WOMAN HIKER’S FALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 May 1937, Page 3

WOMAN HIKER’S FALL

COURAGE Qf COMPANION. SYDNEY, May 13. Miss Kathleen M’Kay, 30, fell 70 feet over a cliff in the gully near Mount Kuring-gai, near Sydney, and sat up and smiled. A crushed ankle was her only injury, but so rough was the country that it was seven hours and a-half before the woman reached Hornsby Hospital. But for the courage of her companion, Miss M. B. Byles, a solicitor, and her knowledge of bushcraft, it is doubtful whether the injured woman would have been succoured. “We have been hiking for so long,” said Miss Byles, “that to-day’s hike was more in the nature of a mild jaunt. As we were descending a hill between Cowan and Berowra Railway Station my heart stood still. Miss M’Kay had trodden on a stone as big as a table top, and she and the stone were roiling down the hill together. 1 was terrified to look because there was a drop of about 70 feet. You can realise my joy when 1 saw her sit up and smile. I got down to her, found that she had injured her ankle, put some bracken under her for a couch, rolled her up in all the woollen clothes 1 had. and set off for help.’’ Miss Byles would say nothing of her own hazardous walk back to Mount Kuring-gai. She had to ascend 65 feet, at times crawling up slippery slopes and at others scaling small precipices. When she got to a store near Mount Kuring-gai it was nearly 4 p.m'. Her clothes were tattered and she was exhausted, but she insisted on returning.

Laughing at those who praised her plucky effort. Miss Byles said: “Well, shouldn't I be able to do it by now ! 1 am 37, and I have been Irking since 1 was live.”

An ambulance, leaving the main road near Cowan, travelled for about three miles on a rough bush track, and then for four miles a stretcher was carried over most difficult country. The injured woman was reached at. 6 p.m., but it was 9.30 p.m. before the party was back on the main road.

George W. Paseck, who organised lite search party, is an experienced mountaineer. “1 have climbed mountains al! over the Continent and in Australia, too. 1 have had many try•ng experiences, but never one to equal t h's.” he said.

Whm, they reached Hie bottom of the gully they had great difficulty in finding .Miss M'Kay. She was huddled' beside a small tire. When the party set. out on the return journey it was realised (hat it would be useless to attempt to use a stretcher. The ambulance officers took Miss M Kay on their shoulders and carried I,.Whenever a precipitous climb < (.nfronted the party the' spaced themselves out. and Miss M'Kay was passed from hand to hand. Paseck :;ml two other men were in front of the party, one with a torch and another with a lamp, and a third holding a candle.