December, 1843.
"On the 13th of December, 1843, as the men of H.M.S. 'Agincourt,' at
Hong Kong, were exercising aloft, one of them unfortunately lost his
hold, and fell from the main-yard arm: striking against the rigging,
he bounded with frightful force from the spare topsail-yard, and fell
insensible into the sea. Lieuts. Caldwell and Vansittart instantly
dashed overboard after him; the former officer was, however, from his
position, unable to make way against the tide, and to reach the
sinking man. Happily, Mr. Vansittart was nearer to him, and with
almost superhuman exertions (being burdened with the whole of his
uniform), saved the poor fellow's life, supporting him for a
considerable time, until a boat could be lowered. This gallant
action endeared the young officers to every man on board."
THE LIFE OF THE HON. FREDERICK WILLIAM WALPOLE
SAVED BY MR. R. DEW, MATE OF H.M.S. 'COLLINGWOOD,'
AT CALLAO,
August 20th, 1844.
Her Majesty's ship 'Collingwood,' Captain R. Smart, was lying off the
port of Callao, in China, on the 20th of August, 1844. There were at
the time two mates on board, Mr. Roderick Dew and the Hon. Frederick
William Walpole. The latter officer had, it appears, in the
afternoon gone on board a cutter-yacht belonging to a gentleman at
Callao. As night came on there was a fresh breeze blowing, which
knocked up a short chopping sea. It was also very dark, so that
objects at any distance from the ship could scarcely be discerned.
The officer of the first watch on that night was Lieutenant Richard
R. Quin, and the mate of the watch was Mr. R. Dew. In those seas the
currents run very rapidly, and where the ship lay there was a very
strong tide. Just as the quarter-masters had gone below to call the
officers of the middle watch, it being then close upon 12 o'clock,
the look-out man forward reported a boat ahead under sail. The
Lieutenant of the watch, on going to the gangway, observed a small
cutter on the starboard bow, which, as well as he could make out,
through the obscurity, appeared to be hove-to. He judged, from the
position of the cutter, that she wished to communicate with the ship,
but it was impossible to see what was taking place on board her.
Shortly afterwards a dark object was observed on the water on the
starboard bow approaching the ship, but it did not look like a boat.
When it was at the distance of 70 or 80 yards, it was hailed by the
sentry. An answer was returned, but too indistinctly for the
officers aft to understand what was said. The sentry, however, on
the forecastle seems to have made out the answer, for he instantly
sung out the startling cry of "A man overboard!" No boats were down
at the time, and in that hot tideway in another minute the drowning
man would have been swept past the ship, and carried, in all
probability, out to sea, where he must have perished. Mr. Dew was
forward; whether or not he knew who was the person in peril of his
life, I cannot say, probably any human being would equally have
claimed his aid; but without a moment's hesitation, he jumped
fearlessly overboard, and swam to the assistance of the man he
supposed was drowning. He struck out bravely, but could not at first
succeed in the object for which he was aiming. Meantime the order
for lowering a boat was given, but long before she was got into the
water, the figure of a human being was discerned close to the ship.
The sentry again hailed, when a voice, which was recognised as that
of Mr. Walpole's, answered with a cry for help. Mr. Dew cheered him
up, by letting him know that he was coming to his assistance, and
very soon after he got up to him, and found him clinging to a small
boat, full of water, and as he was encumbered with a heavy pea-coat,
holding on with the greatest difficulty. Mr. Dew, who was lightly
clad and fresh, enabled him to guide the swamped boat up to the ship,
near which the current was of itself carrying her. As they passed
near the gangway a coil of rope was hove to them, which they getting
hold of, the boat was hauled alongside, and Mr. Walpole and his
gallant preserver, Mr. Dew, were brought safely upon deck. Mr.
Walpole then gave an account of the accident which had befallen him.
He had shoved off from the cutter in her dingy, which was very soon
swamped, and as the tide would not allow him to regain her, he was
being carried rapidly to destruction, and would, he gratefully
asserted, have inevitably perished, had it not been for the heroic
conduct of Mr. Dew, who, under Providence, was thus the means of
preserving his life.