The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1875-05-29
An Adventure in a ConI-Pit.

Tritlcs often lead tn great disasters, and
ii seemed but iriilc 10 me when, one
November morning, Il telegram WAS put
into my friend Wiliis's hands aS We were
preparing fora days shooting. His pres
cncc WAS demanded in London on some
trust business, and he had immcdiatcly-to Ia
give up all idea Of sport. lie begged me,
h"wcvcr, To take Rover and the keeper,
and pursue my recreation as il hc were
with me. ] WAS not eager to make Il large
bag; so | determined To discard the man,
and take Il long raulbie OH the lonely hills
behind Bradford, in the hope of picking
up 4 stray wOOd-cuck, rs well us brace
or two of grouse. Perhaps | was Il little
tired of partridgcs amongst the turnips,
and wanted an excuse for a walk us much
rs anything. The day was somewhat
gloomy. Torn wisps of dark cloud hur-
ricd over the hills ut the back Of my
friends house, but did not mind Il wet
ting; so | started with Rover, my pointer,
who friskcd about in rs cXhiuratcd II
state ~ his master. SnDn | gained Batl-
don Fell, the highest point in the district,
and turned To look on the tall chimncys
and smoky pail Of Bradford. Thence my
course lay over hill and valley, succeeding
one another in gentle aCclivitics. Neither
grouse, which were very wild, nor wood
cock, fell to my gun. At noon, rested,
an'l ate II couple of biscuits, by way Of
lIncn. Then un again; and on rising u
slope. | bchcId II small scrub of bramblcS,
spruce iirS, and larch, with II holly or two
intcrminGicd, surrounded Iy II dilapi,latca
fence. Ii WAS about II hundred yards
across, and none " lie trees was more
than ten feet high; b.. il was in shcl.
tered spot, and MAS just Il 4 place in which
II wuodcOck would rest, n short time after
his flight. Rover divincd my intention,
and pushed on few yards before me. No
one was in sight. \ few sheep dotted the
face of the opposite hill. Rain had be-
gun to u degree. climbed the slight
fence, and followed Rover into thc brush
wood. y dozen steps, and suddenly
felt myself slip forward. | caught the
stem of II larch, and, to my horror, gii,lcd
down, with n crushing of sticks and II
howl from the terrified ,l"g-glidcd down
~ ii might bG for moment or two,
through bush and brake, then, with mn
awful plunge, VIC all disappeared into
darkness, while bushes and earth ratified
over me for another few seconds. 10 this
succeeded crash and stunning blow,
and ! knew no more.
After what seemed an aye, | came To
myself, weak and sorcly numhcd; every
limb aching, and my head splitting with
agony, but without any broken bones, rs
discovered when able tn stand MP again.
The fact of my having slid down on the
mhss of debris, hal provilcntially saved
my life, Tut the disrntanuling myself
most smoihcrcd me, took of itself some
little time. Slowly recollection returned
with the glow of blood in It's old chan
ncls, after having been frozen, ~ il were,
by the shock. It was pitch dark. and
awful silence rcignrd around. High MP.
| could discern Il patch of gray sky. but
il was evidently the hour of twilight, and
soon il too faded out. AZ length, gath.
cred my senses, and the conviction then
flashed upnn me that hnd fallen down
the shaft Of II diSuscd nal.minC, and that
too, one situated in such am 0ut.uf.thc-wal
valley over the bleak hillsidcs. that rcscrIt
was extremely improbable. Willis, now
remembered, had mentioned these old
| Shafts to me lrw days ago. and bad iulG
| me that scrub and bIusliwoud were usu
nlly planted over the site Or them, oi
some rough plnuks and hurdles Ionscl,
thrown over The yuwuinG mouth of thr
pit. Alas, his cautions had been throw
| away.
Striking light with fuscc, | found !
was six o'clock; So that must have beer
unconscious for some hours. a few drop
from my brandy flask greatly rcStnrc,l me
aud began Ia move about, for. though
much oppressed with the horror of III,
situation, wanted - circulate my blood
and attain my full powers of Thought
settled at once that il wa1 M use l.
give in and lie on The heap which hat
fallen with me, till death cam, hy inches
Perhaps, if iirch a ,lut, il might attraC
notice, nnd enable Inc at thr same time l.
see for moment where | was. Accord
ingiy, took aim in the direction + con
ccivcd the shaft was, and drew tho trigger