OVERBOARD IN A CYCLONE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17099, 23 February 1916, Page 3

OVERBOARD IN A CYCLONE.

BOY'S WONDERFUL SWIM. MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROJI DROWNING. "...„, a ; A true " shark story " was told to an Auckland ','SUu-" reporter a few days ago by a young lad named Charlie Hand, who lives at ' Dovonport. He had just returned from a long sea voyage in a vessel well, known in Auckland Harbour. The hoy, whoJs.the central figuro in the story, had,' during a recent cyclone, in the tropics, an escape from drowning, which was described by the crew of the vessel as being miraculous. The lad stated that on a .recent Sunday morning, the ship was making the voyage from Fanning Island to Suva (Fiji).' During the,'earlier hours, a shark had teen sighted; aV flior'stevri of the vessel. It was exceptionally largo even for the species which frequent tropical waters. One of the crew remarked that it was a thing oi ill omen for the shark to follow the vessel so elosely, but the men passed the matter., by lightly, little thinking that within an hcur one of them would ha fighting for his life against a merciless sea and a fear of the ; following shark. A short time after this, a storm sprang up. The sea vas aggravated to mountainous waves, which swept the decks of the vessel and threatened to carry all before them. The lad said that the waves Availed the vessel in, and lho. sky was as black as ink. The rain—sometimes frozen ii.to hail—beat down upon the vessel in sheets, and the wind howled above the sounds of the falling rain and the breaking waves. The boy was on the foredeck, and decided to seek shelter owing to the violence of the storm. He turned to make for the forecastle when he saw a huge wave about to break over the bows. He ran for shelter, but was too late. He was caught in the oncoming, mass of water and hurled into the air until lie finally feTLinto the sea. Ho describes the shock as being so sudden and so terrible as to have left no memory with him of the exact way in which he' reached the water. It seemed an age to him before he came to the surface, but when at last he could see the black sky above, he cried for help. The wave had thrown him some distance from the ship, but his position was discovered, a. buoi' was thrown to him, and preparations were made for lowering a boat. The buoy landed within a short distance of the lad, but hcj was unable to reach it for some mrnutes. Each time that he struck out for the lifebelt he was flung back by the waves, and if it were not for the fact that he was a strong swimmer he would have probably not been taved. By hard .swimming he came nearer to the buoy, and was at last able to grab the encircling cord, and to rest, as he was almost exhausted. For about an hour lie waiter.!. The elements deadened all sounds which would have perhaps helped the searching boat to find him. Difficulty had boon found in launching the boat, and the fittings were badly damaged by the .cea. • # The searchers were almost in touch .with the exhausted boy when, a wave rose between and hid the rescuers from the lad's vieiy. He said that when he; caught the lifebelt, he suddenly remembered the shark which had been following the boat, and realised that it might still to near byv This prompted him to lie across the buoy, instead of passing it over his body.' The light, which flashes when the 'belt, touches the water, burned his legs, and lie had to loose,n it and hold it awayyat the same time battling with the sea, which threatened to separate .him from the sustaining buoy. When the boat missed him the Erst time, it was some minutes before he again saw the anxious faces of the searchers to whom ho was finally able to swim. The young fellow said that by this time lie was almost dazed by the hour's battling, but hei:-was able to scramble aboard the surf boat and to filially reach tho steamer.' The vessel, went, on its way, the cyclone continuing to drive the giant waves against her sidqs. . ,