During a severe storm in the autumn of 1839, a French vessel was
wrecked in the dead of night in Weymouth Bay. A coast-guard man,
named John Mantle, thinking he saw human beings moving on the deck,
jumped into the raging sea and swam to her. On getting on board he
found two boys and the captain, who had broken his leg, on the deck.
Mantle took the boys safely to shore, and then, returning to the
wreck with a rope, which was made fast to the shore, he slung the
captain in a running tackle, and he was safely landed. The gallant
fellow then groped in the cabin to find if any living being remained,
and afterwards jumped into the sea, and swam to the shore in safety.
He was rewarded by the Humane Society and Lloyd's, and received a
beautiful watch, with a suitable inscription, from the inhabitants of
Weymouth, 20_l._ by vote of the Lords of the Treasury, and 5_l._ from
the Shipwreck Association, besides being promoted in the service; all
which honours he received with great modesty, declaring that the
result of his endeavours was his richest reward.