Sentence:  The original cottage was said to appear on a well-known painting, dating back to 1863, of the American pirate ship, the Alabama, leaving Table Bay. It was also believed to feature in the story of the heroic Wolraad Woltemade who, in 1773, lost his life and that of his horse after valiantly saving 14 shipwrecked persons. This was said to have taken place within sight and full view of the house. The second respondent called this historical link into question, averring that the house was probably not yet built in 1773 while Woltemade's <WSD>heroics</WSD> were believed to have taken place in the vicinity of the Salt River mouth, some 10 km away. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  The actions of a hero.