VARISCHETTI'S RESCUE.

DAYLIGHT AFTER NINE DAYS'

ENTOMBMENT,

DIVER HUGHES RECEIVES

OVATION. PERTH (W.A.), March 27. The remarkable drama at Bonnie Vale is drawing to a close. The water at 4 o'clock this afternoon was down so low that it is officially considered that Varischetti's head, at any rate, is now above normal water level. He is therefore safe from drowning, even should the air pressure be accidentally released. In any case before nightfall all danger of drowning would be over, judging from the | rate the water is going down. Hughes paid his usual afternoon visit to the entombed man, and for the rirst time unscrewed his face in the rise and conversed with Yarischetti. He aid not think there would be any danger, und said he must speak to \ arischetti and cheer him up. iiughes reached the" surface unhurt. He stated that 'he spoke to Varischetti, who is as strong as :i horse and as cheerful as can be expected. An. immense cheer went up as Hughes returned, especially as he had succeeded in speaking to Varischetti. A letter/sent up by Varischetti this afternoon 'read : — , "Dear friend Joe. — I don't know m what manner I can make you understand how much gratitude my miserable heart has gaiued by reading your letter that you are so hard at work at relieving me from this tomb. ,1 do not know any more, but 1 wish most hearty thanks to be conveyed to ail, and have pity on me. Farewell to my' brothers ! Tell »-aem not to forget me. Farewell to my. dear friend Joe. Y.ou will please give the manager and his wife my most hearty thanks, and excuse me for all the trouble I have caused. I wish you peace and good luck and inany greeting to the rescue party. Many thanks to everybody. Have pity on v me. As regards food, I am very well satisfied. I "do. not more than open my arms and embrace you all, and thanks again to the manager and , his wife. So far nothing remains other than to sayfarewell to all very heartily.— l am your' miserable friend. Modesto Varischetti. Adieu." " - . -j... . ' Perth, Quite a crowd commenced to gather early this morning at tho shaft mouth. Inspector Crabb and Divers Hughes, Hearne, and Curtis were heartily cheered on agoing, down to No. 9. level. The baling continued throughout the night without intermission, and tho mine- water was lapping the roof of No. 10 level, showing that the nine days' struggle was nearly over. It' took a long time, however, to lower the water in the long drive sufficiently to enable Varischetti to be brought out. . Messages were received at the surface from time to time for different materials, and l once a shot "was fired to blast away an obstruction; / The divers came up. and afterwards re-descended, Hughes stating, confidently that they would resctUS the, miner by .6 o'clock. -'Later on, Dr Mitchell, of Coolgard'ie, went below. The shaft was roped off to keep bach the crowd., and-uireport that' Varischetti would be up by 5 o'clock evoked great applause. At 3.30 Hughes, without a diving suit, waded through the water to the rise and joined yarischetti." He subsequently returned, and then went back to the rise and sit with the miner till the water was a little lower., Vai'ischfetti had a good feed while Hughes waited there.

There was an animated scene at the surface, men. standing ready to haul the Union Jack and the Italian flag to the poppet heads the moment' the cage appeared. The. skip came up at 5.30, the occupants reporting that Varischetti had been brought to iNo. 9 level, where he was receiving nourishment. The flags were immediately unfurled. Half an hour later the skip . brought Varischetti to the surface amid an immense outburst of cheering. ,; ■ "; ; : : Diver Hughes, who came up' with- him, was accorded a great ovation. . Diver Hearne was also heartily applauded. )

Varischetti had to be lifted out of the cage. ; He v was wearing black goggles, and appeared as if asleep. As he wag lifted out of the skip the crowd cheered wildly. It was evident that he had undergone fearful sufferings. ... Accordirig to orders issued by*; the doctor, Varis; chetti was not permitted to '}. speak, except to relatives, and to them he conversed. Varischetti was ilifted into a oab and driven home. The doctor thinks he will be all right in a few days. ■ .Diver Hughes, when he stepped off the skip, was mobbed, and kisses were showered on him by many women pm-ent. Inspector Crabb, the mine, manager, Mr Kubischaum, Diver Curtis, Diver Heavue and their - assistants were all heartily cheered. '■■■'■ t It is understood that the Italian'Consul has communicated with the Italians on the fields, with a view to securing assistance to provide a suitabe reward for Hughes. As soon as Diver Hughes had disposed of his charge and had shaken hands with any number of men and women, hews met by the press representatives; He said they waited in No. 9 level some time, and eventually ho got down and into No. 10. level. He found that in places |he water was almost up to his mouth m the level. He waded in with-' out any diving apparel,. and got to the rise where Varischetti was. He stayed there some time, and was, of course, drenched to the skin. He first spent Jibout half-an-houi 1 with the entombed miner, conversing with him and endeavoring to cheer him. He had a smoke and so on, and then came out and said it would be necessary to get more water out. He went back again, and altogether made foui: trips from the pass to the rise.' Hearne was at his post at the chute the whole time.

when I went in," said Hughes, "I said 'What about it, Charley? (Varischetti is known by that name on the mine.) Shall we try it?' He said 'Yes.' So we started. Varischetti was fairly strong when we started. I felt his pulse and it was as good as mine, but when the water got up to his waist he seemed to lose his strength and collapsed, and • had l to carry him the rest of the way to the chute. When we got to the chute old Tom there — pointing to H^arne — pulled, him up and I pushed. The rest was easy, but going in the level at different times was none too good. However, he's up, and now I'm satisfied." Hearne is apparently of a more reserved disposition. When congratulated' be said, "Uh, yes; we got him up ail right, but we hard to pull him up through the chute, and the water was very cold." . On reaching the level Varischetti was stripped and vigorously rubbed and clothed in dry apparel, and borne out to the plat. y i

A few words of conversation were attempted by his brother, but on Mr Mitchell's injunction it was discontinued. A mask was placed over each eye, and his cars were stopped to keep out the noise. The patient's, temperature was falling, and a blanket was requisitioned from the surface and rolled round him.

Bonnie Vale was en fete at night, and the members of the rescue party were entertained by the managr, Mr Hubischum." They -\vere accorded a reception by the Mayor of Coolgardie in the evening. The Mayor spoke in glowing terms of the work performed by the divers, especially Hughes. He was followed by several other .speakers, and the proceedings were characteVised by great enthusiasm. Hughes received a particularly flattering reception. On behnlf of the Adelaide Stock Exchange the Mayor handed to Hughes two-thirds and H. Hearne oue-third of the £20 subscribed by that body, while Mr Vincent, of th.' Lion Brewery, presented to the two divers a cheque of £20 each. Subsequently, in the Mayor's parlor, the divers wore entertained, and complimentary speeches were again made. No dute has yet been arranged for the entertainment of Hughes by the Kalgoorlie Italian Society, but according to all accounts the function will be on an elaborate scale.

Perth. Friday night.— Varischetti has recovered from his collapse. He regained consciousness about midnight, and this evening is able to converse freely. Inspector Crabb visited him, and the miner expressed his gratitude. After the inspector had left two Italians visited the patient, and a pressman heard a charge of shameful neglect on the part of British miners on the fateful day, oi which some mention had been made before, repeated. An official inquiry will certainly be held. If the story is true, -and it is said that it bears the impress of truth, two British milters Tiave covered themselves with igonomy. Varischetti thought that he was only three days eutombed altogether, and this in spite of the fact that for the last three days he had candles continuously burning. His estimate was influenced doubtless by the fact that he never felt hungry or thirsty until a short time before Hughes brought his food.