July, 1846.
On the 16th July, 1846, as James Bradford, a seaman, was casting
loose the frapping of the jolly-boat on the starboard quarter of the
'Naiad,' 64-gun frigate, under the command of Lieut. J. W. Finch, the
boat swung or heeled over, and the man fell over the bows into the
water at a time when the tide was running with unusual strength out
of the harbour, and the wind blowing nearly half a gale. The cry of
"A man overboard!" was instantly raised, when Lieut. Finch, who was
in his cabin dressing at the time, looked out and saw the man
struggling with the tide. He threw off what garments encumbered him,
and plunged through the port into the water. At this time Bradford
had sunk twice, and was carried at a rapid rate from the ship, being
no swimmer. Mr. Finch, however, followed, and persevered in his
humane exertions to save the man's life, in which he happily
succeeded, after being in the water a quarter of an hour, and got his
man (to all appearance dead) on board a victualling-hoy, where the
usual remedies were applied.
This was not the first time Mr. Finch had similarly risked his own
life to save that of his fellow-creatures. In 1840 he, assisted by
three others, saved the crew of a vessel, wrecked off Seaham, and
received the honorary bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society.
MR. CHARLES E. H. FARRANT, MASTER'S ASSISTANT, R.N.,
VALPARAISO,
September, 1848.
On the 5th September, 1848, at 5 A.M., whilst H.M.S. 'Samson' was at
anchor off Valparaiso, James Smith, private marine, then engaged
stopping his hammock on the gantlin, lost his balance, and fell
overboard. It being quite dark at the time, and he not able to swim,
with a heavy swell and a set of current out of the bay, he was
carried away from the ship; when Mr. Farrant, master's assistant,
mate of the watch (a young officer only 17 years of age, and at sea
for the first time), ran to the sponson, and, observing that the man
was in imminent danger, instantly jumped overboard into 30 fathoms'
water, and swam to his assistance. Some minutes elapsed before Mr.
Farrant could reach him. He at length succeeded in getting hold of
the man, and had made considerable progress on his return to the ship
with him, when a boat reached them, but not until after he had been
taken twice or thrice under water, through the man clinging so
closely to him.