IN DANGER OF DROWNING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4333, 8 February 1875, Page 3

IN DANGER OF DROWNING.

(From the Wanganui Evening Herald, Feb. 5.) Mr. and Mrs. James Prosser, lately of the Crown and Anchor Hotel, Wellington, but who have now assumed the proprietary of the Telegraph Hotel, Otaki,hadavery narrow-escape from getting drowned in the Otaki river on Saturday morning last. Accompanied by a Miss Williams and anotherlady, they had almost reached their destination in safety, when the contretemps occurred, which might have proved far more serious than fortunately it turned out.- The party were travelling in a close carriage, and had succeeded in getting along without mishap of any kind, until their future home was actually in view. The driver was a stranger to the coast, and the horses were unused to deep water. The wrong ford was taken, in which since the last flood several deep and treacherous holes have been washed out. Cautiously and timorously the vehicle proceeded, deeper and deeper the water, the current also proving difficult to contend against, the river flowing very rapidly owing to the occurrence of a slight fresh, which also caused the water to be so muddy that bottom could not be seen, and thus the holes could not be avoided. It was soon apparent that the other side would not be reached in safety. The water was now running into the cab, greatly alarming the occupants, who however sat still, and allowed no indication of the uneasiness which they one and all felt to be visible by movement or exclamation. Eventually the horses, thoroughly, terrified at the depth of water, to which they were never previously accustomed, refused to move a yard further, notwithstanding the frantic efforts of the driver to induce them to proceed. Perhaps it was as well it was so. The muddy torrent was now rushing through the cab, which threatened every moment to be carried to sea, or to turn over, which latter alternative occurring, must have drowned, without chance of succour, all 'its helpless occupants. Lut Mr. Prosser was equal to the emergency, and under the trying circumstances never lost presence of mind. Managing to get outside the cab, and having previously directed the females to unrobe, lest of the worst coming to the worst, and all being thrown into the water, that they might not be encumbered in "their efforts to reach the shore with an unnecessary quantity of clothing, which getting saturated would greatly impede their movements, he then directed the driver, to whose body he first made fast a rope, so that in the event of the current washing him away, he could make his way baek to the cab, to get out and release the horses. By this means the horses were unhooked, and Mr, Prosser, mounting one of them, carried Mrs. Prosser safely to shore, though the rapidly rising current made this a matter of considerable difficulty. Returning, he conveyed Miss Williams and the other female on subsequent trips to terra fiema, and the thoroughly frightened ladies had to make the best of their way to the township, which was nearly a mile distant, on foot. The driver got away on the other horse, and so the whole party reached Otaki afely, the cab being temporarily abandoned to its fate. But, contrary to expectation, the flood subsided rapidly, and the cab remained in its position until two horses were brought from the township and affixed to it, and beyond wetting the contents, no more serious damage was caused by the mishap. To all is due credit, but to the ladies especially, for the admirable coolness, self-control, and presence of ndnd disjdayed by them under ciroumtances of an unusually trying nature. The accident was not noticed from the shore, consequently no assistance was at hand. This mishap should prove a caution to strangers travelling up the coast to exercise more circumspection in fording these dangerous rivers, especially when without a guide.