The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-06-21
COUR ACE TO SPARE.
Brave Edward PeIIew. Afteruard Lord
Exmoutii.

Edward Pellew, afterward Lord Ex-
mouth. and ut the time Of his death
vice-admilsl, was one of the men who
seem born for deeds Of bravery. When
he was II wears old Il house in the
neighborhood caught fire. IN it Il lot
of gunpowder was known TO be stored
and the bystauders, quite naturally.
were shy of danger. The lad went in
to the house alone and brought ont the
powder Ats years of are he entered
the navy and began the career which
made him famous. His life is briefly
sketched by a writer in the atlantic
Monthly.
Pellew, when IS years old, was on
board the ship in which Gen. Bur
goyne embarked, in 1875. for Canada.
When the distinguished passenger
came aboard the yards were manned
in his honor. and lie was startled to
see on one vard-arm n midshipman
standing on his mead. On expressing
alarm, he was laughingly treasured by
the captain, who told him that Pellew
for he it was who had put this extra
touch upon the generals reception
was quite capable of dropping from
the yard, passing under the ships bot
tom and coming up OH the other side.
4 few days later the young officer
actually did leap from the yard-arm,
the ship going fast through the water
not. however, in the spirit of brava-
do, but to aid a seaman who had fallen
overheard, and whom he succeeded in
saving.
Throughout his youth his eXuberant
vitality delighted in such feats. Once,
when old enough TO know better, he
Jumped out of a boat under sail, after
his hat, which had blown overheard.
The freak nearly cost him his life.
for though he had dashed the helm
down and hove to the boat, she fell off
and gathered way whenever approach
ed When at last he laid hold of the
rail, after an hour of this fOoling, he
had barely strength enough to drag
| himself on board.
He served through Bur@oyne's oper-
ations on Lake Champlain, and after
| the surrender returned TO England.
| where he was Tromoted TO q lieuten-
ancv and then was made captain. But
| he was still full Of youthful activity.
| Il remember once" said midship-
man who served with him at this pc
Rod, in olose-reeling the main topsail
the captain had given his orders from
| the quarterback and sent rs aloft. On
| gaining the topsail yard, the most act
i've and daring OF our party hesitated
to 90 upon it, as The sail was Tapping
! violently, making it a service OF great
| danger.
Just then voice was heard from
| the extreme end of the yard calling
| upon us to exert ourselves to save the
sail from beating to pieces. 4 man
said: Why. that's the captain. How
| in creation did he get there?'
| He had followed us up, and clam
bering over the backs of sailors, had
| reached the topmost head, above the
yard and thence descended by the
| lift"-a feat not easily explained to
landsmen, but which will be allowed
by scamen to demand great havdihood
and address.
Once he is supposed to have been
| frightened. On the kings birthday
| he had dressed in full uniform TO at
tend dinner on shore. The weather
was hot and the crew had been per-
mitted an hours swimming around
the ship While his boat was being
manned the captain stood by the frig-
ate's rail watching the bathers, and
near him was one Of tl.5 ships boys.
81, too, shall have Il good swim
SOON" called the boy to one of his com
radeS in the water.
The sooner the better" said Capt.
Pellew, coming behind him and tip
| PING him overheard.
No sooner had the lad risen to the
surface after his plunge than it was
plain he could not swim; so in attel
him went the practical joker, with ali
his toggery.
If ever the captain was frightened,
says an officer who was present, III
was then"