LOST IN THE BUSH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2576, 10 August 1909, Page 2

LOST IN THE BUSH.

. - ■■ - SEEKING FOR GEORGE CROSWELL A PATHETIC LETTER. The following is an extract from a private letter received by a Makaraka resident from a relative at Kairakau : “I supposd yon have heard by this time about the man being lost up here. It is the saddest thing I have ever had anything to do with. „lle is our nearest neighbor just now, about a mile and a half away. Last Saturday iortnight ho went out pig-hunting across the river and got one pig. it was getting late then, so he left the pig and his rifle and tried to get home before dark, but couldn’t, so put the night in in the bush, and when it got light ho went back to get the pig and rifle. i>;;i couldn't find them, so came on home. We heard that day that he (Georgo Croswell) was ]ost, so Hu glue rode down to his place and there he was chopping wood. On the Alonday morning after breakfast George went out again to try and get his rifle and pig, and nothing has been heard or seen of him since. On Alonday afternoon it came up very misty, and started raining. It rained all night and all day Tuesday, and Tuesday night was one of the worst nights I have known; heavy rain and wind. Of course we had no idea that anyone was out in all that till Wednesday morning. I had just got out of bed and got the lire going when I heard a gentle knock at the door, and there was Airs Croswell standing shivering at the door, crying and couldn’t speak 1 knew that something pretty serious had happened, so I coaxed her inside, and she managed to get out, having a fresh cry after every word, that her husband had gone out on the Alonday and had not returned. She had tried to get up to our wln.T’e on Tuesday to tell us about it, but couldn’t manage the children. She started carrying the baby and tried to get her second eldest one {she has three, the eldest one is three years old) to walk! alongside of her, but the poor little thing get so wet, that she had to carry them both home again. Her husband rode across the river when he'wont away and -Jett his horse tied up to a tree on the other side and she told me she could see the water rising over the poor brute’s back on Tuesday night, and when she .went down to the bank it would keep neighing. After I had got her a drink of tea and a bit of breakfast, she got a bit better. She had been crying all night. The creeks she had crossed to get to our place were over her knees, and it took me all my time to get down. Hugliie and I went up the road to give the news to the navvies and settlers further up. Airs Crosswell went back to look after her children. She said she could get back alright. When we got across tho bridge further up the river, we could not get across a big creek, it was bank to bank, so the roadmen started to make a - rope bridge across it. I went down to see that Airs Croswell was alright and take the nows down to tho store, so they could get some one to look after Airs Croswell and tell the police. Airs' Croswell was one of tho Harries that used to live at AYest End. v’hen I got back from the store I went lip to see how she was. She was in a terrible state, crying and all the children crying as hard as they could. Anyhow things quietened down a bit, but I didn’t like to leave her in ease she might go out of her mind, as she didn’t know what she was doing then. She took me down to the river to show me where the horse was tied, and we found it on this side, the rope was still tied round a- big branch. The horse ■ was alive, but looking very much knocked about. Mrs Richards came down after a bit and my word wasn’t I glad. 13y this time Air Richards and Hugh’!© had got over the Tug creek and called out to me to show them where George had gone into the bush. I put them on tho marks and I said I would bring them over some tucker, as they reckoned they would not get out till next day. I struck in the bush at a certain place to join them, but they had changed their minds and went another way, and then went home. Of course I missed them and it took me all my time to get out of.jT’e birchl country before dark. It was about eight o’clock when 1 found a hollow rata tree to sleep in. It was raining at top, no blanket and everything wet. Anyhow that was a mere detail, it was Airs Croswell that was having the worst time of it. Next morning after a very long night I struck away into the back country and couldn’t find or hear anything. The heavy rain had washed out all the footprints and marks. The country 1 got into a man could lose himself in no time if he was not careful. Well, to make a long story short I managed to get home that night and have been out twice since. On Saturday week there were twenty of us out, a party from town had come the day before. Hugliie and I had our last try a few days ago. AVq finished searching some? creeks which wo hadn’t finished last week. One might as well look for a needle in a haystack as look for a man in this country. There are men out yet and, I do hope they will find him, but there is a very small chance. It has upset us altogether, hut I suppose it is for something, that is one consolation, although I can’t see it. It is getting very late and the candle burns low. I hope you are all keeping well over there and are in better spirits that we are here.