The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-04-13 00:00:00

HONOUR TO THE BRAVE!

The Royal Humane Society has just transmitted its bronze
medallion, together vita suitable testimonia:s, to Lieutenant
Nis" adjutant of the Heywar Biwa Corps, for saving the
life of a Sepoy meter the following gallant circumstanc -s :
A party of men, with Colonel Mackeson, command-
ing the Meywar Bheel Corps, and Lieutenant Nixon,
went to Banda Talao, a Like about seven miles from
Kherwarra, to drag it for fish. The scene of opera-
tions was a creek about 90 yards across. Seven or
eight Sepoys proceeded to swim over it with tile net,
the two officers remaining on the bank to superintend
the drag. When the party got about 70 yards, the lead-
ing mite, Private Perna. WM evidently in difficulty ; his
companions proceeded to his assistance, but instsad of
trying to land him on the nearest batik begun to
take him batik to the starting point. Their efforts
were tffutuecessful. The position of the man had be-
come extremely critical, and Lieutenant Nixon plunged
into toe water and went to the rescue, disregarding
the fact that the lake was as well stocked with alligators
as with fish. After swimming about 70 yards he
reached the drowning man in safety. He got hold of
him under the shoulders, but though a strong swimmer
found that he could not more him—indeed, that he WM
hardly able to keep him above the surface. Further
aid arriving, a rope was conveyed to Mr. Nixon, who
passed it round the man'stsarms. He, hinwelf, however,
was so exhausted that he could only hold on to the
end and turn on his back. The men were then dragged
to land, the Sepoy quite insensible, and his preserver
nearly so. It was then discovered that Private Perna
had foolishly tied round his waist the rope attached
to the not, which fully explained the difficulty Mr.
Nixon had experienced in supporting hini, as he had
had to sustain the additional weight of a heavily laden
net, twenty yards long.
The society has also transmitted a valuable test i
tnonial, together with a pecuniary reward, to a poor
woman, the wife a labourer, residing at Chilton Cantelo,
Ilminster. Somersetshire, for saving a little girl named
Lucy Marsh. The child fell into a brook at Chilton
Cautelo, which had been very much swollen from the
recent rains, and which at the time was running very
swiftly. The depth of water at the place was at least
five feet, with a muddy bottom. The child was carried
away by the current to a small bridge, a distance of 80
or 100 yards. Her companions, all of them little
children, were panic-stricken, and several niintues
elapsed before they gave an alarm. Jane Philips, who
lived in a cottage close by, then ran to the spot, and,
hearing of what had °centred, unhesitatingly jumped
into the shallow part of the stream and waded up to the
bridge, the soft, yielding mud at the bottom rendering
it a matter of difficulty to get along. The child,
apparently dead, was taken to a neighbouring cottage.
and having been wrapped in warm blankets and well
rubbed, was restored to animation. She had been in
the water from ten to fifteen minutes, and but for the
promptitude and perseverance shown by the woman
Phillips must have lost her life.