The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-21
STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
Robert Laing's Fearful Expert.
ence Off Cape Horn.
He Fell Overheard During Heavy Gale
While Wearing Ship, but Was Rescued
From the Jaws of Death

The British ship Amazon. which recently
arrived at this port from Shields, had rather
an eventful passage. Besides having COL
iislon with bark supposed to have been
the Astoria, as stated in yesterdays CALL,
she had very rough time of it off Cape
Horn. For days at time the only sail on
the ship was a lower maintopsail. and her
decks were frequently swept by the heavy
seas that poured over her and which carried
away everything movable.
Qne OF her crew, a seaman named Robert
Lalng escaped drowning and is likely to
remember the occurrence as long as he lives
IL is not every man that falls overheard
during heavy gale off Cape Horn is res
eued and lives to tell the story. LANG owes
his life to the fact that he is a splendid
swimmer ana is also the proud possessor of
strength such as few men are endowed
with.
One day during the worst of the bad
weather experienced by the vessel off the
horn, orders were given to wear ship
lialng was stationed at the fore tack, and
In trying to UNLOCK it from the sail, he lost
MS balance and fell headlong into the sea.
The cry IMAM overheard" rang out loud
above the bowling gale, and a dozen men
sprang to the rail to heave a line to the man
whose life was in imminent danger.
ONE CHANCE FOR LIFE.
No boat could have lived in the terrible
cross sea, which caused the stanch ship to
dip her lower yard arms into the bill
low lows at every roll, and the only chance for
lie lett the struggling sailor was to seize one
OF the ropes thrown him by his shpmates.
In such sea this seemed almost an impos-
slblllty, but fortunately the ship had very
little sail on her, and was not going very
last through the water, though as she fell
hpfnTn cd
every instant.
Hard down with your helm" shouted
the chief officer as he sprang to the assist
ance OF the man at the Wheel and again the
ships head was slowly brought to the wind,
Out In doing so another terrible sea swept
over the vessel and filled the decks almost
level with the rail. BY almost superhuman
efforts Iaing kept near the ship and as a
line we'll thrown from one Of the men from
the mlZZen rigging fell near him he seized it
with an energy born of despair.
Hold on for Gods sa6el' shouted the
man who had thrown the rope, as Lang
was buried beneath a mountainous sea,
which very nearly washed another of the
crew over the ships side. Laing needed no
warning but held on for dear life, and when
he again appeared he was dragged toward
the ships side as fast as the strong arms of
hall dozen of his shipmateS could pull
him.
SEIZED BY THE HAIR.
several times was The half-dr0Wned sailor
buried deep beneath the pillows, but his
giant strength enabled him to retain his
hold on the rope when any otherman would
have been swept away to death. At last,
when it seemed that even his strength must
succumb 10 the fury of the elements, he was
dragged near enough for one of the men,
who was leaning over the rail, to seize him
by the hair, while another caught him by
the wrist, and the next instant Laing was
dragged on board and fell to the deck in a
dead faint
He was carried to the cabin and stiff
glass OF grog forced down his throat. and in
a short time he was able to lie: down in his
bunk. His hands were badly torn by the
rope. and the flesh on the right wrist
where he had twisted the rope was cut to
the bone, but i'll other respects he was unin-
Jured, though even now he shudders when
reminded of his extraordinary escape from
death.
Peter Cornelius, another of the Amazon's
crew, now lies in the Marine Hospital with
both his legs frigatfally swollen. He was
attacked by dropsy on September 9th, and
has suffered fortunes since. Gangrene has
set in, and both feet will have to be ampu-
tated in order to save his life.