A DREDGE'S DEATH SONG.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 July 1905, Page 4

A DREDGE'S DEATH SONG.

(Jly Our Grey Valley Correspondent.) A most dramatic incident occurred during the lale tremendous flood in the l.u'ler Kivcr. Anions the watchers on the river bank at Inangahua .Junction, contemplating the roaring, raging mass ot water tearing its irresistible way down the valley were some who were sympathetically' regarding the precarious situation (if'the Culler Junction dredge, as minute by minute, and hour by hour her fate became more and more evidently doomed. At last; she broke away, am cries of "There she goes!" "Poor old Junction," "Lucky no one is aboard, arose as the ill-fated"ship" surrendered to the giant power of the second most powerful si ream in New Zealand, and suddenly, swinging broadside on, slowly, but steadily, took up the, momentum of her huge foe. Suddenly, a cruel, black hush fell on the onlookers as the .shrill scream of a steam-whistle fell on their ears like a wailing banshee keening the departing glory of some great family At once, with one mighty heart throb, mere .sympathy with the'loss of valuable properly rose to sharp, soul-lirring, impotent uity, as the shout came. "Good God! there's someone aboard !" Then ensued a wild experience of spontaneous feeling such as conies to but few once in a lifetime. Hale men's faros blanched, women sobbed, and strong limbs carried the stalwart bodies of young men racing down the river-side, cursing their helplessness to aid their fel low creatures. .And still the screaming whistle rorcj above the roaring of the waters, now seeming to shrkvk for succour, now wailing as if in despair, and. auoii, apparently howling in triumph a - ; if some wild devil of the waters were exulting at the impotency of puny man. Presently, however, the gallant dredge, which had battled so long with the elements, gave a mighty lurch as she struck a. sunken rock, or tried to tear her way over a shoal in the river. Then the cruel waters arose in their might, and with a hungry roar leaped upon their prev 'n one over-powering rush and the voice of the dredge was still. Not till hours afterwards came the anti-climax of the heart rending pity of the dwellers on the riverbanks, when il was proved beyond the possibility of a doubt that no living being was aboard the ill fated vessel .but that some jar or jerk had mechanically lifted the lever of the whistle, and that the deI fiant dredge had sung its own death song.