A SAD STORY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 35, 1 June 1876, Page 2

A SAD STORY.

A correspondent writing from Nundle New South Wales, to the " Tamwortl News," supplies the following particulars w'ith reference to the finding of the bones of the late Mr. Alexander J. Kyle, ■who perished in the bush about two years ago near Terrible Billy Creek, New England' —" An inquiry was held on the spot where the skeleton was found, and the verdict returned was, ' The human skeleton ij that of Alexander J. Kyle, a man of about si v ty-three years of age ; and that the said A. J. Kyle, being lost in the bush on his way from Urallah to Hanging-rock, on or about the 20th of June, 1874, perished of hunger and cold where his remains were found.'"

It was the opinion of those present that 8 his remains had been disturbed, inasmuch If as the fragments of a watch-glass werefi found under the skeleton; that the left|| thigh-bone was broken, and that recently, m which could easily happen if any one stoodll upon the body, or by wild horses or crossing it ; besides this no marks of vio-H lence were visible, and the skeleton wasffl quite intact. The few shreds of clothing m remaining on the bones showed that de-g ceased at his death wore an xmdercoat of 11 black cloth (fine) and an overcoat of rough |j material. The skeleton was only a fewfl yards from the creek known as Terrible M Billy, and the position of the body indi- i cated where he lay ; and he seemed as if 1 he had been going up the ridge from the water to where a sheet of bark was spread over a log, where probably he had camped for some days. A diary was found near the body, and some of the memoranda given below are extracts from it. Certain 1 passages of a private nature are suppressed, j Where the blanks occur the words and ] letters ai"e oblitei'ated : j " What about the election now ? | "It matters not to me. I have elected j and (following word like 'sowed') . . . | in inheritance . . . incorruptible, un-1 defiled, and that fadeth not away. I "No pain . . . nor hunger . . I thanks . . . Gracious Father. I " Tho' . . . flesh faileth, yet God I . . . strength to my heart and . . E portion for ever." I On the back of this slip is written in I pencil, "20th June." Then come memos. I of private matters as it were, in form of a E will, naming two gentlemen as executors, I

On another slip he states : " With my shivering, I am only surprised that I can ... so well . . I did not see the sun ... 4 days, and when it did ... I was too weak to . . . climb the hills. Ah ! that I had brought my compass with me !" On the other side of the leaf is written : "20 (crossed) June.—Weaker . . .

yet God is still good and gracious" t<- Jpiet . . . feel neither hunger nor pain,-\only| a little thirst, and I have plenty of water to allay it, but will soon be too weak to do so ... ' God's will be done !' . . I am His own . . . good time and way. He can bring deliverance, b\it (following word like whereas) I owe him . . I have not had a morsel to eat since Thursday last, the 11th inst Water is my only food ... I feel neither hunger nor pain, but thirst . . gracious and good to me . . . and in His own good time and way will deliver me ... to Himself . . . has . . . my . . . for many years." (Word following like covenanted.) On the back of this leaf appears—" Imagine ... I have suffered . . . cold at night, without fire, blanket, or other covering ... 3 nights running I sat up watching a horse that I should sooner . . . This reduced my strength considerably and prevented my getting out of this place . . Romaca." Mr. Kyle, an old resident of Foley's Folly, was a gentleman of education, and much respected. He belonged to a family of good position in the north of Ireland. His remains were brought in to Nundle, and deposited in the cemetery.