Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-08-23
Richard Hoodle.s, the Hor.e-swimmer.

liability and character, we should consider
1t fabulous. 1t is marvellous, to say the
least. It reminds lis of the old fable of
Neptune driving his chariot over the sea.
The NARRArIvE.-We suppose that
we had heard of all sorts of heroes, but
find ourselves TO have been mistaken. A
hero in humble life has been made known
to US, of quite new order. This brave
man, by name Richard Hoodless, follow.
ing the occupation Of farmer, near Grain
thorpe, on the coast Of Lincolnshire, has
for many years devoted himself TO the sa-
wing OF mariners from drowning and this
without any Of the usual apparatus for
succoring ships in distress. Unaided by
such appliances, and unaccomp panied by
any living creature but his horse, Hood.
less has been the means Of saving many
unfortunate sailors from perishing smidst
the waves.
Cultivating q small piece Of ground,
which is, as it were, rescued from the
sea, and almost cut of from the adjacent
country by the badness Of the roads, this
remarkable man may be said to devote
himself to the noble duty Of saving human
life. On the approach Of stormy weather
ne mounts to an opening in the top Of his
dwelling, and there pointing his telescope
to the tumultuous ocean, watches tie ap-
proach Of vessels towards the low and
dangerous shores. By night or by day he
Is equally ready to perform his self-impo-
sed duty. A ship is struggling amidst
the terrible commissions Of waters no hu-
man aid seems to be at hand-all on board
give themselves up for lost, when some
thing is at length seen to leave the shore,
and to be making an effort to reach the
vessel. Can it be possible Pa man on
horseback Yes, it is Richard Hoodless,
coming to the rescue, seated on his old
nag, an animal accustomed to these salt
water excursions? Onward the faithful
beast swims and plunges, only turning for
an instant when wave threatens to en-
gulph him in its bosom. There is some
thing grand in the struggle Of both horse
and man-the spirit of unselfishness ca
gerly trying to do its work. Success usu-
ally crowns the exertions of the horse and
his rider. The ship is reached; Hood
less mounts two or three mariners en-
croupe, and taking them 10 dry land, re-
turns for another instalment.
That horse could be trained to these
unpleasant and hazardous enterprises may
seem somewhat surprising. But it ap-
pears that in reality no training is neces-
sary all depends on the skill and firm
ness of the rider. Hoodless declares he
could manage the most unruly horse in
the water for as soon as the animal finds
he has lost his footing, and is obliged "a
swim, he becomes as obedient to the bri-
die as boat to the helm. The same thing
! is observed in this sagacious animal when
being hoisted to the deck Of ship. He
struggles vehemen,ly at first against this
impending fate; but the moment his feet
fairly leave the pier, he is calm and mo-
tionless, as if knowing that resistance
would compromise safety in the aerial
passage. The only plan which our hero
adopts is, when meeting particularly an
cry surf or swell, to turn his horses head
bend forward and allow the waves to roll
over them. Were the horse to face the
larger pillows, and attempt to pierce them,
the water would enter his nostrils and
render him breathless, by which he would
be soon exhausted.
In the year 1893, Hoodless signalizcd
himself by swimming his horse through a
stormy sea to the wreck of the Hermione
and saving her crew for which gallant SER
vice he afterwards received testimonial
from the Royal Humane Society. The
words of the resolution passed by the So
ciety on this occasion may be transcribed
for they narrate a circumstance worthy Of
being widely known:
1t was resolved unanimously that the
noble courage and humanity displayed by
Richard Hoodless for the preservation Of
the crew Of the Hermione from drowning
when that vessel was wrecked near the
Donna Nook, on the coast Of Lincolnshire
on the 3lst Of August, 1888, and the
praiseworthy manner in which he risket
his life on that occasion, BY swimming his
horse through heavy sea to the wreck
when it was found impossible to launch
the life-boat, has called forth the lively ad.
miration Of the institution, which is here
by unanimously adjudged TO be presented
to him at the ensuing anniversary"
| As it may not be generally understood
that horse can be made to perform the
office Of a lifeboat, when vessels Of tina,
kind could not with safety be launched
the fact Of Hoodless performing 50 many
feats in the manner described cannot b
too widely disseminated.
On some occasions, we are informed,
he swims by himself to the wreck, but
more usually he goes on horseback, and
is seldom unsuccessful in his edorts'-
About two years ago, he saved the cap
tain of vessel and his wife, and ten sea.
men some on the back Of the horse, ant
others hanging on by the stirrups: shouls
vessel be lying on her beam ends, Hood
less requires to exercise great caution II
making his approach, in consequence o
the ropes and rigging concealed in tn
water. On one occasion he experienced
much inconvenience on this account; III
had secured two seamen, and was astemp
ting to leave the vessel for the shore, but
the horse could not move from the spot
After various Intellectual plunges, Hood
less discovered that the animal was en-
tangled in a rope under water. What wa:
n Te done? The sea was in tumult ,ant