The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-04
PUTTING MEN TO THE BLUSH.
TIE Brave Conduct or Two Women Of
Swansea i'm Rcscufng Drowning
n.on,ion sfandari.I

one incident nj least that bids fair TO be
memorable has been bequeathed by the
storm OF wind which blew last Saturday
and Sunday. The story concerns two
Welsh women who went into the sea 10
save some drowning men. The narrative
occupied only few lines when first told,
thus exemplifying the truth OF Herman
Melville's words, "But In the events thus
merely initislized in the catalogue OF pass
ing occurrences, aud but glanced at by the
readers OF news who are more taken up
with paragraphs OF fuller flavor, what a
world OF life and death, what world OF
humanity and its woes, lies shrunk in
q three-worded scntence!' Yet some
OF these "three-worded sentences 7"
occasionally merit expansion, because they
arc full OF noble teaching, OF beautiful and
devoted heroism, and examples TO the
world OF self-denal and touching sacrifice.
Such an incident Is that OF the wreck OF a
bark somewhere abreast OF Swansea bay
last Saturday, the drowning OF the life-boat
men who went 10 the succor Of the crew.
and the rescue of the two men by couple
OF stout-hearted, courageous women. A
high sea was running, and n heavy gale OF
wind was blowing, when, between Q and
10 o'clock on Saturday, a bark, apparently
not under control, was seen driving up
channel. but with a strong drift in the d.
roction OF some rocks situated short dis
lance to the westward Of the Mumbles Head.
when close TO these rocks she let 20 her
anchor, and almost immediately afterward
struck, whereupon tug-boat I'm her neigh
borhOod sounded her whistle as a signal
for the life-boat. A crew Of thirteen men
promptly collected. jumped into the life
boat. and made for the bark. Among the
men who thus hazarded their lives without
reference to anything outside the pure hui
mainly Of Their mission--since all the re-
ward they were likely to receive for their
perilous errand was sum Of ten shillings
per man-were father and four sons; and
herein lies not little OF the pathos OF this
moving story. The father, Jenkin jenkins.
was the coXswain Of the boat, and one Of his
sons second coXswain. Five OF the other men
were volunteers. The lfe-boat was headed
to windward OF the wreck. and presently,
after furious tussle and tossing-for the
waters in which the Mumbles stand are far
enough to the westward TO feel much Of the
full strength and fury Of the Atlantic
surges as they roll up into the British chan
nel--the boat reached the bearings she had
made for. let go her anchor, and veered out
cable so rs 10 drop down on the wreck.
The barQue was fast going to pieces, the
seas were boiling over her decks, rend-
ing and tearing her strong fIstenings
with every furious blow; and the
poor fellows aboard of her. holding
on for their lives, waited with des-
perate anxiety for the life-boat to come
alongside. The boatmcn threw q Crap
ping iron on board, and succeeded in
hauling a couple OF the crew into the
boat. 4 third man was being rescued in
this manner when a sea Of unusual height
aud power struck the boat, parted her ca
BILE, and threw the whole of her occupants
into the water. The same sea rolled over
the bark, and such was its fury that Jen-
kinS, the coXswaiD, though struggling fer
life overheard, could yet take note and
aiterward remember ana relate that il tore
all three masts out OF the doomed craft as
a man might pluck up so many stalks Of
wheat by the roots.
The boat righted, and the coXswain
managed to roll into her, and when there
seized hold OF his son, William jenkins.
and man named MacNamara, getting
them out OF the water. But just then an
other sea took the life-boat and hurled her
against the wreck, knocking in a part OF
story, saws: cone OF my sons, John. said
to me, 1T is all over with us, fathcr!' l
repheC Il believe it is. The sea will set
tie lis now John also said, MY head is
cut open.' | told him mine was too. The
bottom of the life-boat was like
slaughter-house, covered with blood"
Once more the boat was capsized, and
the wounded men were flung into
the raging water. The coXswain con-
trived 10 grasp the lifeline attached to the
side OF the boat. apd held on while the
boat floaied him toward the rocks. After
a little, thinking he saw his chance, he let
90 and struck out for The shore, which he
gained, landing bali dead on the second
island. He looked toward the water, and
saw a man struggling amid the boiling
wash OF the surf. Three soldiers stood by,
and he implored them to help the man
but. observing that they gave no assist
ance, he cried to them: "Saye the men,
for shame! DON'T let the nlen drown
before your eyes" But what the
soldiers had no heart TO attempt
two brave women rushed forward
eagerly TO perform. They were the daugh-
tiers of Mr. Ace, the lighthouse keeper
one named Maggie Ace, and the other her
married sister, Mrs. Wright. "Comc
back come back You'll lose your lives !"
shouted Ace to them as they ran TO the
water to help the drowning men. "Fil
lose my life before III let those men
drown" was Maggie's answer; and tear
ing off their shawls the women knotted
them together, and wading into the fu-
rious surf until the swell OF the
surges sometimes rose TO the height
of their arm-pits, and one holding
braveIy 10 the other to support them
selves against the tearing rccoil OF the
sweeping waters, they threw the end OF
their shawls toward the outstretched arms
OF the perishing men, and by these means
dragged them both on TO the rocks. Thus
were rescued TWO OF the life-boatsmen,
William Rosser and John Thomas. "They
almost went out of their DEPTH" says the
coxSwain, who lay watching them eX-
hausted by his own recent terrible strug-
giles, and g were both in the water up to
their arm-pits. They acted with great br"-
very. The men who were thus saved were
about three yards from the shore"
A Falling Tree brushes q Husband