GALLANT RESCUE FROM DROWNING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 994, 3 November 1881, Page 4

GALLANT RESCUE FROM DROWNING.

[From the New Zealand Herald.] A man named Henry Mitchell, who works about the wharf, bad one of the narrowest escapes from drowning, on Friday morning, which he is likely to experience during the remainder of his life. The circumstances areas follows: —Mitchell, between eight and nine o’clock, was sitting on the curb of the breastwork of the reclamations about a dozen yards from the entrance to the graving dock, when he suddenly fell over into the sea, at which spot there was about 18 feet of water. The people who witnessed the accident, for the most part, lost their presence of mind, and stood'-helplessly about, and

it was not till some Maoris informed the fireman of the dock engine-house, Mr. W. J. McDonnel, that a European'was in the water struggling, that he became aware that a fellow-being was drowning within a few yards of him. As Mr. McDonnel understood Maori he speedily comprehended the situation, and ran to the spot indicated just in time to see the unfortunate Mitchell disappearing for the last time, his head being about a foot under water. He at once leaped off the top of one of the piles into the sea, catching hold of Mitchell by the shoulders, both rising to the surface together. Mr. McDonnel called to the people ashore to get a doctorso that the man could be attended to on being brought ashore, as he appeared to be insensible, if not lifeless. While the rescue was being effected, another man had jumped into a dingy lying on the north side of the dock gate, but having no paddle, he was drifting out into the harbour. A piece of board was thrown to him, which he succeeded in catching, and propelled the dingy towards Mr. Me Donnel, who succeeded in keeping Mitchell’s head above water till the boat reached them. A rope was lowered, over the breastwork, and the united efforts of Mr. McDonnel and the man in the dingy were successful in getting I Mitchell into the boat, when they pulled round to the watermen’s steps, in the meantime taking measures for his restoration. The usual means adopted in such cases were used, under the supervision of Mr. Gilbert, chew'ho happened to be passing by, and in a few minutes Mitchell regained consciousness. He was then removed to the watermen’s house, where he was supplied with dry clothing, and fell into a doze for about four hours. On being examined Mitchell was found to have received some slight injuries above the right hip, where he had struck one of the struts of the breastwork in descending. He had been sitting on the curbing of the breastwork, with his back to the sea, when he toppled head over heels, and judging from the quantity of sea w’ater which ran out of his mouth when he was placed over the spar on the wharf, to allow it to rack off, his grog had not been so well watered for many a long day. Mr McDonnel is deserving the highest credit for his promptitude and courage, but this is not the first occasion on which he has manifested these qualities, this being the fifth person he has saved from drowning during his career, and is fairly entitled to the medal of the Humane Society, for which he should be recommended by the Harbour Board authorities, whose employe he is. The sequel of the story is rather amusing. Mitchell awoke from his snooze shortly after noon ; Constables Sampson and Duggan, of the Water Police, furnished him with such articles of clothing as they had at the station, and Sergeant Martin started him off for his residence in Aber-crombie-street, but instead of going home Mitchell went off to Albertstreet, and sat down on a heap of stones. Constable Duggan, who had been keeping an eye on him, endeavoured to get him to return to his home, but as he only received a torrent of abuse for his trouble, was reluctantly compelled to take him to the police-station. After being detained there some little time he was given some warm tea, and sent away to his residence in Abercrombie-street.