The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-10-08

| depth OF IOrCy IeeJ' diC0t "Hion OA0J
rolled g considerable distance over
stones and among bushes, Richards
breaking his leg and getting wedged be-
tween two rocks. Derry fell or rolled to
a lower depth, and was severely cut and
bruised about the face and body. He
and May crawled up to the side of Rick
ards, and then May, who was the least
hurt of the three, managed, by mount
ing on Derry's shoulders, to get hold
on the rugged face of the precipice, and
to climb up and up till he emerged
from the ravine down which they had
fallen.
By piece of good fortune, which
neither he nor any inhabitant OF the
district can account for, this man was
able TO effect a safe descent of the
mountains, pursuing at hap-hazard
course quite unknown to ordinary climb
ers. For thlrty-sx hours the bruised
and helpless men at the bottom of the
ravine lay exposed to the bitter wealth
er. 1t was winter with our friends oil
the Cape Colony, and that the cold had
been more than usually severe may be
inferred from the fact that snow had
fallen in those regions, phenomenon
of exceeding rarity. Richards, a strong
and heavily built man, bore the expos.
ure wonderfully WE'LL though the pain
of his broken leg must have been great.
Derry, who is of slighter frame and
much less robust, nearly sank beneath
the cold exhaustion. They had nothing
to eat or drink, and the rain, the mists
of the two long dreary nights, and the
biting winds almost chilled the last
spark of life from their benumbed and
aching bodies.
Guided, it would almost seem, by the
homing instinct which had been at
tributed to some animals. May reached
place of human habitation, and told
his urgent and piteous tale to helpful
hearers. 1t was late on the Tuesday
when the appeal for succor was made.
No time, however, was lost in respond
ing to it. Two brothers named Sedg-
wick, knowing the mountains like map,
raised a party of railway men, with six
of whom one of these gallant leaders
started by lanterrf light at ten o'clock
on dark wintry night. Making the
ascent by the Platteklip, Mr.. Sedgwick
and his companions held on their way
to the gorge where it was expected that
the men would be found. 1t was very
dark, as they cautiously felt their way
downward, the lanterns showing only
the wall of rock at the side, but throw
ing no CLEAN on the danger that might
be at their feet. Gradually the gorge
closed in, while the footing in the water
course which served for path was so
uncertain that the help of ropes from
above was needed to enable the explor-
ers to continue their descent. At length
they came to the edge of a ravine where
further progress was barred, and now
from below, to their repeated shouts,
a feeble answer was heard. 1t seemed
to tell that he who spoke was powerless
to move, his leg being broken, and
that his sufferer was dead. This
mistake, whether made by the speaker
or by those above, in misinterpreting
the weak and indistinct accents, was
soon rectified. ltwas then four o'clock,
and there was no possibility of making
any attempt to remove the men before
daylight. Their forms could Just be
made out sitting at the base of wall
of rock below. A flask of brandy was
lowered to them by rope; but so ut
terly exhausted and benumbed were
they from hunger and rain and cold
that they could not remove the stopper
from the bottle. This was done for
them, and the vessel was again lowered,
after which all that could be done was
to wait, wishing for day.
Meanwhile, at three o'clock, Mr.. G..
Sedgwick, with second party. followed
up the mountain and joined the first di-
vision of rescuers, as they were waiting
for dawn to begin the work of deliver
ance. About six o'clock operations
were commenced. From the top of the
mountain ropes were let down, and also
from the ledge Immediately overhang-
ing the ravine. On that narrow ridge
where the accident had happened three
men, with Mr.. Sedgwick, were able tc
keep foothold, which they had made
more secure by clearing away some o.
the small stones and earth, and by TAX
ing advantage of every stunted bush.
The lines from above also served to
steady them as they let down their
ropes over the heads of the two men.
Only one of them Richard Richards,
was able to assistin adjusting the nooses
of the ropes, and Mr.. c. Sedgwick vol
unteered to be let down to make the at.
tachment secure. When the sufferers
were hauled out of their dangerous DO
sition to the lower ledge, cocoa and
brandy were administered to them and
covering was provided for their hall
frozen limbs. Both men have since
been going on well, and all that now re.
mains to be told is that handsome and
well-deserved subscription has been
raised for the men who bravely an.
swered to the call which was made on
their humanity by the gallant brothers
Sedgwick.-LondOn DAILY Telegraph.
How an Inherited Farm Was Divided.