The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-16
BATTLING WITH THE OCEAN.
A village Of Heroes Men ana women
saving Lives.

The following account Is quoted by
the London Times from the Stockholm
paper, the Dozens Myhetey, Of a coura-
geous act performed by the fishing ham,
let of Creswell, on the coast OF North
umberland, in rescuing the crew Of the
Gustave, Swedish steamer:
On the 5th Of January last, at five in
the morning, the steamer Gustave, Capt.
A. O. Anderson, went ashore, in conse
uuence Of the fog and the set Of the cur
rent, at the little village OF Creswell, on
the coast Of northumberland. five Eng
lish miles north Of the town OF Newbig
gin. The sea was breaking heavily, and
the vessel struck violently at every
wave. The discharge pipe burst very
shortly, and the vessel drifted hopelessly
among the breakers, which now broke
over her. Two Of the boats were stove
at the outset, and the third, which it
was contrived to launch, and in which
three men were lowered, was injured
and cast away by q sea, and cast ashore
in the midst of the breakers. Every one
in this little village women and
children-hastened, on witnessing the
misfortune, down to the life-boat sta
ton, and at three o'clock the life-boat
was got afloat and manned by thirteen
out OF the fifteen. Only two old fisher
women, who had to wade out into
the water to get the lifeboat aflOat.
After an hours fruitless endeavor to
get on board, the lifeboat had to come
on shore again, and message was sent
to the nearest lifebOat station, Newbig-
gin. to fetch q rocket apparatus, with
which to attempt the rescue Of the crew.
The tide was rising, and at 4 80 the life
boat was launched once more, and at
last succeeded in getting alongside OF the
steamer and saving the crew. Several
Of the men had by this time been injured
by the breakers, but all were able to get
into the lifeboat, and the last OF all the
master, who left his fine and hitherto
fortunate steamer with deep emotlon.
On shore the shipwrecked men were re-
ceiyed in the most friendly manner;
whatever the poor people had they
placed at their disposal; the crew were
sheltered in the tishermen's huts, and
the owner Of Il neighbOring estate, Cress-
we'll Hall, invited all the crew to dinner.
Later in the day the crews things were
saved. but much injured by the water.
A touching incident in the shipwreck
deserves especial mention. The writer
Of this heard it On the following day,
and was attracted to the spot by cries
for help and pain. On hurrying to the
place whence the cries proceeded, he
was received by venerable couple
steersman Of the lifeboat and his
wife. "It's poor Bella" he said !;
"she was not satisfied with being
in the water like the others; at
night she was wet through for six
hours, aud has now got one OF her at
tacks of cramp on returning from New
biggin." It was this little pale fisher
Girl who, wet through, on a cold night
In January, had rushed along the beach,
wading through several bays by the way,
and at length had reached the next life
boat station to claim assistance for the
shipwrecked people, and to accomplish
this feat she had been compelled to 60
ten English miles. Who those ship
wrecked people were was unknown to
her; to what country THEY belonged was
all the same to her; it was question OF
human life that might be rescued by heI
means. opened the family Bible, the
sole ornament Of that unassumlng
room, and there read the name, lisa,
bella Brown, born in 1853" On the wall
hangs a silver medal, awarded to the
father for saving life. Everything IN
the little hamlet bore witness to long
struggle against the ocean:
| Fortunate the country which possesses
men and women like those who, on thai
lev January night, flew to the rescue ol
the Swedish steamer Gustave and lts
crew.