A Wonderful Rescue.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 556, 13 January 1891, Page 3

A Wonderful Rescue.

A PLUCKY HUSBAND. A few days ago a brief telegram published in the Standard gave information as to an exciting occurrence at Onehunga wharf, the hero of the occasion being a brother of Mr Watson, of the Gisborne City Butchery. The New Zealand Herald gives the following report of the exciting occurrence:—lt seems that the s.s. Manakau came in from Waiuku to Onehunga on Saturday evening about halfpas nine. Among »he passengers were Mrs Watson and two children, living in Vincentstreet, Auckland, who were returning from a holiday excursion. She was met at the wharf by her husband. It was then intensely dark and raining heavily. Mrs Watson had the younger child, twenty months old, and the other, four years of age, she led by the hand. While her husband went to look after the luggage she walked forward to the gas lamp as she thought, up the wharf, and fell over into the water with both children. The husband hearing the splash immediately plunged in off the wharf, a drop of 16 feet, and when he came ro the surface he found his wife floating alongside of him. Although he could not swim properly he pushed her over to the stringers of the wharf, to which she clung. She told him that the baby had slipped out of her arms. Hetien heard a splash about ten yatdsrnhead, and on paddling forward he found it was the elder child. He also saw something white floa l ng near, which turned out to be the baby, and he succeeded in securing both children. Meanwhile when those oh board the Manukau heard the splash, they at once lowered a boat, but as it could not get underneath the stringers of the wharf, Captain Clarke jumped in, and swimming up to the man and the children, held them up till the boat came round the wharf, and rescued them and Mrs Watson from their perilous position. They were taken on board the Manakau, where restorative measures were adopted, while Dr Erson was sent for. They were all removed to Captain Clarke‘s house, where every attention and kindness was shown to the unfortunates by Captain Clarke and his wife. It was not until three o‘clock on Sunday morning that all were out of danger. It be mentioned that ten years ago Mr VYsU}on exhibited similar bravery by jumping off the whaif at the Thames, to save a man's life. In this he was successful, but when picked up, he was more exhausted than ths man he rescued,