The San Francisco call., 1896-11-07
OVERHEARD OFF CAPE HORN.
Daring Deed of an Officer of a British
Steamsh ID.

Daring Deed of an Officer of a British
Steamsh p.
Most extraordinary are the details of the
gallant action for which an Albert medal
of the first class was conferred on Thomas
Averett Whistler, first mate of the ship
Ennerdale. of Liverpool.
Early in the morning of December II,
1885, when the Ennerdale was rounding
Cane Horn, an apprentice named Duncan
McCallum was sent aloft TO loosen the
skysail. The Ennerdale, ! should men,
tion, was one of J. D. Newton's Dale line
of steamers.
Presently, as the captain was descend
ing from the poop, he saw heavy body
strike the main rigging a little above tbe
bulwark and rebound into the sea. That
"heavy body" was McCalluin, and the ship
being almost under full sail at the time
he was carried rapidly astern.
Immediately after this tragic occurrence
II. S. Pochin, an able seaman, leapei over
board after the apprentice, but the latter
sank before Pochin could reach hlm. All
things considered the rescuer's position
was now pretty serious, and, fear ring lest
he should be seized with cramps before q
boat could come to his assistance, he
hailed the ship, asking for lifebuoy to be
thrown TO him. At the same moment the
nGStcI, Sdptdlu 0uuSOI, Cdlleu all QaQQS
to man boat. The first mate, Mr.. Whis-
tier, who hau been asleep in his berth, ran
on deck and heard Pochin's hail Calling
TO the boatswain to heave him a life buoy
ne at once sprang overheard, secured the
llfebuoy which was thrown to him and
succeeded in reaching Pochin. This poor
man wa already on the point of sinking,
but with the help OF the lifebuoy Whistler
was able to keep HIM up.
Meanwhile considerable DELAY had oc-
CURED in the dispatch OF the boat-for one
thing, her lashings had been secured very
firmly for the passage round Cape Horn.
and when she was launched so many men
crowded into her that she capsized, which
says much for the popularity OF Whistler.
The boat was soon righted, however, and
dispatched in charge OF the third mate
and two seamen. All this time the two
men in the water were rapidly becoming
exhausted, and they had made up their
minds to abandon the lifebuoy and strike
out side by side for the ship, when they
were confronted by new, weird danger.
An immense albatross swept down ma
iestically on Pochin and Whistler, and,
after hoverIng round quite close to their
heads, alighted on the water INST beyond
arms length. There the great bird re-
mained, staring them in the face, and
evidently only waiting until they aad be-
come a little more exhausted. In few
minutes, however, the boat reached the
spot, and its crew drew their perishing
shipmates out of the water. Directly they
were lifted into the boat both men became
insensible, and Whistler was delirious for
some time afterward. Amazing as it may
seem, the two men had remained in the
piercingly cold water for upward of forty
minutes. The expectant albatross was
realty disappointed at TIE turn events
had taken, and had to be driven off with
boathook. 1t was remarkable fact that
the attack of this bird contributed not a
little to the saving of the lives of both
Whistler and Pochin. This was because
their vigorous efforts to beat off the saw
age bird materially helped to keep their
blood in circulation. thereby averting the
fatal cramp.-Strand Magazine.