RIP VAN WINKLE

Otago Witness, Issue 4063, 26 January 1932, Page 27

RIP VAN WINKLE

FIRST VISIT TO CITY AFTER FORTY-SIX YEARS (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 14. From Hobart, in Tasmania, comes the extraordinary story of a man born and bred in solitude, and now suddenly transferred to the civilised world. For 46 years Percy Goldsmith has lived in the Lake Tooms district, and until last week had never been more than a mile or two from his hut. Electric light, the sea, boats, radio, tramcars, telephones, and even a pencil and a clock, and hundreds of things to which the average person is accustomed, were to Percy Goldsmith things seen for the first time and a source of sincere wonder. He is a man of rural type, whose long heritage has given ‘ him an appreciation of silence and has deprived him of any longing for companionship. He speaks only at long intervals and then only in enigmatic syllables. His speech is confined mainly to “yes ” and “ no.” Of education he has had none, and he does not know what a school is. When one can reach the limited scope of his mind on matters which concern him directly he is clear and emphatic, and cannot be led into conveying a meaning which he does not intend shall be conveyed. For the last six years Goldsmith has spoken to hardly anyone but his two brothers, who do not live with him, although he is on good terms with them. It is through them that he obtains supplies of flour, tea. and sugar which are left at his hut. He sees his brothers occasionally, but his father, who lives five miles away, he has not seen for four years. _ Until he was 20 years of age Goldsmith did not leave the bush, and at ■that age made his first visit to the tiny bushland town of Oatlands. He had his first ride in a motor car last Saturday, and he appeared to like the sensation of speed. Tramcars were entirely new to him, and the streets crowded with people left him bewildered. Electric light was a source of wonderment, and he was vastly interested when shown how to operate the switch. It was impossible to convey to him any conception of wireless, and it was quite plain that he did not understand this modern marvel. Even the scrawling of a pencil on paper was a matter of great interest to him, for he can neither read nor write. He showed even greater interest when the pencil mark was rubbed out. He had his first taste of beer, and rather liked it, but the quantity allowed him was not sufficient to have any illeffect. He also smoked a cigarette, but this experience was not new to him. He had smoked one at Oaklands three years ago.