IN THE rescue tunnel of the Beaconsfield mine, Glenn Burns tapped away at the crust above him with a hammer and iron bar.
The specialist miner, known as the Fox, cracked through into the space above, and looked up. His lamp caught the eye of Todd Russell, staring back. It was a happy eye, Mr Burns said. "A very happy eye."
Mr Burns made enough room so that he could put his gnarled hand up, and he shook one offered in reply. "I just said, 'Owyezgoin'? And they said: 'Orright'."
The trapped men, Mr Russell and Brant Webb, were saved. It was about 4am, or 320 hours after the cataclysmic rock fall that triggered this great mine rescue.
The two men came to the surface with surprising spring in their step. They strode from the mine lift almost like victorious footballers, grinning, joking and lifting their arms high in victory before sweeping their wives and families into their embrace.
At the Club Hotel the publican, Chris Rundle, threw open the doors when he heard the miners were about to be freed. The pub was packed after they had been taken to hospital, he said.
But the celebrations quietened while mourners attended the funeral of Larry Knight, the miner killed by the rock fall on April 25.
Friends, family and colleagues told the funeral service at St John's Anglican Church in Launceston that Mr Knight, 44, was an easy-going, calm man whose motto was "She'll be right, sport".
About 700 mourners filled the picturesque church and spilled over to an adjoining building, and included Todd Russell, reportedly 10.5 kilograms lighter after his ordeal, the Beaconsfield mine manager, Matthew Gill, and the Tasmanian Premier, Paul Lennon.
It was unclear whether Mr Webb managed to attend the service, although he had told doctors he intended to. The streets around the church were lined by hundreds of wellwishers despite overcast skies and drizzling rain.
Mr Rundle, who has lived in Beaconsfield for 25 years and has run the pub for three, said it was the biggest celebration he had seen - beating the night the miners were found alive.
Mr Russell's brother-in-law, Allan Bennett, spoke for his family when he said: "It's what dreams are made of, mate."
The Prime Minister, John Howard, told a news conference: "I just want to say how relieved and elated the whole country is and what a huge tribute this is, the way everybody has pulled together."
But as the jubilant welcome in Beaconsfield subsided, and the first unsanitised accounts emerged yesterday from rescuers, it became clear that their ordeal was even harsher than realised.
