SERIOUS ENDING TO A MARINE FARCE.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 36, 10 August 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

SERIOUS ENDING TO A MARINE FARCE.

A gallant deed in mid-ocean by Mr. Alex. J. Smith, which has hitherto gone unrecorded in Australian papers, occurred during the last trip to Australia of the steamer Gulf of Genoa (writes the Brisbane Courier). Probably many of our readers are acquainted with the old custom of "shaving and dipping" under the direction of Father Neptune when crossing the line, which is still kept upon many ocean-going steamers and ships. On this trip the custom was I duly honoured on the night after crossing, but the farce almost terminated in a tragedy. When several had been initiated, an attempt was made to put Mr. Swan, one of the engineers, through the process, but he did not take kindly to it, and struggled a good deal when thrown into the water. It appears that he lost his head, for instead of getting out on deck, he climbed over the edge of the rail and fell into the sea, the vessel going at 11 knots iv latitude 4deg 28min south and longitude sdeg 30min west. The alarm was at once given, and Captain Swan got his ship round and steered back over the course. Before the ship was turned back, a boat in charge of the third officer was lowered and went in search of the missing man. In about twenty minutes the vessel was back on her course, and tho voice of the missing man was heard some distance astern. The steamer was headed in the direction whence the voice proceeded, and shortly afterwards Mr. Swan was seen over the starboard side, apparently entirely done up. Mr. Alex. Smith took a rope overboard and swam to the fast-drowning man— a plucky and daring thing to do, as this latitude is infested with sharks, and there was a strong sea running at the time. The ship was safely reached, and Mr. Swan hauled into a boat which had been lowered. Mr. Smith was being hauled onboard by a rope over the side when a false knot in it slipped, and he received a very severe jerk, which it is feared has permanently injured his side. After arriving in Brisbane he found it necessary to go to the hospital, where he is still an inmate.