NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1127, 15 May 1911, Page 4

NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE

HARBOUR. ■»Q. ■ . - _ TIMELY RESCUE AND A BOY'S GRIT. Shortly after sis o'clock last evening a number of people rushed into the lolls ()•£«!, on the Quc:n\s Wharf, nnrl informed those iu attendance I hat tlieru was somel-bdy drowning in Iho harbour. Two of the Harbour Hoard ollioial>, Messrs. Mcrcditli and Angel, v.cnt down the wharf, and hoard trios t.n- help .somewhere out on the w.-.tvr. A boat wan rcriui.sitioned from the hulk Oreli, and the harbour officials, accompanied liy Constable Oreagor, and gui'd'.'d by tho crirs, were i-oon making for the .kc.t.o. Jn Ihu liu-antiinc a me-sage reporting the inislmii was soul to H. 11.5. Cambrian, and, alter some time, she displayed her searchlights, and also s«nt oli' :i launch, but the used by tho occupants of th<; dinghy had, in sonic manner, become extinguished.

Tho constable sit the bow of the boat: shouted oiicoiirasjiiiMit lo lho-<> in distress, und. aflt-i'- a lu.'sle willi a sHIY "southerly" (a zipr-zag course, being rowed), Iho rescuers liliiniatcly reached a capsized bnal, on which were clinging two small boy; named Hart and CVrlow.

On being taken on board the boys informed tho party that another of their number, Ellison, had started to swim for the Boat Harbour, with the idea of obtaining assistance. They followed in the direction given, and soon picked him up. When he was got out of the water h<?

mhl that he had been seized with cramp in Hie legs, but had been able to keep himself afloat.

Tho party Chen mack for the tolls office, wliei'e tho rescued ones were made comfortable by the harbour officials. In the meantime the parents of the boys bad been communicated with, and, after receiving a change of clothes, they left for .their respective homes. It seems tnat the boys only purchased the boat (a 12footcr named tho Pita) on Saturday, and. on Sunday morning, oaser to try a sail in their new craft, left for Day s Bay. When about opposite the Cambrian and the Boat Harbour on their return, a sudden squall, from the freshening southerly, came down on them, and the boat turned turtle. Young Ellison helped tho other two boys on to tho bottom of tho boat, but, when he tried to get on to it. himself, he found that tho l»at would not support him, and so started to swim for thp Boat Harbour for sistailee. Ho made a hard fight against (he wind and sea, and it was when lio had accomplished a largo part of tho distance that lie was seized with cramp, as stated above. His action all through was, as far as can be judged, marked by both pluck and presence of mind.