arrived. In the meantime Mr. Lambe, midshipman, jumped off the poop, a height of upwards of 40 feet, and ultimately succeeded in saving his little messmate and Mr. Skead, who, from his great exertions, was taken into the boat in a state of convulsions.

On being asked by Captain Grenville, why he had. encountered so much danger, Lambe gallantly replied, "Oh, Sir, young Sheepshanks is the pet of the mess; we could not afford to lose him, at any rate!"

MR. WARD, BOATSWAIN, R.N., H.M.S. GLADIATOR,'

AFRICA,
1851.

ON the coast of Africa, the 28th May, 1851, W. M'Carthy, a seaman belonging to H.M.S. Gladiator,' fell from the fore sponson overboard. Mr. Ward, boatswain, without a moment's hesitation, gallantly plunged after him, and, although the ship was going at the rate of nine knots an hour, succeeded in holding him above water until assistance arrived: this making the ninth person Mr. Ward, by his intrepidity, has rescued.

COMMANDER ALAN H. GARDNER, H.M.S.

WITCII, AFRICA,

1851.

6

WATER

On the 7th of October, 1851, at 8 P.M., as H.M.S. Waterwitch' was anchoring at Monrovia, on the west coast of Africa, a boy named Clarke fell over

board out of the fore-rigging. Commander Gardner, though dressed in heavy blanket clothes and thick boots, immediately jumped overboard and saved the boy. There was a strong tide running, and it was perfectly dark: the boy's struggles were so great, and so much time elapsed before assistance could reach them, owing to the sailors being aloft furling sails, that they were both in the act of sinking, and Capt. Gardner was taken up almost lifeless.

LIEUT. PYNE, R.N., H.M.S. PRINCE REGENT,' LISBON, December, 1851.

ON the 26th of December, 1851, at Lisbon, a seaman named Edward Clements let go his hold on the mainyard, and fell with a fearful crash on the lowerport deck, and from thence overboard. Mr. Frederick Pyne, mate of the upper deck, immediately sprang from the starboard gangway after him, and swam to his assistance; but having on the whole of his uniform, had great difficulty in keeping Clements up. The only boa near was Capt. Halstead's gig, which was on the port side. He sunk twice, the poor fellow he supported being so heavy from the effects of the fall. Capt. Caldwell, seeing the danger of both officer and man, plunged in to their aid; and by this time the dingy and Capt. Halstead's gig rescued them from their perilous situation. This is the third instance in which Mr. Pyne has been the means of rescuing a fellow creature under similar circumstances.

MR. SULLIVAN, MIDSHIPMAN OF H.M.S. MEGÆRA,'

AT SEA,
1852.

On the 29th of May, 1852, four days after the departure of H.M.S. 'Megæra' from St. Vincent, an act of great daring was performed. The ship was going seven knots through the water, when William Tizzard, captain of the fore-top, in the performance of his duty, unfortunately fell overboard from the main-yard. Mr. Sullivan, midshipman of H.M.S.' Megæra,' with all his clothes on, immediately jumped from the poop, a height of 20 feet, into the sea, and happily succeeded in seizing the man, who could not swim, conveying him to a life-buoy, and keeping him above water until they were both secured by the ship's boats.

COMMANDER TARLETON, H.M.S. 'FOX,' RANGOON,

1852.

ON Saturday morning, the 2nd of October, 1852, a seaman, whilst employed in painting the ship at Rangoon, missed his footing and fell overboard; and not being able to swim, must have perished, but for the promptitude and humanity of Commander Tarleton, of H.M.S. 'Fox,' who instantly jumped from his cabin window, and succeeded in saving the poor fellow from a watery grave.,

This was the second occasion on which Commander Tarleton saved a seaman's life under similar circumstances.

ENGAGEMENTS WITH PIRATES AND SLAVERS.

LIEUT. F. J. D'AGUILAR DEFEATS AN ATTEMPT TO RETAKE A PRIZE CAPTURED BY H.M.S. 'GRECIAN,'

BRAZIL,
1848.

THE 'Grecian' having captured a clipper Brazilian hermaphrodite brig, with nearly 500 slaves on board, Lieut. D'Aguilar was placed in charge of her as prizemaster, with ten men, and ordered to proceed to Bahia, the sloop following him thither. The prize duly arrived, and anchored at Bahia before the Grecian,' and not the slightest suspicion was entertained but that she was safe. In the course of the day, however, Lieut. D'Aguilar received some hints to the effect that a combination was being made on shore among the slavers to attempt to retake the prize; and although nothing definite was communicated, it was sufficient warning to him to be on the alert, and to take precautions which saved him and his men from being massacred. The evening passed off without disturbance, but about ten o'clock at night, several boats from the shore were seen pulling for the brig, containing, it was estimated, 150 Brazilians. As they neared the prize, they were hailed, and ordered to keep off, but with some boldness they advanced along

side. Having approached too near to be agreeable, Lieut. D'Aguilar endeavoured to check them by a discharge of musketry, and this commenced a most severe conflict, as the fire was returned by the pirates as they dashed alongside and attempted to board. That firmness and undaunted bravery, however, which is characteristic of British seamen, was here displayed in an eminent degree, and the Brazilians, with their overpowering numbers, were completely beaten off by Lieut. D'Aguilar and his little band, with a loss, on the enemy's side, it is said, of upwards of 10 killed. and 30 wounded. As may naturally be supposed, where the contest was one at close quarters, and where each of the gallant defenders had so many assailants to wait upon, they did not come out of the melée unscathed. Scarcely one of them escaped a mark, and several of them were severely wounded. Lieut. D'Aguilar received many hurts about the head. It subsequently transpired that it was the intention of the Brazilians to have silently got alongside the vessel, and to have secured the prize crew. They would then have cut the cables and made sail, to land the cargo of slaves at another part of the coast. This affair was the theme of general applause in the squadron on the station.