(From our own correspondent: Dunstan, August 19): Monday's coach from Dunedin arrived all safe yesterday evening, about half-past nine, p.m.
Its arrival was hailed with delight by the inhabitants of this township, whose anxiety for Dunedin news has been very apparent these last three or four days.
On Monday evening accounts of the most distressing nature were brought in from the outlying districts of men and women perishing both from both cold and want in the mountains.
Such doleful tales of misery and human suffering had, perhaps, never been made known amongst the inhabitants of a mining community before. Public feeling was excited to such a pitch that the bare thought or ideal realisation of one-half the horrors that were being noised about, became positively painful.
People wished to render assistance to their fellow-creatures in distress, but could not tell how.
Men who had mates at Campbell's or the Pomahawk rushed off to do what they could to rescue them, and a general determination to search the ranges was mooted; but when about nine o'clock in the evening, two men arrived from a gully between the deep stream and Drunken Woman's, representing themselves as escaping from a small community of eighteen, including women and children, who were buried up in snow, the excitement became intense.
A public meeting was instantly convened by the Resident Magistrate, Jackson Keddell, Esq, at the Union Hotel; the large room was crowded with an anxious and excited auditory, and propositions for succoring the distressed were speedily discussed.
A party of volunteers were speedily enrolled. Clothing, provisions, stimulants, and medicine were quickly contributed by the tradespeople, the loan of horses was freely given to those who were not possessed of those valuable animals, and by midnight the relief party, numbering six members, started on their mission of mercy, amidst the hearty cheers of the good people of Dunstan.
Mr Miles, the driver of the Dunedin coach, reports as having met the party about noon yesterday, within ten miles of their destination, but brings the sorrowful intelligence that the unfortunate people are beyond all human help, the depth of snow being so great that attempts to reach the place of their captivity will be fruitless.
Only the top of one of the dwellings could be seen, and parties who have attempted their rescue were compelled to desist.
