A THRILLING SCENE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6829, 6 October 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

A THRILLING SCENE.

At Perranporfch, near Truro, the driver of a waggonette party wandering on the beach found his retreat nut off by the tide. He essayed to climb tbe cliffs, but when halfway up, he found progress impossible and descent certainly fatal. The ledge on which he was supported would only give space for one foot, and the ground to which he clung above was loose and crumbling. For soma hours he endured this suspense, when the visitors descried him from above. The news spread, and a crowd congregated, but none dared venture along the slight ledge by which alone the man could be approached. To have thrown a rope would have been useless, for the effort to catch it would certainly have caused the poor fellow to fall. A coaßtguardsman, named Began, volunteered to be let down 100 ft. over the face of .the cliff, and while he doscended the excitement was quickened tenfold." The man below could only hold out a little longer, and the least disturbance of the earth around him would inevitably cause his destruction. In breathless eagerness the spectators saw the one man near the other. By a sadden effort, the coastguardsman clasped the man he had endeavoured to save with a sudden and strong grip, a,nd they swnng off the ledge together. Even then danger was not at an end; bnt a descent was safely effected to a ledge below, whence access to the summit was gradually gained. The spectot irs were too overcome to cheer, but they did what was better—collected a good round sum for the gallant coastguardsman.