Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-06-19
Extraordinary Escape.


We find in the last Abingdon Virginian the
following account of one of the most remark
able escapes on record. 1t was almost mi
raculous:
"The children of Mr.. George Hickan, a
citizen of Scott county, were playing togeth-
er in a field, near the mouth of fathomless
sink-hole In their gambols one of them
boy about eight or ten years pushed his lit
tie brother, about four years old head long o.
yer the hedge and down into the deep dark
pit below 1t was some time after the
child was missed, before any certain informa-
ton could be drawn from the others as
to what had become of him; and ii was only
by threats of severe punishment, that finally
overcame their fear and extorted from the
boy who did the deed, a confession of what
had happened. An effort was made immedi-
ately to ascertain the situation of the little
fellow, and afford him relief if he was not be-
yond its power. Ropes were tied together
with stone attached to one end and an at
tempt was made to fathom the depth beneath
but more than sixty feet of rope were employ
ed in vain; no bottom could be reached. A
lighted candle was then let down, but its light
gave no hopeful indication, except that the
pit was free from choke damp or impure air,
as far down as the candle descended. Night
came on and all further efforts had to be for
that time abandoned. On the next day fur
ther trials were made of the depth of the pit
with no better success. In despair the fran
tic parents were about to give up all hopes of
recovery or relieving their little innocent,
and preparations were being made to close
up the mouth of the pit, to prevent like oc-
currence in the future, when it was suggest
ed and agreed upon, that another and final eff
fort should be made by letting some individ-
ual down by ropes to examine the nature of
the abyss and ascertain if there was any en-
couragement for farther efforts to be found
below. brother of the lost child undertook
the fearful task.
Cords were fastened around his waist and
limbs, and one to his wrist, by which he
might Indicate to those above his wishes e.
ther to descend or to be drawn up. He was
swung off and slowly lowered, until having
gone to the depth of about fifty feet, he look
ed below him, and there shone through the
thick darkness two glistening eyes intently
looking upward. In another moment he was
standing on a shelf or angle in the shaft with
the child clasped to his bosom. He fastened
the little fellow securely to his own body,
and bidding him take the rope firmly in his
hands, the signal was given to draw up
The child hung convulsively to the rope, and
in few minutes, they rose within view of
the hundred anxious spectators, who had as
sembled to witness the result, and when the
first glimpse of the little fellow alive caught
their eager gaze, screams and shouts of JOY
from the excited multitude filled the air, and
big tears of sympathy started from the eyes
of every beholder. After the first paroxysms
of delight had subsided, the child was exam
ined to see if it had sustained any injury, and
extraordinary to tell, with the exception of a
little bruise on the back of its head, it was
perfectly sound and unhurt. The only COM
plant it made was that it was hungry, being
nearly q hours under the ground. To in
quiries made of it, it replied that it saw
light, and heard it thunder. From the ma
ture of the pit, it appeared that the little fel-
low had fallena perpendicular distance of 40
feet, upon slope or bend in the shaft, and
from that place had sided down 20 feet far
ther to the spot where he was found, leaning
against sort of pillar or wall, and gazing
upward. How he escaped instant destruc-
il beyond al account