AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12145, 3 February 1909, Page 7

AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE

(Per Press Association)

CHRISTCHURCH, February 1. Mr Davis, a Tai Tapu resident, had a startling adventure en Friday evening. Ho was bringing cows from a paddock near his house, which paddock was belted by pines of great height. While passing under one giant 120 ft high, a vivid flash of lightning illuminated the scene, followed by a thunder clap. Davis heard splitting and a rendering crash, and had the sensatiou of being surrounded by fire. All round him large splinters of wood fell with dead branches, and also pine cones. The experience was most terrifying, and Davis lost little time in seeking the shelter of Mr R. MacArtney's family residence on the other side, of the road, the occupants of which wera also considerably startled. Men in tho whnre close to Davis's padde*ek. saw a bbtil of firo bouncing aboilt thp'.plrWook Jika a football; A "Star" correspondent*-visited the' locality on Saturday. The pine referred,to was of -green foliage.: and has the appearance M ;being'the vhighest in the,p'antalion.i> The tree was'struck about 80 feet fromthe ground, at which height a big sUc-3 had been- torn oub of the trunk-. Oixa larga slab of timber was lying under the tree, another across the branches adjacent to the pin;). From the spot where struck tho tree, was completely stripped - of ,tark. and for a radius of 25 yards the ground was strewn .with flakes of bark, timber, dead branches, and cones. Davis had a very narrow escape, and the tree, acting as a lightning conductor, no doubt saved his 1i cc. What can only be described*as a sheet of watel followed tho thunder, and in a ihinnte's time the roads wore covered-with tonv^t^/ The- fetorrn I;ista4?cnJy J .;a;-fej^s* minuted, but was lively while it lasted,; and the remaindor of the evening vsas b'^iutifullv fine.