AN INCIDENT OF THE BULLER.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7142, 1 September 1888, Page 3

AN INCIDENT OF THE BULLER.

, • ( {Bt " The Warriga_"] _ In the summer of 1886 I was staying in * Napier; and whilst there I met an old ( miner named David Angus. He was the beau ideal of a miner, heavily bearded, , strong, and handsome. In his youth he : was a fisher lad on the wild north coast of Scotland, but home life, and sailing in well known seas, were too tame for the northern blood: so he went as a sailor to see the wonders of foreign lands, and as a sailor he crossed every ocean on the globe save two ; and those no man ever has crossed. David followed the seafaring life for many years, and life at sea had some romanse in it then; but when he reached the prime of his life the gold fever broke out In Australia, and he could no more withstand its attraction than his fore fathers could withstand the call to war; and the gathering cry of the clans. There was a touch of daring in the veins of David Angus that English people, even in these prosaic days, love and cherish, and it was this that first drew mc towards him. When I knew him I wished to know something of his life. Men with the temperament of David Angus, and. the memory of such a wide f strong life in their minds, are apt to be rather reticent, but in the calm, summer evenings David and I would sit on tho hill side overlooking the sea, and he would tell mc long stories of bygone times. There is one story that David told roe that is well worth relating, if only to show how events take a romantic turn even in these days, and how travellers occasionally meet with strange things. Some years ago a man whilst working in a certain mine at the Lyell was injured by the sudden discharge of a blast; the man's face was seriously burntandhe was blinded. Theonly place where medical assistance could be obtained was at Westport forty miles down the Buller river. I have seen the mighty Buller in its peaceful moments, and even then the thought of a voyage down its turbulent stream suggested a certain amount of risk. The river runs at the bottom of one of the grandeat gorges in the world. In places gigantic limestone cliffs overhang the water; and everywhere the oed of stream is dangerously full of rocks and the trunks of great trees. Every mile or so the river tumbles over massive reefs; and the water is churned into foam, and the whole Body of the stream dashes against mighty overhanging cliffs which turn it suddenly in its course. At its best the Buller river requires steadiness and skill on the part of its navigators or woe betide them; but when in flood, when the mighty volume of water from melting snows and numberless mountain creeks, pours into the gorge and hurries down that tortuous passage towards the sea then indeed is the river dangerous. The Buller river was in flood when these miners at the Lyell picked their injured and blinded comrade from the place where he had fallen and asked " what was to be done?" He must be taken down to Westport to receive medical attendance; and the track was impassible, so two of the most daring and skilful boatmen in the district volunteered to take him In their canoe to some place from which he could reach Westport. These two boatmen were strong men, and excellent swimmers, and had been used to river work nearly all their lives. The injured man, who could not swim, was placed in their canoe; he was heavily clothed and booted; a woman bad wrapped a great shawl round and round his shoulders and neck, and the only thing he could do was to sit quietly where he was placed. The boatmen started down the river, but ere long the canoe was upset. The two strong men, and good swimmers were drowned, whilst the injured man reached the shore in safety, and, what is more he found that bis sight was restored. Knowing the scene of this incident as I did, David's graphic description rendered the story very interesting, and I stored it in my memory. About a year afterwards I found myself at the Owen, which was just then anticipating becoming a big mining place. I had been exploring the district all the day, and had been introduced to numerous miners. In the evening a party of theße miners were gathered round a big wood fire In the new hotel talking, and I listened to their talk with great interest. By-and-by the conversation went down to '"old days,*' and the men's blood was fired with the memories of great deeds. One story after another was told by men who would have been fiercely contradicted if they had made the slight—t error, and once during tho interval, when fresh drinks were being ordered, I remembered the story told mc by David Angus. I asked if any of the company knew it. "Why, bless you, here's the very man himself 1" said a chorus of voices; and the very man himself got up from a quiet corner and said "Yes, that story's all right. I and my mate, a young fellow not long out from the

old country, were working in the drive. The young fellow was saying as how He'd save money and go home for next Christmas and see his folks again, when th_ charge we were tamping went off. The young fellow was killed on the spot, and I was burnt a good deal. Yes, the other fellows were drow_cd,* they were good swimmers too, and strbng men. I was blinded, and Mrs Verral had wrapped a big shawl round mc, I had heavy boots on, and was so stiff I could scarcely move a limb, and the first thing I remember after tumbling in the water was hearing one of the men shout " Look after the canoe, Tony and I'll look after Jem." Then I strnck against the branch of a tree and held on to it until I could hold no longer. I had to let go, and when I came to myself I was on the edge of a shingle bank and could see my way clear to dry land." More wonderful stories followed, and I am sorry that I can never give my readers the effect that I experienced. To do tliat they must sit by the blazing log fire in tho heart of the wild West Coast, and listen to those stories from the lips of men who have given a tinge of romance to the land. I saw David Angus months afterwards as he was goin* to his mine, amongst t_* hills of Collingwood ; and he was quit* pleased to have his story verified in such a manner.