ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA,

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 21, 2 January 1907, Page 5

ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA,

— 4 — One of His Britannic Majesty’s Consuls, whose temper was none ol the sweetest, chanced to be on board the launch belonging' to the Consulate. Wishing to go on shore, he called to his boy to get out the boat ; he, however, received no reply, and on making inquiries found that his sable attendant had taken the boat without leave about an hour before. At this moment he espied the boat returning to the launch, and no sooner was it alongside than, having seized a stick, he, sprang in, and proceeded to thresh the delinquent. The latter immediately dived overboard, and the irascible old gentleman, being determined not to let him escape punishment, dived after him, and managing to catch him by the leg never let go until they were both fairly haoled back into the boat, where he completed the castigation. Some naval officers who were present wrote home by, the next mail, asking that a ltoyal Humane Society’s medal might be given to their gallant Consul, for his bravery in saving a poor native from drowning. The society recognised the claim, and, to the Consul’s mortification, the medal arrived.