ON THE TARARUAS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6871, 15 July 1909, Page 9

ON THE TARARUAS

THE RESCUE OF HUGH COCRRXLL.

FOUR BAYS WITHOUT FOOD. Hugh Cockrill, who was lost in the Otaki Gorge country on Friday, was louuu on ruestlay, aud was lUKen to Otaki last nignt. it is not as yet Known wuy the lost man left tue moo ot cattle on the day of his disappearance, or wiiv ne wanuered into the mountains. Ail" that can l>e at present ascertained io that Cockrill was found twenty-eight miles from the spot where he had been last seen by a feuow-musterer, aud that ue was four days m tn© bush without food before lie was found by the search party—a section ol iht one hundred settiers and police who volunteered to search lor him.

W lien found Cockrill was in a very weak state, and his leus were mucu bruised, his trousers torn to rags, and hib ooots useless. The people who found him carried him to fciueruian s camp, seven miles from Otaki, and at 4 o mock ytsieruay a relative of the poor lehow, togetnor with \_ojistaole fchunerley, earned him on an improvised stretcuer thence to Otaki. It has been said that starvation in cold weather is the “sated:" kind of starvation, and that men of normal constitution who are lost in bleak country during winter time have a muter cimnce of life than those who have been overcome by thirst aud heat. I'ouiju Cockrill is mucu liked in Otaki, ,and the people of that town were uiurmcd in me best possible way, for they immediately acted- from a feeling of regard tor the lost man. It is hoped that the care of his friends will help Cockrill to a speedy recovery.