A PITIFUL STORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 34

A PITIFUL STORY.

.LQST IN THE BUSH. " (Faost Ocb Own Cobkespohotkt.) AUCKLAND, August 12. 'A pathetic story of back-blocks life is contained in a letter written by a settlor Bear Opotiki. He says: "I suppose you have heard y this time about the man being lost uj. here. It is the saddest thing I have ever had anything to do with. Last Saturday fortnight he went out pighunting across the river, and got one pig. : It was getting late then, so he left nis J pig and rifle and tried to get home before j §ark, but oould not, so he spent the night ! in the bush. When it got light he went back to get the pig and rifle, but could not find them. He came on home on the Monday morning, and after breakfast went out again to try to get his rifle and pig, and nothing has been heard or seen of him since. On Monday afternoon it came up very misty, and commenced raining. It rained all night and all day on Tuesday, and Tuesday night was one of the worst night* I have known, with Heavy rain and wind. Of course, we had no idea that anyone was out in all that till Wednesday morning I had just got out of bed a*nd got the fire going when I beard a gentle knock at the door, and there was Mrs Cross well standing shivering and unabk to speak. I knew that something pretty serious- had happened, so I asked her inside, and she managed to state that her husband had gone out on the Monday and had not returned. She had tried to j: get up to our 'whare on the Tuesday to J tell us about it, but could not manage it with the children. She started carrying the baby, and tried to get her second eldest one to walk alongside her, but the poor little thing got so wet '..hat she had to carry them both horae again. Her husband rode across the river when he went away, and left his horse tied up to a bres on the other bide. She told me that- , ehe could -=cc the water rising over the poor brutes back on Tuesday night, and when hhe went down to the bank it would keep on neighing. I went up the road to give the news to the Natives and settlers Eurther up, and Mrs Crosswell went back to look after the children. She said she could get back all right. When we got icross the bridge, further up the river, we :ouid not get across the big creek — it was »ank to bank, — so the roadmen started to piake a rope bridge across it. I went up Mr* Crosswell. She was in a terrible state, crying, and all the children were crying too. I did not like to leave he" n case she might go out of her mind, as she did not know what she was doing. She took me down to the river to show me where the horse was tied The horse was alive, but looking very much knocked abort. In the meantime they had got »ver the big creek, and called out to me jo show them where George had gone into :he bush. I put them on the marks, and ■ said I would bring them over some food, as hey knew they would not get out till next iay." 1 After referring to his- own experience in "he bush, the writer concludes by saying, ' I do hope they will find him, but there i c & fefy anall chance."- '