A THRILLING ACCIDENT.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1882, 8 May 1878, Page 5 (Supplement)

A THRILLING ACCIDENT.

Tho " Mutrurundi Times" gives an account of a thrilling accident which happened recently near Scone. That paper says : — Mr Robert Hull, of this town, started on horseback for Dry Crock, near Scone, intending to attend an auction sale to be held in that locality. Taking a short cut over the ranges he reached tho summit of the spur known as tho Rocky Downfall, wear tho head of Dry Creek. Here he missed the only track leading from that almost inaccessible height; but choosing a course along the preoipitous face of the rock, sought to effect a descent. This was being accomplished with much difficulty, when an unfortunate slip gave the maro he was riding a sudden start, and becoming restive, she missed her footing, and then bounded over the terrible precipice at her sido. Mr Hull kept his seat, and, fortunately, his presence of mind. Iv her fall the mare passed between the limbs of a large tree standing about seventy feet down tho rocks. To one of the outstretching limbs of this her rider clung as the only hope of life, and for a moment broke his fearful fall, leaving the horse to complete the fatal leap. Unable to retain his hold of the tree, Mr Hall fell upon the shelving rook at its base, just saved from a horrible death, but nearly stunned. Here ho lay for about a quarter of an hour before ho was able to pursue his course, when he recovered himself sufficiently to descend the hill. The uufortunalo maro he found at the foot of the huge wall of rock, a mangled wreok of her former self, her skull broken, and tho brains scattered along the face of the rock down which she had parsed. Several ledges of rock had only served to render the of tho fate poor brute moro distressing, as she was hurled from one to the other with increasing momentum, stopping finally at a distance of nearly hulf-a-mile below the spot where the fall commenced. Life vas not quite extinct, but iv a few minutes death precluded further suffering. Only the day before Mr Hall had refused £20 for the animal, and valued her at 50 per cent, more than that amount. The saddlo was completely smashed, the bridle was broken, and everything about the haploss maro bore the marks of the utmost violence. Mr Hall made his way on foot to his destination at Dry Creek, where aitonishment was divided between the hazard of his venture and his marvellous deliverance. Such \s the account we havegathered ofanevent than which perhaps thn history of bush experience, certainly that of the fortunate rider concerned, n thorough bushraan, presents no more miraculous escape.