A GALLANT RESCUE.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7215, 28 November 1888, Page 2

A GALLANT RESCUE.

On Thursday last week a gallant scene was enacted in Lyttelton Harbor. Four of the apprentices of the barque~ Cormorant were engaged late in the afternoon in chipping the vessel's; side, and had come on to the deck of the vessel to get. their oilskins and sea boots on, as it was raining very heavily, again going into the punt in. which they were Workina to &d on with:

their work. Their names were W. Tessey* man, C. H. Blanchard, C. P. Graham, amji W. Plugge. After they had been at work some time it came on to blow very hard and a nSrce sea was rolHng in the basin, breaking ,on Ixard the punt which, without any warning whatever, sank from under, them, the four b&ing left struggling hj the Water. On coming to the surface Tesseymau, Blanchard, and ringj:e made an attetapt to ewim for the gangway ladder, but the impedimenta and sea boots- flHea with Water barred all efforts in fcfiat direction, and as the treed punt just then came to the surface they canght hold of i:"it sand clung on until it had drifted to the stern of the vessel, where the ship's boat wj(9 lying, eventually, after much trouble, getting into her. Their cries for help were heard on board the barbae. Matters, with C. P. Graham, another occupant of tho punt, were, however, not so easy. He came to the surface,, and as he was not able to swim, sank: again. It was impossible for those who were in the water with himto assist, asthey had as much as they could do to save themselves. AY Ihis juncture an ordinary seaman named H. Mitchell. 9£eing the straita Graham in jumped, off the vessel's side to' -his rescne, and caught hold ot him, keeping him up, lipwever his powers failed him, and he had as, much as he could do to get to the gangway ladder and get on ".. ixiard. The work of saving Graham's life was then left to another apprentice,. named ■ Lawson Hobins, who seeing that Mitchell's efforts were futile, Jumped into the water, caught hold of liraham, and swam with him to the ship's side, when a rope was. lowered, which he passed round his helple&s shipmate, and bj which he was hauled on deck, aud after some time was brought round, Hobins swimming to the gangway ladder and getting on board that way. There is not the slightest doubt'but that for the gallantry of Lawson Robins,who, without a moment's, hesitation, plunged into the sea after Graham,' instead of recording a saving of life, it would have been oar painful duty to have recorded a fatality. His noble action iv this matter deserves every praise, and wo hope the attention of the JSoyal Humane Society will be called to the" case. Robins' age is seventeen years, and he i 9 a native of Hall.