A GALLANT RESCUE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2232, 13 May 1880, Page 2

A GALLANT RESCUE.

The ironclad Invincible, Captain the Hon Edmond Freemautle, C. 8., was the other day ordered from Alexandria to Abouldr Bay, a passage which leads across the Nile mouth, in a shallow and often troubled sea. The ironclad was steaming about seven knots to the hour when one of the leadsmen fell into the rolling waves. At once the cry of “ man overboard” rang through tiro ship, and all the necessary measures were taken which good discipline and maritime knowledge prescribed. The engines were stopped and reversed, the lifebuoys loosed from the bridge and taft'rail, while the boats were called away, manned, and lowered with the utmost prompitude. But the poor fellow who had slipped overboard still held, or had managed to lay hold of the leading line, the consequence being that, although kept up in the water, ho was dragged below its surface by the vessel’s motion. After a very little while of this submersion, the unlucky blue-jacket became choked by the sea, and letting go his grasp, floated, insensible and already half dead, astern of the ship, with his head dropping under the water. Captain Freemautle, who was watching what was going on from the bridge, understood in a moment that any delay must cost his poor seaman’s life. Without an instant’s hesitation, therefore, the gallant officer sprang into the waves —just as he stood in cap, coat, sea boots and all —and, striking out hard- and straight for his object, reached the spot to find his man slowly sinking away from sight. He caught him up, got his head clear of the sea, and so, with great difficulty, held the drowning blue-jacket during the interval in the arrival of assistance. Help of course, soon came. Sub-lieutenant Moore and the blacksmith’s mate, Cunningham, were the first two whoso brave hearts sent them overboard to lend the captain a hand. These gallant fellows, nevertheless, only just swam up in time, for the captain’s boots and heavy clothes were dragging him down, and it was a glad moment when the boat drew near and took all four safe from the water.