A terrific gale sprang up one winter in the Orkney Islands, away to
the north of Scotland. Three fishing smacks were out in it, and ran
for shelter into a narrow channel between two of the islands.
Two of the smacks rode out the weather safely, but the third got
carried on to a small rocky islet and was wrecked, though her crew
managed to get ashore on to the rocks.
Then it was that five brave fishermen on the island of Pharay, seeing
their plight, put off in a rough, home-made boat to try to rescue
them; but the wind and sea were so high, and a snowstorm was driving
against them to such an extent, that they could not get along, and
were beaten back, after two toughly fought attempts.
But they would not be defeated, and at last, by sheer pluck and
determination, these hardy fellows got their boat across the channel
at the third attempt, and dragged the shipwrecked men one by one
through the water into their boat; and eventually, after going through
the greatest danger of being swamped, they got them all safely ashore
on Pharay.
This was a true example of Scouts Being Prepared to risk their lives
to save fellow creatures.
These five heroes arrived at Balmoral while I was there, as the guest
of King Edward, by whom they were received. He had the story of their
heroism read over, and he then congratulated them on their bravery,
and himself hung the medal for saving life at sea on the breast of
each and shook hands with him. That was his official reward to them,
but privately also he gave each man a personal friendly reminder in
the shape of a good pipe and some tobacco, which he chose himself for
them.
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