REMARKABLE ESCAPE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 323, 21 January 1874, Page 3

REMARKABLE ESCAPE.

One of the moat extraordinary escapes from death occurred, during last mouth, in the Hustler's Reef Company's mine. The facts of tlio case were o£ such a -wonderful character that some people doubted their truth, but they have been vercfied beyond doubt. The miners were working on a rise at the- end of the 530 feet level, and expected every day to hole through into Latham and Watson's old workings, in which was lodged an enormous volume of water. M'Cavist&n, the boss of the shift, appears to have been rcry desirous of getting the water out, and with that view he proceeded up to the top of the rise, leaving five of the shift in the level. ' Ho began picking, and before long, as the ground was soft, made such progress that by merely pulling out a boulder the water burst in on him with tremendous force and an awful roar. All the candles were blown out, and as he ran he was hurried along some distance by the wafer, but effecting his escape along the stopes he succeeded in reaching the shaft. From the time he started, he warned tho men in the level by shouting out " "come on," and as he took a shorter cut than they he reached it before them. Aa soon as he reached the shaft it appears to havo struck him that the four men at the bottom level (665 feet) would be drowned, unless they had due warning of the coming deluge, but why this was not thought of before he used the pick can only be conjectured. At all events their danger was so apparent to- him that he at once determined to warn them, even at the risk of his own life, so that while he might have been to blame for putting their lives in jeopardy, he had the courage and nobility of purpose to risk his own to save them. %yerj moment was precious, so without ringing for the cage he seized hold of tho flat rope and lowered himself down " hand over fist " 135. feet to the bottom. In itself this was a dangerous proceeding, and was doubly so on account of the water pouring down on the top of him. On reaching the level he found that the men had gone up, and his mind, was thus relieved of one greafcload-. The next thought was for his own safety, and he tried to go up the shaft by the ladders, but the water was pouring down in such volume that he was beaten back. Again he" attempted to climb, and persevered until the terrible force of the falling water tore the shirt off his back. It was a struggle for life, but he did not seem- to lo3e his coolness or confidence.. Finding it was'impofisiblo to get up the shaft, he retreated into the crosscut, which by this time was half full of water, and made his way to the end of it (140 feet) , and got on to«a heap of mulloch some 5 feet high. There is a slight rise in the- crosscut, and by the time the moxith of it at the shaft was covered, the water was only around the foot of the mulloch heap. The water as it fell down the shaft pressed the air back into the chamber, where M'Caviston had. taken refuge, and, though the water rose 65 feet above the crosscut, the elasticity of tho confined air kept it out of the end of the crosscut, and also the 20 feet of driving on each side-, so- that he had some 4,000 cubic feet of air to breathe. Everybody gave him up for lost, but the pumps were kept going, and in 27 hours the water was got out, and M'Caviston discovered in his chamber alive and well. There was great rejoicing amongst his friends who gave him a congratulatory banquet. — "Bendigo Advertiser."