The Lost Child of Buninyong

 

Buninyong Cemetary- Presbetarian Section Plot No 25. Photo Andrew Parker

Ballarat Star (Vic.: 1865 - 1924), Friday 25 October 1867, page 2 

An inquest was held on Thursday, 24th October, at the Crown hotel, Buninyong, on the remains of Jessie McIntosh which had been found on the previous day about two o'clock, by John Hodges, who was engaged in cutting props on the spur of a range lying between King Gully and Water Gully, a distance of about five miles from Buninyong, and three miles from the Green Hills Bridge, where the child was last seen alive. The remains lay in an open space, though surrounded by growing and fallen timber. The vicinity had been traversed by the search-parties more than once. No later than Sunday last, a party of Ballarat horsemen passed the side of the range on which the object of their search lay; but the apparent inaccessibility of the place, and the unsuitability of a cavalcade in a bush search rendered the effort fruitless. Immediately on the discovery, steps were taken to communicate rtb the police at Buninyong, but they were met on their return from the National Company's claim, where it was ascertained that a miner employed had recently observed a child's foot prints at or near King Gully. The remains, which had not been disturbed, were at once conveyed to Buninyong. As the child is supposed not to have survived the cold, fatigue, and exhaustion more than a few days, decomposition had of course set in extensively, but the drenching rains that preceded the discovery had rendered the appearance of the remains less repulsive than after removal to Buninyong. The body lay on the back, the head being turned on the side. The dress was apparently undisturbed save the disarrangement caused by the right leg being pulled out of position by the ravenous animal which had completely denuded that leg and thigh of flesh. One of the boots lay at a little distance, having been taken off possibly to relieve pain from the travelling. The child's remains were interred in the Buninyong Cemetery, the procession leaving Buninyong, at four o'clock on Thursday. The subjoined is the evidence taken at the inquest: — 

John McIntosh, the child's father, stated that she was four years and five months old; that she went out of his house about half-past eleven o'clock on Sunday the 13th instant. He thought she went after an elder brother and sister who had gone a short distance into the bush, but on their return without having seen or heard anything of Jessie, he searched about for some time and then gave the alarm to some neighbours who joined in the search. As they progressed, they learned from a Chinaman that she had been seen at the head of Devonshire Lead, where they sought for her in vain. Towards sunset they heard she had been seen by Messrs Jenner and England at the Green Hills Bridge about midday near McClelland's fence. He identified the remains as those of his lost child. 

Thomas England, a farmer, residing on Mount Buninyong, stated that when riding towards Buninyong on Sunday, the 13th ins: about half-past twelve o'clock, accompanied by Mr Edwin Jenner, they saw a fair-haired child in the bush about one hundred yards from the Green Hills Bridge. She was crying and did not see them. They were in search of cattle, and did not reach Buninyong till three o'clock, and had not heard of the child bring lost till 5 o'clock, when witness went to the police and accompanied by a constable, he pointed out where he had seen the child. He identified the remains as those of the child he had seen. 

John Hodges stated that he was cutting props on the south side of Kings Gully on Wednesday, and in looking for suitable timber saw the child's head and without looking further at it went home to give information of what he had seen. Meeting with a constable, the remains were conveyed to Buninyong. The body lay on the back, the head being to one side. He had been at work on the range for the past fortnight. 

Constable Barry stated that he and Sergeant Smith were in search of the deceased on Wednesday and going towards the Durham they heard that a miner in the National Company's claim had seen a child's footprint in some gully. On their return they ascertained that the remains had been discovered by Hodges as described. 

The following is the verdict of the jury: —"That Jessie McIntosh's death took place about the 14th or 15th inst. in King Gully, Parish of Buninyong and we are of opinion that the cause of her death was exhaustion from fatigue and exposure to wet and cold whilst being lost in the bush after straying from her home on Sunday, 13th inst."