FOUND DEAD.

Grey River Argus, Volume 21, Issue 3043, 17 May 1878, Page 2

FOUND DEAD.

[western star.] The body of a man was found under distressing circumstances on the top of Mount Campbell, in the Knobby Ranges, near Alexandra, on the 4fch April, by one of the shepherds on Little Valley Station, who reported the matter to the Alexandra police. The man had left the Littie Valley Station about the 14th March, and had never since been seen or heard of, although search parties had tried to find traces of him. When be left the station he is described as having been suffering from the effects of drink, and had two dogs with) him, one of which was seen again near the station on the 22ad March, a fact which aroused ferrs- for his safety. As mentioned above, his body was found by a shepherd on 4th April, and at an inquest held at Alexandra on the 6th a verdict of "Found Dead" was returned. I The police at Olive have obtained a clue

of the man's identity, which they are now following up. He was a travelling swagger, about thirty years of age, of fair complexion, and neat and clean appearance. A fact that deserves mention is, that when the body was found one of the the dogs wra keeping watch over it inthe most faithful manner. The statement of the constable who went to bring the body in is as follows :— Mr Gregg, of Little Valley Station, kindly volunteered, along with four shepherds, to go with the constable to the top of the range to convey the body down to the level country. The ridge was so steep that the coffin had to be carried on our backs individually, as we could not walk tw© abreast. On arriving at the top of the 'peak we descended into a gully on the other side, and going down we could see the man's coat on the opposite side of the ridge. Above and overlooking the coat was a sharp projecting rock, on which lay stretched, evidently watching some object, a small terrier dog. On descending to the foot of the rock we could see in the rushes the dead body of the man. Perched on this rock the dog was commanding a full view of his dead master below and his coat above, ten yards far Lher up the gully. The body lay as if the man had died easily. In the pockets were a knife, bootlace, and a pair of woollen mittens. The body was very much decomposed, apparently being dead about three weeks. Thus, for the whole of this time, the dog had kept watch over the dead body of his master, and evidently had done its duty well, as about a dozen Maori hens lay killed' about the spot. There is not the slightest doubt that the Maori hens would, if allowed, have left nothing of the deceased but his clothes and bones, for as it was the left hand and arm lying at his side were picked to the bone by them, and the leftside and part of the face was also injured.