THE JAMES NICHOL FLEMING IN A GALE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 727, 8 August 1878, Page 2

THE JAMES NICHOL FLEMING IN A GALE.

IFKOM OHR OWN (JORRESPONDBNT.) Ditnbdin, August 8. Captain Moffat, of the James ISiehol Fleming, reports that when the ship was off Tristan d'Acnnha she encountered a heavy gale from the N.E., attended by high seas, one of which broke on board and filled the decks and carried away a hencoop. The same sea also overwhelmed an able seaman named Patrick M'Lsan, who was jammed against the ship's side and washed overboard. The vessel was at the time travelling at the rate of eight knots an hour, and owing to the lumoy sea running, the man's chances of being recovered were very small; but he succeeded in catching hold of a life-buoy thrown to him, and by that means kept near the surface of the water. Captain Motfat at once sent a man on to each of the cross-jack yard-arms in order to keep the struggling seaman in view, and at the same time the starboard quarter boat was manned and lowered, and sent away in charge of the chief officer (Mr. Lockhead). After pulling round the spot for a considerable time, the boat's crew were about to give up the search as a bad job, when they discovered M'Lean's head above the surface just off them, and pulling up to him quickly raised him over the gunwale and returned to the ship, after being absent for more than three hours. Notwithstanding the extraordinary length of time that M'Lean was in the water he was alive when picked up. A seaman had his right arm and jawbone broken by a heavy sea which came on board on the 3rd inst. Captain Moffat did his best to alleviate the injuries.