NARROW ESCAPE AT THE WAIAU.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7484, 25 February 1885, Page 2

NARROW ESCAPE AT THE WAIAU.

A few days ago the Hon E. Parker, having occasion to go to Mr Low's place at St Helen's, on the Hanmer Plains, found himself in due course at the upper ferry of the Waiau river. The stream was in high flood, and the regular boatman not being available, and. the matter being urgent, the task of taking Mr Parker over in the ferry, boat, was confided to a negro named Taylor, who happened to be on the spotOn getting afloat the amateur ferryman seemed to be completely confused, and pulled the wrong oar, turning the boat completely round; .while going down the, river at a rapid rate. They first narrowly, escaped dashing against an island in midstream, which, however, was safely passed: Onward the boatwas sw.ept down the stream, and again it .was turned completely round, as it was approaching the terrible gorge through whichthe river flows for ten miles between the Hanmer and Hurunui Plains. The negro lost .all presence of mind and control of the boat as it dashed downwards, and Mr Holmes, the owner of the boat, who was also on. board, sat still apparently, paralysed, while.Mr Parker, who was,.too: weak and too ; ill to move, though keenly alive to what was going on, sat re--signed to his apparent fate. At last the boat crashed, stem 6n, into the precipitous bluff on the Hanmer side, upwards of 100 ft; high, which had once formed the base for the support on the eastern side of the old. suspension bridge, built by Mr Blackett, C.E., some 20 years ago. A dreadful suspense of a few "seconds ensued, but, mercifully, the boat's head turned inwards from the stream into an eddy caused by the striking of the wateragainstthe bluff, and in a minute or two afterwards the occupants, who had iust escaped from the very jaws of death, were able to pull out:of the eddy and get ashore. Many narrow; escapes! have happened at this ferry, but', all agree that never before has there been;-such an extraordinary escape froniwhat, appeared to Mr Thompson and other onlookers to be certain death. Mr W. A. Scaife, the Manager of St Helen's Station, was on;the eastern side of the river at the time,) and did his utmost to direct the negro how to use his oars so as to row ashore, but without success. Mr Scaife afterwards carried-the Hon Mr Parker, in a fainting condition, across the Hanmer River on his back, and finally landed him safely, at the homestead more dead than alive. We are glad to hear that Mr Parker is slowly recovering. The obvious comment on this history is that a bridge is much needed.