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Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 14, 9 December 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

(From the West Australian Time!;, Get. ]?>)

The Heroism of Hush Lifk. — An incident in the lite of a poor man was related last week in the course o-f our criminal sessions that-, in a former age, would have excited general admiration. Two shepherds were in charge of one of the flocks of Mr John llansell, at a remote station. There was no other station within twen'y miles of them. One afternoon, some time f><ro, one of these men, while occupied in his hu 1 , which was only com posed of stakes and rushes, fancied he heard a groan at a 'little distance. Going outside, he ngain heard the sound of' low moaning, and s-oon discovered his com • penion, Charles Storey, lying insensible in a brake, ami covered with innumerable spear-wounds, ('am ing him on his back to the hut, he laid him on his kangarooskin rug, washed and probed his wound, succeeded in extracting the barb of a spear which was buri-ed in his side, and ultimately restor.-d him to consciousness. It turned out that Storey had been attacked by a band of natives who wished lo seize the sheep. This was admitted by the native witnesses at the trial of one of the party for the rr.urder of Storey, who eventually died of his wounds. The two unfortunate men remained awake all night ; one in -extreme pain, the other carefully attending upon him. Next morning the natives surrounded the hut, and began throwing spears, which completely passed through botJi sides of it. Finding that they would be murderer], I2d ward Ladbury, the witness, who told the tale in simple, unvarnished terms, took his only weapons, his pocket knife and bill hook, and boldly sallied forth. He had covered the bill hook with his coat, so as only to display the handle which the natives took to be a pistol. He threatened to fire upon them unless they withdrew, and after some deliberation thej r sullenly retired. All that day the men remained in fear of their return. During the next night Storey said he felt belter, and they resolved to endeavor to make their escape to Mr Hassell's next station, twenty miles distant. \t two o'clock in the morning they stole out of the hut. Edward Ladbury was laden with their bedding and effect?, and Storey clung to his arm. Afier crawling about 150 yard.*, Storey said h« could £O no farther, and urged Ladbury to leave him to his fate, and save himself. It appeared to be almost impossible to rescue Storey, but Ladbury determined not to leave him to certain death. lie hurried forward 'with his load, and deposited it a quarter of a mile off, then returned for' his comrade, hoisted him on his back, and carried him lo the same spot, where he exchanged him for their personal effects (the sole property of these poor fellows), which he again carried a quarter of a mile farther. Then he returned for his friend ; and thus they journeyed, one nearly dead of hid wounds, and the other exhausted with his exertions, for a distance of seven miles, when they reached a spring of water. Here they remained a while, scarcely able

to crawl any further. Ladbury could no longer carry Storey, but he managed to drag him aiong. After a miserable journey of two days and a night, they reached Mr Has-ell's station at Jeeramun^up, both of them nearly dead. The wounded man, after necessary rest, was sent forward in a cart to the hospital at Albany, where his sufferings were terminated by death. Few men have better deserved the Victoria Cross than this humble shepherd, Edward Ladbury, What struck us most forcibly about the matter was that hisconduot.elicited not a single comment or remark from either Court, counsel, or jury; from which we are inclined to infer that such acts are far from smpular or uncommon in this country. For our own part, we feel il to be only one degiee lower than a crime to allow such an instance of generous selfdevotion to pass w.thout the tribute of applause-; and, although in this, as in most cases, virtue is likely to be its own reward, Edward Ladbury may return to his hard life with the consciousness that he has nobly earned the sympathy and approbation of his fellow colonists.