DROWNED IN A CREEK.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1839, 24 November 1874, Page 3

DROWNED IN A CREEK.

The Pastoral Times relates the following :—"The scene at Boonoke Station, near Deniliquin, the other day when Mr Webber was lost, was one that possibly only takes place in Australia. He, 6ft. high, had left hearty and strong in the morning to place some sheep in one of the paddocks of the run, which is owned lby Messrs Peppin ; he had crossed over twe bridges and had deposited the sheep, when it must have occurred to him that he could make a short cut of it. Instead of returning by the bridges he determined to swim his horse, though the ridei could not swim. In trying to swim across the narrow creek the horse must have rolled orer, and poor Webber was drowned, while the horse landed safely. A (^second) creek now interposed between the horse and the homestead, where at night Webber was expected, but not arriving there for the night young Broughton, one of the overseers, started off a messenger to Conargo to make inquiries, but the missing man had not been' there. In the afternoon succeeding the evening of|the drowningj the horse which Webber rode was discovered within half a mile or so of the homestead. The saddle was wet, and a watertight bag, or pouch, on the sido of the saddle, was full of water, showing that the horse had recently swam the second creek. Webber's faithful dog, too, had just returned. A caficus was now held, and in a very short time 26 mounted horsemen (the men were either shearers or workers on the station) were off to search for Mr Webber They tracked the horse's steps towards the creek, the dog in their company, running from one to another, looking unutterable things in his fidelity. On, on, they went, until they arrived within half a mile or so of the fatal spot, when the dog broke away howling, making straight for the water ; he then plunged in, and swam round the place where his master lay dead in 15ft. of water. Thirteen shearers now took off their clothes and dived for the body, the dog among them the most active. The moment they relaxed their efforts he seemed to be seized with new life, plunged again and again into the water, ducked, dived, and crying bitterly. At length they gave up the search, while they sent off to the station for a boat and draghooks. After ten minutes' Operations with these, the body was recovered. The dog, faithful to the last, when his. master's dead body lay for a few minutes stretched on the bank, clung to the corpse. Fortyeight hours afterwards (Friday, 16) Mr Webhciv -who on Tuesday was well and in thPvigour of his manhood, was interred in Deniliquin Cemetery."