HEROISM.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1745, 9 March 1874, Page 4

HEROISM.

fMELBOURJJE ARGVS.J It has frequently been our pleasing but melancholy task to bring under the notice of tbe public some of the deeds of heroism which adorn "tbe short and simple annals of the poor "-rdeeds which, if performed on a larger stage and before a more numerous audience, would ensure for their authors an immortality of fame. "We regret to saj that wo have to add another to the list. And yet " regret" is scarcely tbe proper word to use in connection with the event we are about to describe, because, while we cannot help mourning the loss h • community has sustained by the death of one brave man in the execution of his duty as the breadwinner for wife and little ones, we cannot help feeling proud of the courage and selfdenial displayed by his mate, who we are afraid is likely to follo«7 him into the land of shadows. No. 3 Oram's Reef, Caledonia diggings, was recently the scene of an accident similar to those with which the mining districts are unhappily too familiar, but it had about it certain peculiarities which rivetted our attention, and left it out of the ordinary category of sncli catastrophes. Henry Moore Howard and James Nicholson were pursuing their ordinary avocation in the mine when a mass of rock fell upon them, crushing both beneath its weight. At the usual time Mr* Howard went to summon them home, but found that her repeated call met Avith no response. A man named John Brohan then proceeded down the shaft, and when half way heard the Bound of a voice calling. Upon reaching the bottom he found Nicholson lying on his face in a drive close by. He was quite sensible, although' he had been lying there, doubtless, in almost intolerable anguish for some six hours. With a coolness and stoicism which the hardest amongst us may well envy, he quietly said that "he was hurt ;" that "he imagined his back Avas broken." But even though in extremis, his thoughts were not Avholly for himself. He bade the deliverer, without waiting to succour him, go further into the drive and look for his mate, who, he thought, was bleeding to death. A brief exploration only proved how correct his anticipations were. According to the evidence given at the inquest, Howard was found in a sitting posture, with his back against the wall, propped up by some stones and debris which had fallen — dead. His right leg had been literally smashed, and the points of broken bone had divided large blood vessels, and so his life ebbed away before help could reach him. Judging by the splinters of bark and other things lying about, he had endeavoured to stauch his wounds, but his efforts had been all 'unavailing. We may conclude that he met his death becomingly, for his poor mutilated fellowsufferer would not have displayed such solicitude for a poltroon. We hear perpetually that our race is effete and worn out. Worn out it will rever be while the equals of men such as James Nicholson and Henry Moore Howard nve to sustain and perpetuate its ancient fame.