BUSHMAN'S ORDEAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20988, 26 September 1931, Page 6

BUSHMAN'S ORDEAL.

STRUCK BY FALLING TREE. DIFFICULT RESCUE WORK. William Francis, a young man, had a gruelling time one night recently in the dense scrub near the Bellinger River Gorge, New South Wales. A tree which he was felling kicked back, and, the butt striking him above the knee, inflicted a severe wound. His mate bound the wound with portion of his shirt and used a piece of rope as a ligature. It was then dark, and Mr. Francis had to be left while assistance was sought. A party of men went out from Dorrigo with a stretcher and hurricane lamps, and were escorted down the precipitous mountain side to where the injured man was lying. The country was so steep that several men were obliged to hold one end of the stretcher shoulder-high while others lifted Mr. Francis on to it. On the return journey the rescuers had to slash a path through vines and dense underbush and follow a zig-zag course in order to get round the cliffs. Although they had to travel only a mile, it was nearly midnight before the party emerged from the scrub and reached a road, where a car was waiting. The injured man displayed remarkable fortitude, and. though in great pain, did not murmur once during his trying ordeal.