A SAD DEATH.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144666, 28 April 1915, Page 4

A SAD DEATH.

LOST ON THE MOUNTAIN. STORY OF THE SEARCH. After many hours of supremely hard work on the part of the members of the parties who went out in search of the lost man Pearce, and after much anxiety and suspense generally, the fiend body of the unfortunate man was discovered on Sunday morning in a secluded spot out of the beaten track on the mountain side. Pearce, who arrived at, the Dawson’s Falls House on Wednesday, despite the entreaties of Guide Murphy to the contrary, set oil alone on a trip up the mountain on Thursday. He was not soon again alive. As ho had not returned the s-imo night fears wore fell for Ids safety, and since then every endeavour was made to discover Ids whereabouts. A story of the sad affair was gathered by a member of the Stratford Evening IVr-t from Mr* T. Kirkwood, of 1 Stratford, who was a member of one o( the search parties, consisting of Mr. E. C. Robinson, Mr. A. J. Davev and laneelf. SATURDAY’S SEARCH. They left Stratford by motor at about o o’clock in the morning, and commenced the search after leaving Dawsen’s Falls House at 6 o’clock. Altogether about fonv or fifty persons participated. a largo number being metnhers of the Stratford Mountain Chib. There were also parries from Kaponga and Eliham. etc. Under the direction of Guido Murphy, the different parties . were organised, some being told off to certain parts of the bush and scrub, while others were sent above the scrub. All were scattered, hut with a certain amount of method, so that none of the ground would be missed.

"It was terribly hard toil fighting one s way tlirough the hush," said .Mr. Kirkwood, "but _ everyone worked in grim earnest. We got on to the trail of the lost man all right, (luide Murphy found a paper whore Pearce had had his lunch, and nearby one party found his alpenstock, and there wepc indications that he was in the Mangawhero (forgo, under Fantluim’s Peak, a distance of three ,or four miles from jbi* home, atid balf-tvav between the Famliam’s Peak truck and Lake Dive, (iitide .Murphy had previously traced him down over Famham’s Beak. Searchers were hot on the trail, when smoke attracted their attention, and thinking it was a sign by the missing man. the party retraced their stops, and coming upon others they were told to come out, a smoke signal having gone np lower down in- the, bush, t - A huge column of smoke was then rising from a fire away in the distance, which was interpreted to moan that the missing iran had been found. Naturally, there was much rejoicing and inward gladness of heart at the success of the search, hut when the house was reached ami reports: compared, it was found to be a false alarm. AVe were at the time of noticing the signal very hot qn, the trail of; the. unfortunate, mam and the disappointment of all especially after travelling miles through the” dense scrub to get to the house, was intense. No information concerning success bad reached the house by 0 o’clock, by which time most of the parties had returned. nor could anyone account for the smoke signal which had had such an unfortunate result. There was, of course, the probability that only for this, some of the parties might ” have found him. After the first smoko signal which misled the searchers another was seen further away down in the bush."

Describing the search. Air. Kirkwood said that at one time on the trail it looked as if Pearce, when he came to a cataract, had driven his axe into the ground and was looking down, when he fell over the bank, a distance of about eleven feet, and that bo tried to get np the bank, presumably to recover Ins axe. Indeed they were very hot on the trail at the time, and all were very much disappointed at the search being interrupted at such a critical moment. Just whether they would have found Pearce if they had followed up the trail is very proWematienl, but the indications, he considered; were very favourable, SUNDA VS DISCOVERY. CVpicerning the discovery on Sunday, Air. Kirkwood said that the same party, together with about twenty others, left about 6 o’clock, and wore latei- joined bv others.

His party, he said, went straight to v here the soareh had been left olf on SiVmnlay and they continued the trail. It was about It o’clock, after much bard work, pushing and stumbling through the alpine growth, when Messrs, Hobinson (Stratfordt and AVilHs (Ho wan I came upon the unfortunate man. Worn out mentally and bodily, he must have lain or fal'en down, in a long narrow clearing in the undergrowth, be was lying on his back with his hands resting on Ids breast. He was minus his coat and hat, and without covering of any kind. One leg was caught in a small obstruction, but it will never be known whether be tripped and fell nr whether be had simply put ills foot in tho position. No mark disfigured his fats', and there was nothing tp show that he had comp to his end cx'cept through sheer exhaustion.

Prom tho appearances of the body, death rn’iist have come .some time on r riday night, if not before then. His watch was stopped at 6.30, bht at winch time of the day will ever remain a mystery. ft is bard to understand why tho lost man did not make use of the matches which be earned, (wo wax vestas being found in a silver matchbox in one of Ids pockets. Had be thought of using them to light a liro no doubt it would have been his «vlvntiou. Tho sum of 2s 5d and a pen Knife and silver pencil wore also found m ins pockets.

A start was at onco made to remove the body to the Mon ntnin House. Seme idea of tho work the searchers bad may oo gleaned from the fact that it took 4j hours to complete, the unpleasant ,)onnicy. it being impossible , co | n ' c 'F T 11 stretcher through the thick bush, each member of the, party had to take a turn in carrying tho body on Ins shoulder, while tho others walkel ahead slashing a passage through the undergrowth. The Mountain House was reached at 3.30 o’clock, where a motor lorry was wa.iting, and the body was convoyed to Stratford, where an inquest will bo, held.

THE INQUEST, At Stratford on Tuesday night, ’before .Air. C. D. Solo. J.P.. .acting-coro-ner. and a jury Ail’ which Air. S. Ward was chosen foreman, an inquest was held into the circumstances of tho death of Henry Alfred Pearce, the victim of the recent’fatality on Alt. Egmont. William S. Pearce, of Ngaio, AVellington. identified the deceased as his brother, a letter-carrier and sorter employed in tho AAT'llington Post Office, it single man aged Jl years. His health was good. Deceased left his home at Ngaio on Monday. April 19, on his itotor-hieyele on route to .Auckland, via New Plymouth. He had never intimated his intention of climbing Alt. Egmont.

•). P. Murphy, manager of the Dawson Palls Hostelry, stated that deceased arrived at the Dawson Palls house at about 7.10 p.m. on Wednesday. The same evening witness beard him tell another visitor that he had left Uruti that morning on his cycle and had cycled through New Plymouth and around by Opmiako to Dawson Palls house. Witness asked deceased when ho intended to climb the mountain. Deceased replied that he would go up as far as Paiitham’s Peak in the morning, and if it was a line day he would like to go to the top. Witness warned him, as lie usually did ail visitors, about the danger of going up'by Himself. Deceased said that he felt tit and well, and thought that he would go on Thursday morning just niter breakfast. He loft the house about 9.30 a.m.. witness putting six or seven climbing nails in each boot, and giving him an ice-axe. some lunch, and a bottle of tea. When deceased left the house he wore a coloured coal. Witness saw no more of deceased until his body was found. As deceased bad not returned at 1.20 p.m., witness set out in search, and went to the top of Paiitham's Peak, but could find no trace of deceased. On returning. lie impim'd of two others, who had boon up to the moss line and had returned between 2 and 3 p.m.. but they had not seen deceased. Tile same night witness communicated with Mr. Graham, of the North Pginnnt- Hostelry, who promised to go up to the top of the mountain with bis guide the 10lIpwiiig morning. On Priday. Messrs. Robinson. Craig and witness set out for Paiitham's Peak. At the head of the Kapnni River he found tracks ot deceased, and followed them down-as far as the Mangawhero River, where they were lost. The parly thou returned to the house, and witness communicated with the police. Arrangements were made for a search party for Saturday morning, ant! at daybreak a party of well over twenty-live set out ami searched all day without success, some members not reaching the house until 7,30 p.m. On Sunday a further search parly set out at daylight, with the result that deceased was found roughly a quarter of a mile in the alpine scrub, which is nay dense and very difficult 'country to got through—country that would soon exhaust a man if-he-was not (it. In fact the party had to crawl on their hands and knees to got through. Witness had been three years at the Pgmont House, and considered that everything that could possibly be done was done to try and find deceased. Witness assisted in bringing the body to the Mountain House. In his opinion, death was due to exhaustion and cold. On Thursday night it was very foggy; the fog came on early in tho afternoon. In fact, it was frozen mist. On Frl-

day and Saturday the weather was line, but very 'cold at night. On Saturday night tile thermometer registered 3-1 .degrees. Dr. Stevens deposed that he had examined the body, which was that of a well-nourished and healthy man. He found no bones broken. There were some slight abrasions on the face and back, more especially on the legs below i the knee. There was no sign of any serious injury. After hearing the evidence of the* previous witness, ho was of opinion that death was due to cold and exposure, and that deceased died on Thursday night. •' E. C. Robinson, one of the search party, stated that on Sunday morning lie left the* house at (i a.m.. together with Mr. Willis, of Rowan Road. About 11 a.m. they found deceased. Witness was one of the party that conveyed the body to the house. He corroborated Murphy’s evidence regarding the search, and considered that under the circumstances everything possible was done. To deceased’s brother: Deceased was lying as if exhausted. Witness saw no writing or anything near the bddy. Sergeant Dale gave formal evidence. A verdict was returned that deceased came by his death as the result of exposure on the slopes of Mount Egmont. The jury added a rider that the Egmont National Park Board should be asked to consider the making of a by-law prohibiting any person singly climbing tile mountain without a guide,, who is under the jurisdiction of the board. The jury also, expressed admiration of tin' good work done by the search parly, especially by Mr. Murphy. The brother of deceased thanked all those who Had assisted in the‘search.

Tho body is to be taken to Wellington for interment.