A SINGULAR ACCIDENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3357, 11 January 1879, Page 4

A SINGULAR ACCIDENT.

A few days ago (says the Dubbo Despatch) a strange adventure befel Mr Richard Ridge, superintendent for Messrs Richardson, at Moonagee. He was returning from an inspection of some country at and beyond Cooper's Crook, belonging to Mr W. W. Richardson. In his buggy were two cattle puppies, a number of charts of the country he had been examining and taking over, 125 revolver cartridges, a pound canister of powder, and a five-barrelled revolver loaded in all the chambers. Whilst driving alongr tho Warrego, twenty miles or so from Cunnambulla, he heard one of tho dogs growling, and looking down, discovered the buggy was on fire. He jumped out at once, unharnessed the pair of horses, and let them away from the vehicle. Coming back to the buggy, he fund that while ho was taking the horfles out the puppies had been burnt to death. He then attempted to save some of the luggage, but just us he was leaning over the buggy the cartridges commenced going off right and left. .Bullets were flying about in all directions, and he was hit in three places — on the shoulder, shin, and thumb. The wounds were not severe, fortunately only breaking the Bkin ; but under the circumstances Mr Ridge was remarkably fortunate that ho was not dangerously or mortally wounded. About this time Mr Robert Neal, of Cooper's Creek, who was travelling in company with Mr Ridge, came up in a buggy. Mr Ridge waved his hand for him to keep back, but Mr Neal did not understand what was meant, and the first intimation he received of tho state of offairs was from a bullet which whizzed paat his car.- • r l'ho rovolvor had by this time commenced to discharge its leaden load, and in the meanwhile Mr Ridge (who went to the horses) had to remain in close proximity — the animals being too frightened by the report of the cartridges to move. The canister of powder now exploded, and shattered the body of the buggy, pieces of it flying in all directions. Nothing was now loft but the wheels and undercarriage, and Mr Ridge had to travel tho remainder of his journey in Mr Neal'a buggy.