A Sensational Experience.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 175, 28 July 1888, Page 2

A Sensational Experience.

A young lady named Mary Jane Penn, aged 21 years, fell down a gold shaft 3ft wide and 30ft deep at Winters Flat, in the neighbourhood of Sebastapool, N.S.W. and remained underground for two days and two nights. Her non-arrival at her father's residence naturally caused a good deal of alarm, and it was feared that she had met with foul play. Search parties were organised, and among the places visited in quest of the young woman were the water hole and drains, all of which were dragged, and the search was continued until Friday afternoon, when all hope was abandoned. Before dark however, a girl was noticed walking among some old diggings with her clothes dirty and mud stained and her hail dishevelled. The mother of the girl was called, and on her approach the girl, Orercc na with excitement, fell into a swoon. When consciousness had been restored, Miss Penn, who was in a weak and exhausted state, told her story. It was to the effect that she was crossing the diggings for the purpose of seeing a house belonging to her father, when she walked into the shaft, which lay in her path. Her fall to the bottom rendered her insensible, in which state she said she remained a long time On consciousness returning, she in her dungeon-like apartment endeavored to attract tile attention of passers-by ; but failing this, she scratched holes inside of the ehaft, end by this means formed steps which, after a terrible ordeal, assisted her to regain the surface. In her efforts to gain the top, the toes of Miss Penn’s boots wore worn through,