AN EXTRAORDINARY SEA STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10133, 16 May 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN EXTRAORDINARY SEA STORY.

Whe» the 111-fated Swansea tug, the Wasp, was sunk off the Mumbles in April last year, there was a rumour that amongst those drowned was a young man named George Tosh, who had been missing from, that time, and who, it was suggested, might have gone out on the nigh) in question for a' cruise in the tug. It would now appear, if a communication said to have been received from Mr. Tosh is true, that be was really on board, and that though all the rest of she orew were drowned, his life has been saved in a most extraordinary manner at Iquique. A letter has ! been received by his v mother at Swansea, and though the letter is nob available it is understood that it was written about December. In it the writer says he was on the night of the disaster on board the Wasp talking to Beriyon—one of the crew—when suddenly out of the fog the bows of a large steamer loomed going at full speed down Channel. The Impact was terrible, and bath men were thrown into the sea on the port side of the large'steaiaer's bows as the tug went under her.; The propeller of the tug rose oat of the water as sue} went down, and Tosh says be saw one of the' blades strike Benyon full on the head.' Then the crew of the steamer threw a biscuit-box and plank Overboard, and he being a strong swimmer secured both. By their aid he kept afloat and was taken by the eurrenb to Port Talbot sands, whore be finally found himself lying at high Water mark in 'hot sun with his clothes nearly dry. \ He says he must haw lain there some hours,'and then he woke up, coolly tramped into Bridgend and got some food, and then continued Mi tramp to Cardiff, where ho saW a friend Who was* skipper of a vessel bound to Argentina, got a berth, and sailed without saying a word about the Wasp, became "t should be Wanted 44 Swansea, Where Icfluld do no good.' l - v ' >