Year: 1873




filled it almost to the roof. For more
than half mile they had to walk or
rather to crouch along in STOPPING pos
ture through this conduit, the water Of
ten up to their shoulders-so sometimes,
indeed, with barely room for their heads
to pass between the surface of the Shiny
water and the rough roof above. But at
length they reached the bright daylight
as it streameJ over the green holms and
autumn woods of the Girvan, no man
missing save him whom they had done
their best to rescue. They were the
first to bring the tidings of their escape
to the terrified villagers.


No attempt could at first be made to
save the poor fellow. As the colliers
themselves said, not even creel, or lit
tie coal basket, could get down the
crushed shaft of the pit The catastro-
phe happened on Wednesday, and on the
Sunday following, DIR. HilE-afterwards
a conspicuous man in the Church Of
Scotland-made it the subject of a pow
erfui appeal to his people. In the words
of lady, who was then, and is still re-
sident in the neighborhood, ''he made
us feel deeply the horror of knowing that
human being was living beneath our
feet dying most fearful death. On
the Sunday following we met with the
conviction that whatever the mans suff-
erings had been they were at last over,
and he had been dead some days. On
the third Sunday the event had begun
to pass away.


After the elapse of some days the
cracking and groaning of the broken
roof had so far abated. that it became
possible once more to get down into the
pit The first efforts were, of course,
directed towards that part of the work
ings where the body was believed to be
lying. But the former roadways were
found to be so completely blocked up,
that no approach to the place could be
had, save by cutting new tunnel through
the ruins This proved to be work Of
great labor and difficulty for not only


were the materials extremely hard


through which the new passage must be


cut a dead body lay in the pit, and


awakened all the superstition of the col


liers. At times they would work we'll


but their ears were ever on the alert fol


strange wierd sound, and often woulc


they come rushing out from the work


ings in terror at the unearthly gibber


ings which ever and anon would g


soughing through the mine


A fortnight had passed away. Th'


lessee. like the rest of the inhabitants


believ, d poor Brown to be already dead


and brought a gang of colliers from an


other part of the country to help in clear


ing out and reopening his coal pit. Blu


party of the men continued to worl


upon the tunnel that was to lead to tt,


body, They cut through the hard crush


ed roof long passage. just wide enough


to let man crawl along upon his el


bows, and at last, early on the mornin!


of the twenty third day after the acci


dent, they struck through the last par


of the ruined mass into the open work
ings beyond. The rush of foul air iron
these workings put out their lights an,


compelled them to retreat One of thei


number was dispatched to upper air fo
a couple of boards, or corn sieves, or an
: broad, fiat thing he could lay hands on


with which they might advance into th
workings, and watt the air about, so a


to mix it, and make it more breathable
Some time had to elapse before the mes


senger could make the circuitous jour
ney, and meanwhile the foulness of tn
air had probably lessened When tn
sieves came one of the miners agreed t
advance into the darkness, and try t
, create current of air; the rest were


follow. In a minute or two, however
he rejoined them, almost speecbless wit
, fright In winnowing the air with hi
arms. he had struck against a wago
standing on the roadway. and the nois
: he had made was followed by distine
0 groan. A younger member of the gan
\ volunteered to return with him. Ae
a vancing as before, the same wagon stol
f ped them as their sieve came again'
i the end Of it, and again there arose frol
e out the darkness of the mine, a fain
d but audible groan. Could it be the poo
! castaway, or was it only another vile
. the arch enemy to lure two colliers mo-
e to their fate ? Gathering up all II
n courage there was left in him. one
: them broke the awful silence of the pla.
d by. solemnly demanding: '.If that's yo,
It ain groan, John Brown, in the name
n God gle another" They listened. ar
- after the echoes of his voice had cease
d they heard another groan, coming appa
d emily from the roadway only few var,
h ahead. They crept forward, and four
If their comprehensive.


le In few seconds the other collier
is who had been anxiously waiting the r
d suit. we're also beside the body of Jol
n Brown They could not see it, for tn,
lie had not yet resumed their lights; b