The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1902-09-04
DEED OF WILSON M'FiELD.
He sayed Two Lives by HE Bravery
and Perseverance,.


and Perseverance.
From the records Of the Royal HUI
name society a writer in Mcclure
Magazine draws the story OF an Oo-
scure negro seaman whose brave aeed
was discovered and honored by two OF
the great nations OF the earth one
tropical night the schooner Dolphin
rested almost mofionless on tile Gay
man rocks in Nicaragua. Grew End
passengers. some twenty in all. were
asleep about the deck. for ii was too
hot 10 20 below. Then came such
sanal as comes only in those southern
seas. The sails, all set. furnished am-
pie leverage. Within ten seconds the
Dolphin was bottom mp. her passengers
and crew struggling In the water.
Wilson McField. a negro and sub
Jet OF Great Britain. was the FIRST
to come to the surface. All his twenty
seven years of life he had known these
waters. and he swan like nsh. lie
soon succeeded in climbing upon the
bottom Of the vessel. Then he shouted
to the others. and one by one pulled
up five of the crew.
Fortunately the squali was soon over.
although the sea was high. After they
had dT1fted two hours the men heard
strange sounds. Ike pounding within
the vessel. Some thought they heard
voices. The more superstltious we're
afraid The night dragged on. and by
=. H. Ac haI faint
er. The crew concluded that men were
imprisoned within the boat. but none
could devise a way 10 save them. Then
the negro proposed to dive under and
into the ship. They assured him he
would never get out again, but carry
ing between his teeth one end of rope
that had been dragging from the YES
sci. McField diyed. passed under the
gunwale and rose in the hatch.
1t was pitch dark, and the interior
OF the vessel was full Of the floating
cargo. but he kept on steadily. Finally.
concluding that he had reached the
cabin, he rose. and In an instant bis
head was above water. Yet 80 foul
was the aid, and SO narrow the space
between the water and the slips bot
tom. that he could hardly breathe. He
could see no one, but he heard the
knocking again. and called out. Then
came voices, faint but familiar !.
Swimming In the direction of the
sound, he found two men bfaced
against the cabin sides and holding
~. ..l1 Nm an-oa n
young rubber cutter named Mallitz,
the other a native Spanish-Niearaguan,
called Obando. Both were panic
stricken, and McTield was obliged to
threaten them with instant death II
they did not obey him. lie fastened
the rope round Mallltz. and gave the
signal TO pull. McField Owed into the
water along with his man. In bis fright
Maliitz entangled himself In the hatch
way. and precious time was lost in free
ing him. When they reached the sur
face Mallitz was unconscious and Nc
Field more dead than aliye.
They pulled Nallitz aboard. but Nc
Field would not follow. AS soon as The
rope was free he took II in his teeth
and went under. found the hatch and
entered the cabin. Obando was almost
uncomfortable with fear and exhaus-
top. bnt. MeField finally secured aim
with the rope. and gave the signal 10
pull up. This lime the trip was made
without accident, and both men mere
drawn on board. All the men were
saved.
The United States government
awarded McFieid a medal and nifty
dollars in gold. and the Royal Humane
Society OF Great Britain gave him
silver medal