Washed Overboard.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 April 1910, Page 4

Washed Overboard.

THRILLING TALE OF TUJ SEA. Michael Henry Ryan (says 'the New York World), an able seamam on the Philadelphia, was, washed overboard by a wave and- picked up in nine minutes during a westerly galo and a high rolling sea. To •his own coolness, and the seamanship of Captain A.- R. Mills, Ryan, who is a Jlaltimoroiwi of athletic build, owes his life. The American liner, leaving Southampton on January d, had reached 'tho of 27 west. The passengers wore at luncheon and Captain Mills on tho bridge. The ship had dipped up a let of water on the down side of a wave, when a gangway went adrift. The bo'sun, Ernest Sargent, with five hands, was ordered to secure it. Captain Mills had taken the precaution to slow down, and to this order tins hero of this tale owes his life. Another plunge of the bowsprit, another lump of a sea. a wave-swept, deck, and all the watch were down grabbing for gear, or staunch eon, or rail. Ryan went overboard through the open gangway. 'man overboard. The captain, from the bridge, caught his first sight of him on a heaving swell abaft the bridge. He let tlie ship go. on a bit to allow the man to clear the screws.

Charles Lenz, able seaman, the "deekman," was just where he should have been—on his job. Lenz is an inventor, the patentee of a quick-release life-buoy. Here was the inventive sailor's chance to, prove the value of his own device —an opportunity which he had been waiting for years. The buoys were all strung along the ship's rails. Lenz quickly seized one and thing it so that it fell within four fathoms of the swimming Ryan, who, still encased in oilskins and sou'wester, had off his rubber boots. Through the saloon ports a .steward, gazing seaward between courses, had glimpsed the struggling ma noutside. He raised the alarm within. All passengers jumped up aaid ran to the ports or rails. To lower a boat in such a sea was impossible. "Poor man, he has no chance," everybody said. The ship, now reversed, was going back to where Ryan was bobbing. Ho deliberately swam for the buoy, thrust his arm through it, and finally got within it.

ONE CHANCE,

Captain Mills said there was one chance—one in a thousand. He would back until the shin was abeam of the sailor, and make the Philadelphia a lee for Ryan. An error in judgment meant that the plucky sea man would surely lose the millibar of his mess. As soon as he got the sailor dead abeam Captain Mills stopped his engines r.'iul let tho wind blow the! steamer down sidiewisc upon the cool seaman. A gangway was unshipped amidships, and steady hands ready with a heavy line. A sea ladder was over the'side, but Captain Mills judged that Ryan had not sufficient strength to climb it. A sailorman running along the rail, lowered the bite of the hcnviii" lime into the man's benumbed hands. A shout arose from the deck. The passengers cheered again and •igain. But something displeased the phlegmatic Ryan. He looked at the bowline knot on the ropes critically, and then sang up from the water, " What lobster made this knot? This is no shipshape wav to make -a bowline on a bight." Clinging with one hand to tho heaving line, he laboured with bloodless lingers to unloose the knot. Tt seemed an eternity to both crew and passengers. Sonic of his shipmates say Ryan was five minutes making the bowline afresh.

A COOL SAILOR. v At length he had adjusted the ki:ot to his satisfaction. He slipped it over his head and under his arms, while the amateur photographers got busy snapshotting him nt all stages of his ascent and arrival back' aboard, the self-con-scious Ryan doing his share of the posing. ' Some of the women could have hugged the dripping sailor. Dr Henderson gave him a good strong draw at a brandy bottle, and Ryan was seen on watch again, while the passengers returned below to finish their luncheon. "That thing couldn't happen again in a blue moon," said Captain Mills, "if we'd been going at full speed Ryan would have lost the number of his mess, sure." Captain Mills says the rescue took just nine minutes.