SINGULAR ADVENTURE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1765, 19 July 1888, Page 4

SINGULAR ADVENTURE.

A young lady named Mary Jane Penn, aged 21 years, fell down an old shaft, 3ft wide and 30ft deep, at Winter’s Plat, in the neighbourhood of Sebastopol, and remained underground for two days and nights. Her non-arrival at her father’s residence naturally caused a good deal of alarm, as it was feared she had met with foul play. Search parties were organised, and search was continued till the 6th inst., when all hope was abandoned. Before dark, however, the girl was noticed walking among the old diggings, with clothes dirty and mudstained, and hair dishevelled. The mother of the girl was called, and on her approach the girl, overcome by excitement, fell into a swoon. When consciousness had been restored, Miss Penn, who was in a weak and exhausted state, told her story. It was to the effect that she was crossing the diggings for the purpose of seeing a horse belonging to her father, whu-n she walked into the shaft, which lay in her path. Her fall to the bottom rendered her insensible, in which state, she says, she remained for a long time. On consciousness returning she, in her dungeon-like apartment, endeavoured to attract the attention of passers-by, but failing this she scratched holes in the side of the shaft and by this means formed steps which, after a terrible ordeal, assisted her to regain the surface. In the efforts to gain the top the toes of Miss Penn’s boots were worn through. How the young woman escaped without serious, if not fatal, injury is surprising. At the bottom of the shaft she found an old candle, but in the absence of matches she could not use it.