyaed her. Within less than 100 • vjards. from where she stood was^ almighty torrent of water roaring down-.w-ar-Js:- tow ( arda . an irre-sistible'impeiDbusUy.'.-.'The'cries of tho child attracted — the utteotion of a ', tfumerous body of electors at the East - Wyndbam tpolliogii'bbib,- it being rthe day lof 'the general: election, who tmme* >diately,haMeh'6d,to the : spot, but -auch was the-! jrapiJiiyji.ofthe^, current at either iei.de- of the. 'island that even a stroag .swimmer-could;. not witb safety yienmre linto .the ; water^ the; Ulaad'a re.BW.tau"c'a: v to; ..the,catreja.m givihgj.injcrea.B.edi.impßtus, tos thsilto'rreti.ti ; The staadyiriring ;of, the water continuing, theiotiild wtors \o,ran extremely I, dan'geriou.s: 'pp :-tion ;! cnr/iheiLialand,; , uhleßs iajajßUjata suOcour 'w<».&rgiv,en.j -At this j ;mpme.Dt a yo«n »;man: named Cinnyput iiiu an eppsarftuoe, and perceiving at a iigfencfl tiie i -ne]tJeeSity,.for instant aciion, [;heoV^i'tiiOt|t;.lie3iiation d'.sh,ed hja horse 1 ..jotoJthSLfoamipgLWttterja.-and with diih- ] eAlty ;reached;lbe t^rrjlied girli Placing her: before himtOJil.he) saddle, he pre- 1 ,pa?edjtQ return to the sbQr.e, . bait ;,un '. I'tortunaiely, w.ben ; abo&t.; half- way on ithe jourpey,,the bor.se.WiSSjidrawn into ; ! ; a|wnii'Uqg:^d(ily, :and<. : iio;t ; iie.ipg«abla to ; ;,,reso,v.er bii&Sdlf, eafik beneath f :tbe;,pur;t&ce,;carrying ; with hi.in his i: preoioua \ burden also. -r Exclamations! of; horror '■ ;;burst from the.no^r aesetnbled crowd, ;bu_tf ( , happily their; anguish -.; was only ; momentary, .for several yards down.the i river.Cann^ again catoet),^ie;surfaca, ■ <Ches;;.n'oble!^iellQ.w, aiakiug desperate ..ejlortSiiqir-esoh the shpre, holding the Child jd one hand and ewimmiog with ithe other-j the -having) pai tgd company i Lwitbrbis steed When dQwu pnitbejdiving : 'ifrspedUion, 'Biejhgcb qf thejs.ubpa.ersion >hsil ;;ap;pkrenUy iwe.aHe^ed ; iiQanny, a. "lt>o#©r|uliTtfwJmflifir^ ,-for- ..thqMghA hei

sYru'gfgted hard; he\ cbtild only with difficulty keep bimaeif above water 5 . Those present, not being swimmers, were -utterly powerless to assist in any: Way ih saving Canny or his' companion from what appeared to be 'inevitable drowning, and their state of mind may be imagined asi tbey. saw the man's struggles becoming weaker and weaker, yet still bearing bis now insensible burden. At this opportune moaderit mounted-constable M'Kenzie, of \Vyndham, arrived on the scene. diveßted hicneelf of bis clothing^ and was scob breaeting the flood* He wriiii'almbstio the act of grasping Candy's arm when the brave young., fellow sank for the second time. Excitement was now raiseii..to the highest pitch, the loss of t*o lives bijing IbokeJ upon as certaib. Canny, presently, however, roae again, still maintaining possession of tbe child, when M'K-jnzie instantly seized bim, and brought the pair to land. Cheers an! blessings greeted the gallant constable aB h9 came to the shore. For a .considerable time fears were entertained for tlie child's reapvery, she being quite insensible, and it was with extreme difficulty she could be made to relicquish her hold of Canoy's garments. The necessary npplhnces, however, being at band, animation waa restored, an J she soon recovered. Canny, too, was very weak, and although not ex. iribiling any viaible effects at the time, he suffers from a terrible shock to his system.