Lost in the Bush.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13991, 28 August 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

Lost in the Bush.

VERY STRANGE CASE. The disappearance of the young Wa.'oeka settler, Mr George Croswell, a former G-isbornite, has been, .says a Gisborno paper, as mysterious as it is complete. The particulars already published are not quite correct, declared Mr A. W. Harris, fatUer-'in-law of the missing man. who returned home from the Bay of Plenty a few days ago, after a lruitle.ss search. One Saturday afternoon, about 3 o'clock, Croswell went into the bush within sight of his home to shoot pigeons. Obtaining a couple, bis dog put up a pig, and the young man gave chase, eieiitually despatching it. As evening was by this time setting in, Crosswell left the pig where he had killed it. on a high bush-clad spur—within a mile of his homestead as the crow Hies, but intervened by precipitous country, rough and broken, to clamber over which one has frequently to grasp the hanging vines. Getting benighted lie was compelled ro wait till daylight, and reached his homo uex't morning (Sunday! none the worse for his night's exposure, b. ing of a strong and hardy nature. That afternoon he pointedout the spot where he had left the pig. and so si.if of finding it was" he that he had deposited his knife and gun near by.. On Monday morning Croswell rode across the river, only four chains fiom his home, tied his horse to the opposite bank, and set olf to obtain Ins pig and gun, with the intention of returning early and proceeding to Opotiki the same afternoon on business. Here all trace of the young man ends. His horse was found two days alter standing where it was left, knee deep in water on the river bank opposite his home, the bank being far too high for it to be taken up at that particular place. No dog accompanied Croswell. and of tracks and traces there arc none, the ground being largely overgrown with fern, etc:." whil.-t the bush extends for 70 or HO miles to Motu and Maugapohatu, in fact it is on the border of the vast Uriwera. Strange to say, although numerous search parties, as many as 30 and 40 at a time, have been out off and on for three weeks, absolutely no sign of the pig, gun or knife have been discovered, nor the spot on the ridge indicated where the '"kill" took place. The country well below the river has been scoured, and the assistance of Bua and his following has been invited to examine awav above the homestead, a reward of -fclOO having- been offered for recovery, dead or alive. Although the country was so exceedingly rough, Croswell has been in and out of it continuously for the past three years, and only a serious accident, it is thought, can account for his non-return.