A Miraculous Escape.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 9, 27 May 1893, Page 7

A Miraculous Escape.

On the passage of the steamer Hurina recently from Dundee to New York a seaman named William Aitchison was washed overboard during a storm. A few days later, while the tempest still raged, John Dakers, the third officer, was, with part of the crew, engaged in splicing a yard in the starboard gangway, when the steamer was swept by a wave of gigantic proportions. The seamen who were with the mate grabbed stanchions, and hung on for life, but Dakers was caught by the retreating mass of water, and washed from the vessel’s side half a ship’s length away, tossed here and there on the wave crests. The crew made frantic efforts to help him, but before anything could be done a returning wave picked Dakers up on its crest, and hurried him towards the steamer. All on board watched wide-eyed with amazement as Dakers was hurried towards the ship. The foaming top of the wave half concealed him as he was carried along, but through the spray they could see him steadily advancing. The wave came on, and as it struck the side of the ship it carried the man high in the air. In a moment he had clutched the ship’s rail, and then a dozen outstretched hands pulled him aboard. For a time he was too dazed to speak, and could not believe he was in safety.