The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-12-22
Il TIMELY RESCUE.
AN EXCITING INCIDENT OF LIVERPOOL.
PASSAGE.


'sMan overheard - said an old seafarinp
man to reporter yesterday. ''Do you
want to hear the story? They are only
two words, yet | doubt if their is any cry
that sends such thrill Though every one
on board Of a ship as does this. The cry
of fire or of breakers ahead is no doubt
sufficiently alarming, but neither can be
weighed for n moment with this CRY. which
tells of one of the ships company left be-
hind to struggle for his life in the vide
waste of waters
''If lis III the night that a man falls
oven board, the chances of his recovery are
very remote. and in the daytime, if tie
breeze he fresh and the sea rough The odds
are fcaI fully against him. Much then.
depends on the coolness of the officer of
the deck, foT If he loose his head the man
is gone.
Il was passenger once on Il packet shin
bound from New York to Liverpool. when
one afternoon about , o'clock that cry was
heard. The wind was about north, fresh
breeze, and there was considerable sea on.
The ship was heading east by souih, carry
ing all three royals and topmast aud tor
gallant siuddng sails, going about ten
miles an hour.
Il was sitting on deck reading when the
cry was heard. The mate had charge OF
tie deck, an old officer. whose equanimify
no emergency could disturb. ! can see him
before me now distinctly. and hear his
RAPID orders. Down with the helm -
said he to the man at the wheel and a. he
himself sprang to the taiIraii and cut away
The ife-bUoyS. his orde.S came crutinuons
jump UP in the rigging there, one of you,
and keep your eye on him let 20 the ruval
haliiaIds. fore and aft let go the top gal
iant studding sail tack ; hard lee ; there.
forward rise tackS aud sheets; main
bow iings; get aft here now to your braces
quick; mainsail haul = and as the ships
head came round to the westward. the
hiteryardS swung around and the mates
voice was again heard Let the bead
yards stand leave your head sheets flow
lug ; clear away thc lee quarter beat. and
Mr.. Jones, jump into her there with f"ur
good men. Now, then, stand by the lower.
Steady. and mind what you We got bold of.
Now. then, lower away = auG, as the boat
touched the water: Hold on to your for
ward tackle: let go aft unhook let go
forward. Now. then, give way right ont
on The lee bow: that's where you'll find
BIN and the boat was off. not over ten
minutes having elapsed since the first alarm
was given.
Only those who lave passed through a
similar experience can properly appreciate
the anxiety with which we watched .hat
boat. Now we would lose the sight OF
her entirely, as she sank in the trough Of
the sea, ana again as she rose on it's crest
the men were laying their whole weights
upon the oars in their efforts to reach their
drowning slipnate. Every minute or So
the mate would hail the lockout at the
masthead Can you still see him . aud the
answer would come back: Can see his cap,
sir, once i'll a while rs it rises on the sea.
but can't tell whether the head is in it or
not
soon The masthead hailed again The
boat has stopped. sir; they're pickin' I'D
something, and the next minute we saw
her heading toward the ship.
"'Now, thcn.'' said the mate. snet a
whip on that davit and stand by to run him
up quick when they get alongside Near
er and nearer came the boat. ard soon
rounded to under the quarter of the ship
In the stcrn-sheets lay limp mass, bat
whether alive Cr dead we on board of the
ship could not tell. Bend otto him care
ful, said the captain, and two or three of
you jump over The side and steady him up
In trice the second mate had passed a
couple of turns of the whip around the
mans body. and as the word was given.
the men on deck walked away andTan him
up 10 the davit, the men over the side
steadying him carefully to prevent his
swinging in against the ship on his passage
up. As lie came in ON deck he feebly open
ed his eyes, and the steward, who was
standing near with Il glass of grog. put a
little of 1t between his lips. Rousinr up
he took down all that there was in the
tcmbler, good three finger nip
Hell do said the;captain, I'm risk him
now !: hook on the boat and hoist her up'
rs she came out Of the water he shouted.
Put mp your helm fill away the head
yards stand by your after braces - and
away the ship went round on her heel and
fifteen minutes later was going off on her
course again at the rate Of ten knots, with
studding sails below aud aloft.''