OLD SEA CAPTAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1933, Page 6

OLD SEA CAPTAIN

BRAVE RESCUE AT SEA GIRL WASHED OVERBOARD NORFOLK ISLAND, Nov. 21. On of the three surviving Pitcairn Islanders who landed at Norlolk Island in 1856, Captain George Henry Parkin Christian, celebrated his 80th birthday on October 16. He is still a big powerful man. His eyesight, he claims, as is good as when he was a lad. In his young days, as a steersman in a whaleboat, lie was famous. Given a good, ash steer oar, it is said lie could almost lilt a whaleboat round, so great was his strength. Of a bold, adventurous spirit, his lifelias been filled with stirring incidents. For 25 years he was a master of whaling craft sailing from New Bedford,, America, and for some years he was pearl-shell, diving at Thursday Island. He was also, diver for the /Auckland Harbour Board On one occasion his whaling crew mutinied. Rushing below with axes, they began cutting holes through the shop’s bottom planking, to scuttle her. Captain Christian and his officers clapped on the hatches, with the remark to the mutineers, “Very good, if she goes down, you’ll be first to drown.” The mutiny was soon quelled. , As a swimmer lie was noted. He says that in those days he felt he could never tire of swimming. The exploit to which his memory returns with most satisfaction is his rescue from drowning of a young girl when he was a lad about 17 years of age. He and Ins mate Harry Knight, were, at the time, carrying coal from the Bay of Islands to Auckland for the owners of their craft, Messrs Brown, who had built her. She was an exceptionally smart 17-ton cutter, which Captain Christian declares could live through any hurricane. On one trip they had on board, as passengers, Mr Brown, a brother of the builder, and a girl in her “teens.” One pitch-black, stormy evening, Captain Christian was steering while the other men were having their tea below. A sudden lurch of the vessel threw the girl overboard. Captain Christian immediately jambed the wheel hard down and, bellowing down the scuttle, “Girl overboard!” threw off his heavy sea coat and dived into the sea. The girl had disappeared instantly in the inky darkness, but lie reckoned tint if she were afloat at all, she must bo in the vessel’s wake.

Kicking off his heavy sea boots he j swam along the wake and found the I girl buoyed up by the air in her clothes, j but with her head under water. Feeling his powerful grip on her shoulder, she attempted to clutch him. Holding her at arm’s length, he assured her that if she would keep still and do as he said, they would he all right. During all the j intervening years the sublime courage | of the girl at that moment has stirred his greatest admiration. She obeyed him implicitly, showing no fear. After swimming for over an hour with one arm, supporting the girl with j the other arm, he pointed out to her that if she would put her arm across his shoulders, it would be easier for both of them. This she did, making no ! attempt to clutch him. A big sea was. running and it was pitch dark. There was no sign of the cutter.. At the end of four hours Captain Christian had just decided to make for the New Zealand coast, some .miles ,awny When the sharp ears of the girl heard the voice of Mr Brown shouting her name. Instantly she replied at the top of her voice, “I’m all right.” The cutter eventually managed to locate them and took them on board. Captain Christian had left Auckland a comparative stranger. On his return he found himself welcomed everywhere. All doors appeared to bp open to him. Favours were showered upon him, and he was taken everywhere. The Royal Humane Society awarded him its silver medal. On another occasion he started from Auckland for Norfolk Island in .a smart little schooner, the Ariel. A hurricane sorang up and blew (hem right away to New Caledonia. From there they made their way to Fiji. They finally got back to Norfolk Island. There was very littlo communication in those clays, and on arriving home he found all his relatives and friends ill mourning for liis-sup-posed loss.