Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-09
Ex.raor.E.nmsy ESCAPE.

We find in the last Abingdon NrglnIan
the following account of one of the most
remarkable escapes probably on record
Il is almost miraculous:
The children of Mr.. George Hickan, a
citizen of Scott county, were playing to-
gcthcr in field, and near the mouth Of a
fathomless sink-hole. intheir gambols,one
of them, boy about eight or ten years of
age pushed lis little brother. about four
years old, head-long over the edge and
down into the deep dark pit below. 1t
was some time after the child was missed,
before any certain information could be
drawn from the others as TO what had be-
come Of him; and it was only the threats of
severe punishment that finally overcame
their fear and cxtorted from the boy who
| did the decd confession ofwhat had hap
pened. An effort was made Immediately
to asceriainihc situation the little fellow,
ard afford him relief ifhe was not beyond
its power. Ropes were tied together
with a stone attached to one end and an at
tempt was made to fathom the depth be-
meath, but more than sixty feet Of rope
were employed in VAN; no bottom could
be reached. A lighted candle was then
let down, bu, its light gave no hopeful in
dication, except that the pit was free from
choke GGmp or impure air, as far down as
the candle descended Night came on
and all further efforts had to be for the
time abandoned. Ga the next day further
trials We're made ofthc depth of the pit,
but with no better success. In despair the
frantic 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 occurrence in the future,
when it was suggested and agreed upon,
that another and final effort should be
made by letting some individual down by
ropes to examine the nature ofthc abyss
and ascer,ainif there was any encourage
ment for farther efforts to be found below.
A brother of the lost child undertook the
fearful t;sk.
Cords were fastened aroundhis waist and
limbs, and one to his wrist, by which he
might indicate TO those above his wishes
either 10 descend or 10 be drawn up. He
was swung OF and slowly lowered, until
having gone to the depth Of about fifty feet,
helookcd below himand there shone through
thcthick darkness two ghsteuirgcy intent
" looking upward. la another moment
he was standing on a shelf or angle In the
shaft with the child claspcd 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 arose
within view of the hundred anxious spec
tators, who had assembled 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 filed the air, and big tears Of
sympathy started from the eyes Of every
bcholdcr After the first paroxy sus Of de-
light had subsidized, the cLild was examin-
cd to see i. it had sustained any injury. and
extraordinary 10 tell, with tie exception Of
a little bruise OF the back Gifts head,it was
perfectly sound and unhurt. The only
complaint it made was that II was hungry,
bei.g nearly 81 hours under the ground.
To inquiries made of II, il replied that il
saw lght, and heard it thunder. Froln
The nature OF ihe pit, it appeared that the
little fellow had fallen a perpendicular DIS
lance of 40 feet. upon slope or bend IN
the shaft, and from that place had Sided
down 20 feet further TO the spot where he
was found, leaning against a sort ofpillar
or wall, and gazing upward. How he es-
capped instan, destruction is beyond all ac-
count.