William Robertson (1867-29/1/1886). "both suddenly disappeared"

Head of the Lake.

DEATH BY DROWNING

(From our own correspondent.)

Kinloch, 28th instant. At a quarter past ten on Wednesday morning a sad and fatal accident occurred, by a man and his horse both being drowned about 10 feet from the beach. A young man named William Robertson, aged about 19 years, son of Mr David Robertson, fanner, of Kelso, near Tapanui (who was in the employ of Mr W. Marshall, wood splitter), went for a horse which had wandered away into the bush. It was harnessed and grazing near the sledge, and the men were waiting to see if the rain would clear off. The horse wandered (as they thought) towards the stable, but it had taken a different turn and gone towards Kinloch. Robertson went after it, but it was about a mile on the track before he overtook it, near Mr Forsyth's. Some children coming to school met the horse and tried to stop it, but could not. They then met Robertson, whom they saw catch it and lead to a stump, as if to get on. They went to school, and in about ten minutes the sawmill men came running by. Mr Murray with a rope ran along the beach. Mr B. Ferry and Mr H. McBride jumped into a boat — the wind and a rough lake materially retarding their progress. 

It appears that Mr Murray (whilst at the saw) perceived a man on horseback going into the Lake about 400 yards from the mill, and thinking it so unusual a thing he stopped the saw, and observed Robertson give the horse a sudden jerk and turn its head towards Glenorchy side, when they both suddenly disappeared. The horse rose and Mr Ferry (who was also at the sawmill) saw Robertson still on its back, holding the reins. When Murray got opposite the horse was struggling as if to free its head. Doubtless the young man had slipped off the bare back and was clinging to the rein, thus keeping the horse's mouth under water. By the time the boat came up both had sunk. The lake was too rough to see down any depth. Had Robertson not held so tight to the rein the horse would most likely have swam to shore and brought him safe home.  -Lake Wakatip Mail, 29/1/1886.

East Taieri Cemetery.