MYSTERY OF THE SEA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1728, 19 April 1913, Page 4

MYSTERY OF THE SEA.

SWIMMER IN MID-OCEAN. A curious incident, involving a mystery of the sea, is reported by the Aberdeen liner Marathon, which arrived at Melbourne last week. When the vessel was about midway between Teneriffo and Capo Town, in lldeg. lOmin. south, and ldeg. 52rain. west, the lookout man, in the "crow's nest" reported to the 'bridge that he saw what appeared to bo a human being abreast of the ship on the port 6ido, and distant about 80 yards. The next moment a bare arm was seen, which disappeared a few seconds later. Ho declares a head appeared, and this also disappeared. Tho ship was immediately turned round, and retraced her course for two miles. Tho port side emergency boat was manned'and lowered to tho deck rail in readiness to pick up the man when ho was next sighted. Tho vessel was kept steaming slowly in tho vicinity, and a. sharp lookout was maintained from various points of- vantage oh the ship. After an hour's search, nothing having been seen again, tho snip continued on her way to Cape Town. There were no ships within a considerable distance of the Marathon's course. The lookout man adheres strictly to his story, and declares he is perfectly ( sure that tho object ho sighted was a human being swimming towards tho sliip.