The Liberator

English Provincial Extracts.

Noble Self-Devotion.

A few weeks ago two miners, Verran and Roberts, were at work at South Caradon new shaft, which is intended to be sunk perpendicularly, through a granite country, to intersect the lode at the depth of 140 fathoms. The present depth is about ten fathoms, and they had prepared a hole for blasting, the fuse inserted, tamped up and ready for firing. On these occasions the men are drawn up by a windlass, and as there are only three in a copse, there is only one man at the brace, and he can only draw up one man at a time; consequently when one man is drawn up and the kibble lowered ready to receive the last man, who has put fire to the fuse, and then both men at the windlass draw him up with the utmost speed, in order that all may get out of the way when the explosion takes place, which is sometimes so violent that large stones are thrown up at the top carrying with them part of the roller and windlass to a considerable height. It unfortunately happened that as the safety fuse with which the hole was charged was longer than was necessary, they inconsiderately took a sharp stone to cut a piece of it off, and ignition instantaneously commenced. They both flew to the kibble, and cried out to the man at the brace to 'wind up!' but alas! after trying with all his might he could not start them. At this awful moment (when the furious hissing of the fuse assured them that their destruction was within half a minute's march of them) Verran sprang out of the kibble, exclaiming to his comrade Roberts, 'Go on brother, I shall be in heaven in a minute!' Consequently, Roberts was drawn up, and Verran threw himself down, and placed his poor devoted head under a piece of plank in one corner of the shaft, awaiting the moment when he should be blown to atoms. Just as Roberts got to the brace, and was looking down with trembling apprehension upon the fate of poor Verran, the whole went off with a tremendous explosion, and a small stone struck Roberts severely on the forehead as he was looking down the shaft. To the inexpressible surprise and joy of the men at the brace, they heard Verran cry out, 'Don't be afraid, I am not hurt!' Roberts immediately descended, and found that the great burden of the blast was thrown in every part of the shaft except the corner where poor Verran was coiled up. This extraordinary circumstance has produced a considerable sensation throughout the district. Not only do they view the escape as a miraculous interposition of Divine Providence. but the conduct of Verran as a noble instance of what a real Christian will do in the moment of extremity