"MAN OVERBOARD!"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 234, 11 February 1911, Page 7

"MAN OVERBOARD!"

TWO BRAVE RESCUERS. Auckland, February 8. The Herald publishes a graphic account of n desperate rescue at Watipu Bay, Manukau Heads, on Sunday last.-. The s.s. Putiki was engaged loading timber some little distance out, when a man namea McLeod, a resident of Onchungn, who was working a stack of timber on the wharf, slipped and fell into the water, striking a projection as he fell. As McLeod, who was a good swimmer, did not make any attempt to get a snore, it was at once' conjectured that lie was injured, and the cry ot "luan overboard!" being raised the engineer of the Putiki promptly jumped in to the rescue. As a heavy'sea was running at the time, and as the bay is inhabited by octopi, some of them "of a specially large size, the task was not without danger, but the rescuer bravely stuck to his task, and, securing McLeod, ucld him up in the water until a rope was thrown down from the steamer. The rope came in due course, but, unfortunately, when grasped by the engineer, it came away from the steamer. By this time the engineer was thoroughly exhausted, and was obliged to let MeLeod.go, being himself rescued with difficulty. When the cry, "Man overboard!" was raised, a young man named Cowan, who had been working down the hold of tlie Putiki all night, heard it. and rapidly ascended the ladder. On reaching the deck he enquired where the man was, and was informed that McLeod had sunk about the mouth of the cave some 2(Jlt or 30ft away. Though Cowan was aware that; the waters were infested with big octopi, and that the cave was probably their stronghold, lie jumped into the water fully dressed, and, reaching the cave, dived in order to try and find the missing man. lie failed, however, to do so, and upon rising to the surface for air, noticed some bubbles rising from beneath the steamer's stern. He' dived at this spot and succeeded in bringing McLeod to the surface. Ropes being lowered. McLeod and his plucky rescuer were soon got. on board, the latter being little the worse for his adventure. McLeod. it was feared, would not survive, but those on board, after keeping up artificial respiration for two hours, were rewarded bv his showing signs of life, and he eventually recovered consciousness, lie then explained that when he fell in he was temporarily stunned by striking a projection. Steps are being taken to see that the heroic conduct of both the engineer of the Putiki and Cowan is brought under the notice of the Roval Humane Society.