"MAN OVERBOARD."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1245, 29 September 1911, Page 4

"MAN OVERBOARD."

AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE. (By Tclecr.iph.—Press Association A Auckland, September 23. Tho crew of Uio s.s. Tomoana, which arrived from New York this morning, had a somewhat startling expericnco shortly after leaving the island of St. Vincent. Ono of liio natives from the island, apparently being anxious to get away, stowed away in tho vessel, lie wns not discovered, and it was not till Captain llayter slinped his course for St. J;igo, another island of tho group, that the man made his presence known. Evidently the. native thought that it would )>e much worse to 1» landed on St. Jago tlian to have stayed at St. Vincent, better indeed to die. Accordingly, just about dark, ho rushed on dtck, and before anyone could prevent him ho jumped high into the water, screaming as lie leapt and disappeared astern. A fully-manned boat was lowered away immediately 011 the call "Jinn overboard." Tho party in the boat searched for nearly an hour, but no trace of the unfortunate man could be found. It was quite dark by tho timv tho. boat got back to the steamer, and as tho sea was very choppy somo difficulty was experienced in getting alongside. When the boat was finally in a position to bo hoisted aboard, one of tho men, in an endeavour to steady her, fell out and drifted away into tho darkness. By this timo tho boat was well out of tho water, but in response to frantic cries from its occupants was lowered again, and a start made after tho missing man. His shouts soon attracted those in the boat, and lie was picked up, tho boat returning and being hoisted aboard this time without any unusual incident.