Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-10-31

| ''Do you know, old man, what
surf swimming is?" / have dived
through the surf at Nukuheva.
"Glod bless you, sir. l thought
no white man could do thst same"
While this conversation was going
on Jones was divesting himself of all
superfuous clothing, and cutting out
the sleeves of his heavy pea-jacket
with his pocket-knife This done, he
passed some light, strong rope through
them.
The men watched him with eager
interest, and seeing their inquisitiye
looks, he said:
''The thick sleeves will prevent the
rope cutting my body, you see.''
''Ay, ay, sir; see now what you
are DONG"
! snow, men, have only one re-
quest: Give me plenty of rope as
fast as l draw On you. When l get
on board, you know to make cradle,
] suppose?''
''Ay, ay, sir; but how are you 60
ing to reach the water?''
81 am going to plunge down. I
have dived from the main yard of the
Ajax before this. 1t was as high a
leap"
| He passed double coil Of the
rope round his waist, examined it
thoroughly to see that there was
plerty to start with, and saying,
''now, friends, stand out Of the
way, and let me have clear start"
he raised his bare head one moment
! towsrd heaven, and taking a short
, run, leaped, as from the springboard
of plunge bath.
Such an anxious crowd as followed
that leap! Great numbers, in spite
Of the dangerous wind, lay fiat on
their breasts and watched him. He
struck the water at least twenty five
feet beyond the cliff, and disappeared
in its dark, foamy depths.
When he rose to the surface he saw
just before him a gigantic wave, but
he had time TO breathe, and before it
reached him he dived below Its CEN
ter. 1t broke in passionate fury upon
the rocks, but Jones rose far beyond
it. A mighty cheer from the men on
shore reached him, and he now began
in coed earnest to put his Pacific ex-
perience into practice.
Drawing continually on the men
for more rope-which they paid out
with deafening cheers-he met wave
after wave in the same manner, diving
under them like All otter, and getting
nearer to the wreck. with every
wave, really advancing, however,
more below the water than above it.
Suddenly the despairing men on
board heard clear hopeful voice:
''Help at hand, captain! Throw
me buoy"
And in another minute or two Jones
was on deck, and the cheers of the
crowd on land. There was not
moment to be lost; she was breaking
up fast; but it took but few min
utes to fasten strong cable to the
small rope and draw it on board, and
then a second cable, and the com
munication was complete.
There is lady here, SIR" said
the captain. ''We must rig up Il
chair for her; she can never walk
that dangerous rope"
"But we have not a moment to
waste or we may all be lost. Is she
very heavy"
"A slight little thing; half child,
SIR
Bring her here
This was no time for ceremony
without word, save few sentences
of direction and encouragement, he
took her under his left arm, and,
steadying himself by the upper cable,
walked on the lower with his burden
safely to the shore. The crew rapidly
followed, for in such moments of ex-
tremity the soul masters the body,
and all things become possible.
There was plenty of help waiting
for the half-dead seamen; and the
lady, her father, and the captain, had
been put in the carriage of Braddon,
and driven rapidly to his hospital
ball. Jones, amid the confusion, dis
appeared; he had picked up an oil
skin coat and cap, and when every
one turned to thank their deliverer
he was gone. No one knew him
the sailors said they believed him to
be ''one of the military gents, by his
rigging" but the individuality of the
hero had troubled no one until the
danger was over. In all hour the
steamer was driven on the rocks, and
went to pieces; and, it being by
this time quite dark, every one went
home.
The next day the hunting party
returned from Gwynne Hall, the
storm having compelled them to stop
all night and at dinner that evening
the wreck and the hero of it were the
theme Of every ones conversation.
''Such plucky fellow" said En-
sign Powell. 81 wonder who he
was. Gwynne says he was stranger,
perhaps one of that crowd staying at