LOST IN HILLS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 183, 7 August 1935, Page 7

LOST IN HILLS

YOUTH FOUND DEAD COMPANION STRUGGLES TO SAFETY A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE I Per Press Association. T ” ' PALMERSTON N., Aug. 6. Of two lads who set out for a day’i shooting in the hills behind Palmerston North on Sunday, and became lost, the younger, Michael Abraham, aged 18, walked out on the Pahiatua side early thifi morning. His companion, Manuel Hart, 21, later was discovered dead, having succumbed to exposure. The story of an experience he will never forget, was told by Abraham. They set out on the way back to their car at the bottom of the foothills, but followed the wrong trail. To make matters worse, they had left their coats and food in the car, so were without means of appeasing hunger or keeping warm. Then rain commenced, with a thick mist, and all hope of discovering the direction in w'hich they were going vanished. They realised, however, that by following down a stream they would come out somewhere, but the creek rose rapidly and at one spot they both went over their heads into the torrent. Already numbed with wet and cold, this immersion nearly spelt disaster for both. Abraham .states that he had to summon a great deal of effort to reach the bank, and then, looking for Hart, discovered him in difficulties, and had to pull him out. Soaking -wet, and numbed in brain as w'ell as limb, they lay down at mid-day on Monday to try and get sleep. Abraham states that when he awoke it was pitch dark, so he went to sleep again. He had seen nothing of Hart in the darkness, and when he woke up the second time his companion was not there. Either he or Hart had moved during the night. He continued down the stream, eventually reaching a farm-house, where he was given dry clothes and a meal. Additional search parties immedi* ately went out from both sides of the range in an endeavour to find Hart, who was finally located lying on the bank of the stream, apparently where he had lain down to sleep. Death was due to exposure.