"A MAN OVERBOARD."

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 107, 20 June 1885, Page 5

"A MAN OVERBOARD."

A few weeks after the action, the •' Spitfire," commanded by Captain Stoneheart, left Alexandria in company with the Channel Squadron en route for England; and on board the " Spitfire," in addition to her usual , complement of midshipmen, were Jolibote, Dutibote, Alwyn, and flargraves, who were being sent home on account of the near approach of their examination at Greenwich. The fleet under single roof topsails and topgallant sails, with the wind right aft, was entering the English Channel. The Captain and the Commander were on the bridge watching for the flagship to shorten sail. Half a gale of wind was blowing, and the frigate creaked and groaned under the weight of her can\as. "Man overboard !" A few minutes after the boatswain's mate piped " Clear lower deck !" scarce a soul on board the frigate was below. The ship wa k s brought to the wind on the starboard tack, and the lifeboat lowered. A man had fallen overboard from the mizen chains, and two midshipmen had jumped after him. The ship being before the wind, and going at ten knots at the time of the accident, the thi-ee men were more than a mile astern before the lifeboat was in the water. "Keep a good look out for your recall, Mr Dutibote," said Captain Stoneheart, hailing the midshipman in charge of the cutter, as he steered clear of the ehip. Dutibote thought it rather odd that the Captain should bo thinking of the recall when three of his crew were in the water more than a mile astern. When the accident happened, the Commander proposed that steam should be got up, as the fires were banked, but the Captain would not give his assent. He ssemed to have made up bis mind that it was impossible to save the men, and manifested eome displeasure that the Commander should offer opposition to his opinion. Soon after the Commander left thebridge, and the Captain then directed his attention to the mizen-top, where Mr Alwyn and two signal men were stationed to direct the cutter's course. Captain (shouting).—" Can you see anything of the men in the water ?" Alwyn.— ".Yes ! I can see their heads." Captain.—" How far off is the cutter !" Alwyn.—" About a mile." Captain.— " Does she appear to be making any way ?" Alwyn.—-" She will be up to them in less than an hour," Some time elapsed before the Captain again bailed the mizen top. He then asked if Mr Alwyn could see the cutter. Alwyn replied that the cutter was only to be seen at intervals— the men he had lost sight of. Upon this the Captain sent for the Commander, and asked him whether ho did not think it advisable to recall the cutter, a3 the men could not bo seen from the mizen top. The Commander replied that if the Captain recalled the cutter it would be entirely on his own responsibility. Captain.—" We have lost the fleet already. If we don't recall the cutter, there will be no chance of regaining our station." Commander.— " I don't seo what differance that can make. " Captain.—" It makes a great difference, in my opinion." . Commander. — " Losing the neet^ is nothing compared to losing three men." The Captain walked away saying as if to Limself, "They had no business there." Then hailing the mizen top, he inquired if Mr Alwyn could see the cutter. Alwyn.— "I can see her now and then when she i3 on the top of a wave." Captain.—" Can you see the men?" " There they arc again !" shouted Alwyn, "all three of them, and the cutter. The cutter is almost to them." " Port !" he shouted again. And the signalman in the mizen topmast rigging, in obedience to Alwyn's order, waved his flag to direct the cutter towards the men. During all this time, Alwyn had been standing in the after part of the top resting his glass against the mizen mast ; and whenever the Captain shouted Alwyn shouted in return, without removing hi3 eye from his telescope. Alwyn and his glass were fixtures. The after part of the frigate was crowded with men ready to devour each word ea it came from the mizen top. When Alwyn shouted to the deck that he could see the men, the ship's company, unable to contain their joy at the information, burstforth •with one prolonged cheer. The Captain, displeased at this breach of discipline on the part of hi3 crew, ordered "the still to be sounded." After this, no information was received from the mizen top for eome little time, when the Captain hailed Alwyn again, to inquire news of the cutter and the men. Alwyn replied that he had lost sight of the men, but that he could seo the cutter ; and added that he thought the men were Been from the cutter, has Mr Dutibote had put down his glass, and was standing with hia face towards the bow. Captain.— "I don't want to know what you think, Mr Alwyn. I want to know whether you can see the men," Alwyn made no reply. Captain (shouting again).— " Mizen top there ! are you asleep ? Why the d don't you answer? Look over the fore part of the top, will you, Mr Alwyn ?" Alwyn (to the signalman sotio vocc), — "What does he say?" Signalman.— V He says you are to look over the fore part of the top." Alwyn {solto voce).—" I'll see him d Signalman.—" You'd better, Mr Alwyn." Alwyn.— "If I take my eye from my gkBB, it will take me half an hour to pick the cutter up again." Captain (shouting angrily).—" Mizen top there ! do .you, hear me, or won't you hear me, which is it?" The signalman fearing to lose the position of the citter, by going himself to answer the Captain's summons, asked Alwyn what he Bhould do. . Alwyn replied that to allow the Captain to shout till htf was boayee .was the pest thine he could do, l '

The signalman saw that Alwyn had made up his mind not to answer j so removing his glass from his eye" he went to the fore part of the top, and inquired if the Captain had hailed. Captain.-—" Hailed ! what the d do you mean ! I have been shouting for more than ton minutes." Signalman.—" Never heerd you, sir.' Captain.—" Keep your ears open. Stand where you are and repeat my questions to Mr Alwyn." " Can you see the cutter, and how long will it take her to reach the men ?" Signalman. — " Mr -Alwyn says he thinks — " Captain.— " Tell Mr Alwyn I don't want to know what he thinks. I want to know what he can see. Ask him if he can eeo the men, and how far off the cutter is." ■ Signalman. — " Mr Alwyn says the cutter is quite close." This answer did nor appear to satisfy the j Captain. Ho was becoming anxious as to the fate of the cutter, and again sent for the Commander, and pointed out to him that if they did not soon recall the boat darkness would come on, and it might be left behind in addition to the three men. The Commander replied that if steam had been got up, it would not have been necessary to recall the cutter — the mischief had been done— a chance of saving the men had been thrown away— now no more help could be given to the men overboard. During this conversation between the Captain and h?s Commander, the signalman in the mizen top, not being able to recover the position of the cutter, ceased to upe his glass, and turning to Mr Alwyn inquired anxiously if he could see anything of the men, To tins Alwyn replied, "I can see the cutter plain enough. Just now I thought I saw the men. They are above water anyhow. Hargraves and Woodcourt are both good swimmers, and the Capta ? n of the mizen top has Woodcourt's life-buoy round his neck— I saw him put it on myself." Captain.— " Mizen top! Is there any chance of the cutter reaching the men ?" Signalman (to Alwyn, not hoeding the Captain'3 hail).— "Think you gee them, sir?" Alwyn's patience was rewarded. Ho saw the men, and the good news was shouted to the deck. " There they are, and the cutter has them." As the blue jackets on deck heard these words, they cheered the cutter in the distance. The " still " was sounded over and over again, and it was not till the Captain threatened to pipe down that silence could be regained. Captain (shouting).—" Mizen top there ! what tho d do you mean by making all that row ! has the cutter picked up the men ? %) No answer from the mizen top. The Captain shouted again, and the signalman in answer to tho hail went to the fore part of the top. " Come down from aloft !" shouted the Captain. Tho signalman obeyed the order, and Alwyn was left in sole possession of the mizon top. Captain (to signalman). — " What's the good of you aloft in the mizen top ? why don't you answer when I hail you ? I'll have you disrated— you are useless." Signalman (touching his cap).— "Beg pardon, sir. It's not easy to heer up aloft blowing a gale of -\yind." " Put this man in the report !" said the Captain, addressing the officer of-the watch, The signalman left the bridge ; and again the Captain shouted " Mizen top !" It was some time before Alwyn answered. He then reported that the cutter was close to the men. The inconsistency of tho replies received from the mizen top very much dissatisfied the Captain, who shouted angrily ordering Alwyn to come down from aloft. Alwyn and histelescope, however, appeared to be a fixture. Tbe shouts of the Captain failed to stir him from hi3 post ; and a murmur of disapproval ran through the Bhip's company, when the signalman on deck, in obedienco to the Captain's order, hoisted the recall. At the same time, Alwyn, without removing his eye from his glass, shouted that he could see the men, and that the cutter would be up to them in ten minutes. Until the cutter returned alongside, Alwyn continued to look through his telescope ; then slowly descending the rigging, i he said so that all on the deck could hear, "All threo men were above water after the recall was hoisted." Alwyn was ordered under close arrest. The blue-jackets were lining the deck \rith the cutter falls in their hands— the Commander was watching for the [moment to give the order— the Commander shouted, "Marry tbe falls! hoistaway!" andthebluejackets with one continuous yell ran up the boat without stopping. The frigate was soon on her course again. The watch was called, but not a word was uttered by the ehip'fi company as they went below.