New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-25
A ER4VE ROY.

| Napoleon used to speak of "four o'clock IN
" the morning. courage, which he thought the
| only kind worth much admiration he meant
We suppose, what is called presence of mind
tho ability to decide rapidly upon and as
RAPIDLY to do tho best thing or nearest the
best thing required In an emergency. There
is perhaps no faculty moro decidedly Unborn
and natural than this. When a great emer-
gency, at sea for instance, arises by which
number Of lives are put i'll peril, there Is
usually some one, not perhaps of those in
authority, who asserts his right of leadership.
takes command, it may be, out of the hands
of the officers, and inspires the whole tremu-
lous crowd with fortitude This ability, this
born power Of leadership, this rapid and
decisive quality of decision, was recently ex-
hibited by mere lad at Dawlish, England,
during peril of which we find IN account in
letter written By Admiral Craigie to the
Secretary of the Life Boat Association.
A boy, Frederick Perriane by name, and
only fourteen years Of age, had occasion TO go
from some place near ExmOuth In q small
dingy, when the tide suddenly swept him out
into the open sea. There was q brisk gale
from the N. E., and the boy immediately got
up his tiny mast and sail, vainly hoping to
fnd some sheltered place where he could land.
lie was fast driven. however, upon the heavy
breakers When he was within a few hundred
yards Of Dawlish Beach no anchored, in tho
desperate hope OF holding on until the sea
should little subside. He had now attracted
the attention of those on shore to his perilous
situation, but it was impossible to send him
aid without too great risk Of life Nothing
could live In the broken water, with occasional
heavy rollers, except q life-boat, and tho life
boat was at Teignmonth. The little fellow in
the dingy made up hs mind that sho would
soon swamp where she was 80 he rapidly
got up his mast and sail again, weighed his
anchor, and stood to the westward, his craft
almost on her beam ends. "With lightning
precision and decision" he selected tho only
spot where he could possibly have landed, and
boldly bearing up, he pushed his little boat
into the foamy waters. Over the first roller
she went like a sea-gull, but then she was
suddenly becalmcd, 50 that it seemed newt
able that she must soon breach to, DO rolled
over and knocked to pieces. The small mariner,
however, remained perfectly collected. with hss
tiller IN one hand and the sheet in tho other.
Then the gale again caught bis sail, and over
the secoud roller he went right upon the
beach. There was now no need OF the life
boat from Teignmouth, and she was counter
manded. Admiral Craigie, supported in bis
opinion by a naval friend of great experience
who saw the whole, testiies that this boy OF
fourteen did tho very best which could be
done under the circumstances, took the only
course which afforded the least chance of
escape, aud showed to use tho Admirafs
words) that courage, self-reliaace. and judg-
" ment arc the chief eloms nts of success on
"such occasions"
What contrast does the calm bravery OF
this boy exhibit to the panic fear often be-
trayed by mon in like emergencies 1.-The help
less terror, the suicidal prostitution, and thT
miserable despair The lad was young, but
no was old enough and experienced enough
to comprehend fully the exigency Of the sitns-
tlon His Judgment HAY have been 10 better
than that OF many men similarly imported, but
such rs it was he was master of it, We have
all u love OF life. but how many of Us have %
Trustworthy instinct Of selfpreseryationf
How many, since it Is ttI0-ds-Se, in one form
or another. watch ills so nlaay g4avesf