A HAIR-BREDATH ESCAPE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3103, 12 March 1883, Page 3

A HAIR-BREDATH ESCAPE.

One incident in connection with the collision between the City of Brussels and the Kirby Hall is thus related One of the most thrilling adventures was that undergone by the boatswain’s boy, who was rescued from the rigging three or four hours after the disaster occurred. All the boats had returned to the Kirby Hall, when, about eleven o’clock a sound was heard' proceeding from the direction of the sunken steamer. On further listening it was found to be a voice calling, out for assistance. Instantly there was quite a rush of men to the boat to go in search of the helpless being, whoever he might be. The fog had by this time greatly cleared, still the men were only guided to the spot by the sound of the voice, as nothing could be seen. In a very short time the. boat was alongside the sunken vessel, in the top of one of the. roasts, which was visible above the.water for several feet, was the poor boatswain’s lad. He was very soon brought down, and placed safely in the boat, which again cruised round the vessel in the hope of finding some others. This was, however, fruitless. The boy told his rescuers of the fate of the lamp trimmer, who, about fifteen minutes before!, was supporting himself in the mizen rigging. Although the two of them had been in the rigging of the vessel since she went ,down—one on one mast, however, and the other on another —not a word had passed between them. The lamptrimmer kept- his hold until shortly before the boat came up, when he became exhausted and fell down, disappearing at- once beneath the water. Another incident during the lad’s imprisonment occurred just after the vessel went down. He was well up to the top of the rigging, and looking down, he beheld one of the quarter masters with his faee about a foot below the water. Ho seemed to be looking up at the lad, but could not get an inch further. The face was upturned, and the poor fellow bad evidently been making for the rigging, but the vessel disappearing suddenly, just took him beneath the waves. He seemed unable to go further, and bad either been suddenly smothered, or else his foot must have got fast in some part of the rigging. The boy looked at him for a. moment, but his attention was then directed to his own safety. On looking down a few minutes afterwards, (he quarter-master had gone, and was never afterwards seen by the boy.