at Wallsend Colliery, June, 1835. 355 



the colliery, of whom there were few who had not fathers, sons, brothers, 

 or other relations in the fatal pit, were most anxious to make ever possible 

 effort, at the risk of their lives, to endeavour to save the lives of their 

 friends and relatives. The difficulty was how to direct the zealous efforts 

 of those brave men, many of whom were suffering from the efforts they had 

 already made in the after-damp, and Mr. Atkinson was ill in bed from 

 its poisonous effects. All the overmen and wastemen were likewise near- 

 ly worn out with it. Besides, I had some reason to apprehend, that the 

 coal was on fire in some part of the workings, and that another explosion 

 was not improbable. 



Before I could decide what course it might be most advisable to adopt, I 

 found it requisite to ascertain precisely the situation of the colliery as far 

 as had been discovered, and what had been done between the time of the 

 accident and my arrival. The information I received from the several par- 

 ties was as follows : — 



Just about two o'clock in the afternoon, as John Patterson, one of the 

 bankmen at the G. Pit, was in the act of landing the middle corf,* a heavy 

 rumble took place in the shaft, accompanied by a gust of wind which threw 

 the low corf out of the top of the pit, and carried his hat and cap over the 

 top of the engine-house. He knew it was a blast, and stepping back a few 

 paces, he looked towards the C Pit, when in about a minute or two, he ob- 

 served an eruption of a lightish coloured smoke issue from the mouth of 

 that pit, but it was only a single piiff, and ceased almost immediately. No 

 smoke or vapour was ejected from the mouth of the G Pit, but immediately 

 after the rush of wind which carried his hat off, every thing was as tranquil 

 as if nothing had happened. The shaft was clear and appeared to be cast- 

 ing down as usual. 



As soon as his first alarm had subsided a little, he called down the pit, 

 but received no answer ; he then desired the brakeman to draw up the 

 north rope, which he attempted to do, but found it fast, and on applying 

 the full power of the engine, it gave way with a jerk, as if it had broken. 

 On drawing it up, however, the rope was not found to be injured, but the 



* Three corves were drawn at once, being suspended upon the chain, attached to the 

 end of the rope, at short intervals below each other. 



