CATTLE ENGULFED

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21051, 30 December 1933, Page 16

CATTLE ENGULFED

CAUGHT IN A QUICKSAND ,'Floundering about like clumsy seals on dry land, 22 head of cattle became engulfed last Saturday in the deep masses' of mud which form a kind of quicksand in the centre of the Waitangi Washout between the bridges near Napier. Some of the beasts were almost completely hii-uen from view beneath the mud at one stage, but ihe assistance of a break-down lorry and ropes saved the position and all the animals were dragged to safety. The cattle were grazing in a pad dock adjacent to the mud-flats dui the afternoon and no trouble was exDerienced until another mob ol cattle appeared on the road. The desne for company apparently proved greater than the sense of safety and in endeavouring to reach the mob passing along the road they became completely ttfplisM of the cattle was observed a number ol men appeared on the scene and lor the next few hours strenuous but vain efforts were made ..o release the animals from their position. bom - were got out and stayed out of dangei, but others returned to the mud and forced themselves into worse positions than before. The efforts ot the animals themselves merely made their positions worse, since with each movement they sank deeper and deepei into the quagmire. Fortunately, the tide way out at the time and before danger threatened from the rising of the water the services of a motor truck were called in and with the assistance of latge ropes the struggling beasts were hauled one by one to safety. Some of them, however, were injured and all were thoroughly exhausted. It was the show item of the day for the local folk.