MAN OVERBOARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1923, Page 4

MAN OVERBOARD.

A MID-OCEAN ‘SWIM. INI [DENT ON THE ARAWA. WELLINGTON, Jan. 27. During the voyage of the Shaw ■'it vi 11 and Albion liner Arawa, which 1 rived at Wellington-oil Thursday nun Hondo 11 and Southampton, one of he vessel’s rjtiai terniasters, William alls .aged twenty-three years, was ac•identally knocked overboard in midicenn during boat drill, and was res. •tied after being nearly half an hour in the water. The accident oeeune-l about I.AO o'clock on the afternoon of December AO, a day before the vessel arrived at Colon. The weather was fine and warm, the sun shilling brightly, hut the sea was beginning to rise. A "Dominion” reporter who interviewed Ellis while he was on duly at the ship’s gangway got the young quarterniester’s own description oi eis thrilling adventure. Rout drill was in progress, hundreds of passengers watching ■ the proceedings. Ellis was stationed at No. ,8 lilelioiit, the last, on the port sitle ol the boat deck, lie went on the outside ol the lifeboat which was resting on Die chocks on the deck. This lifeboat was to he manned by a number of stewards in ease of disaster, and they were being drilled, when someone called to l-.llis to move the chock under the centre of the lifeboat. Ellis proceeded to carry out this order when the ship s rolling caused the lifeboat to swing against him, and at the same time the chock struck him on the hack of the legs. Ellis fell himself failing backward. and he made a desperate grasp at the lifeline that runs roffnd the outside of the lifeboat, lie just managed tn touch the line with the tips'of his fingers, hut. to his dismay, was unable to »ave himself from tumbling hackwards into the sea. Railing a distance of over forty feet, he struck the water with the Hat of his back. "I was numbed bv the concussion.” he said, "hilt as the big liner rushed past me ! felt the port propeller drawing me m. I knew what would happen if 1 didn't make an attempt to gel away -I didn’t fancy being cut to pieces, so I struck out as hard as I could go. In a few moments I hoard the roar ol t propeller and managed to clear it. .sexl. tiie suction spun me around like a top, and 1 was absolutely helpless. When 1 fell I remember healing what was like a long cry of horror Ironi the crowd of passengers, and then I began to think I was doomed. The Arawn -coined to disappear like a railway express, and as ! la-re was a considerable sea. I thought they would never find me as I sank down into the trough "I the ■ I was wearing a full se.it of duegarees, shir*, slant underpants, sink', and shoes. I did not think tl worth while taking off any of my chit lies, not even mv »hor-s. ns my ease seemed hopeless. I just, treaded v, titer, barely keeping myself afloat I bad swallowed a good deal of water, too. I thought ifstiarks: they are always about in liaise waters. I thought ! -aw on - near me ami when I looked again i; sc,-m,.-l like fish. I saw it wa- a ;•!(. .. of dril two; d. I sw am to it :‘.I tried to support. inyscll with it. ' it was no small in he ol any ii.-i D was a terrible sons.-u ion. out of sight oil the shin or land and I reckoned a lew minutes mere would settle me s’-..meliow I kept nifoat and I saw Hu ship again. 1 saw them lower the incident boat, bill v. h.eii d Vais ia Dee v. a i *-r it bad disappeared from ll'y view. I never saw it again and they couldn't find n:<-. It seemed like ag-i as the Arawa came towards mo and I began *o think I still had a <'bailee, t'li.m another boa 1 was 1 -Vered and

tl-'-c i * Inwards me. When 1 1 icy ; | it) mo MillHT-iR’ tI'VOW HIP Olio ..}* t!:<• i M!;>':octl tho mpo and hehl on like grim death. As they pulled ire nut of the water I became iineou-seion-. and when 1 eaine n.und | I ill the ship's hespii :-I. 1 v .1! t:o:i ! .-l and uexi 'i.'iriiing 1 i.nx ;•!•]«* to uvl ii-rnin.**

Ii njipo.'H'-s rim t wlsriJ F*.His 101 l int«; alarm was promnily pa.-s- <1 to the liridgi'. Three lifehunya ■ 1 i-row it m-ei bo -r-L bill Dm.'.,.- were net en !iv I It--. Jhe Arawa s la-!m was put l-.a.rd nvi-r and the aoehiont la.al wa> burriedlv numne-1 and lowered. under Die charge of the second oliiMr \V. Oliver. The third officer. .Mr A. J. D. Ail "A rt bur (son of -Captain Charles M’Arthur, of Wellington), was si-nt :ii> the foremast, and he kept Mbs j„ view all the while. As the liner e--ianh'l.ed a circle the accident boat 1,. ... ~-ii-e distance away. Die -eeoial I .i- ebarjie of the chief officer iM" G Carroll), was lowered, and it wr.s rowed {awards Ellis, who was pu-keo ~.. in a state of collapse. Within half ail hour of his falling overboard tho voung (iiiarlermas!or was in tne ship s hospital, and was being attended f-i bv , I, surgeon -Dr E. E. Ornstor). The patient was wrapped in warm blankets and Die usual rest ora lives jinplm*, so that he soon recovered eonseumsness making a speedy recovery. V. hen <ae boar returned to the Arawa ’.-'la I'J 1tbo passengers e'mered lustily. ' William Ellis has spent nine yearyho is only twoncyihi ee"' years of age He is a native of London, and his home is at .Tors''** ruston-boiis-*. Lotk.o!’. lie served on a hospital ship M Dardanelles during IWI and 1. . •>. Ellis is of good pliysioue. standing o.t. q;,, ~-ebd)ine- list 71b. and looks a.' tbi'tigh he could come through a test of endurance.