The Hero of the Humber; Or, The History of the Late Mr. John EllerthorpeWoodcock, Henry
Religion
The Hero of the Humber; Or, The History of the Late Mr. John Ellerthorpe
Woodcock, Henry
Ellerthorpe, John, 1806-1868; Heroes -- England -- Biography; Sailors -- England -- Biography
This young woman, who, there is reason to suspect, was a similar
character to Mrs. Webster, fell from McDonald's wharf, into Toronto Bay,
America. I had in charge at this time a vessel belonging to Mr.
Garsides, and when walking down to the wharf, one cold night, in the
month of October, I heard a heavy splash in the water, and the next
moment a loud scream. I ran to the place and saw this woman struggling
in the water. She was very difficult to get at, but at last I caught
hold of her, and soon landed her on the wharf. A man was waiting to
receive her, and they instantly walked off. A few days after, however,
she called at Mr. Baker's, 'Black Swan' Inn and asked for me, and on
going to the door she told me that I had saved her life, and that she
was twenty-nine years of age. Now there had been some strange reports
about her and the man who met her; indeed it was commonly believed, in
Toronto, that he had pushed her overboard. But she said, 'The report is
false. I _fell_ overboard.' She thanked me very kindly; I urged her to
tell me her name, which she did, after I had promised not to tell
anyone; this made me suspect that there was something wrong in
connection with her being overboard. She urged me to accept some money,
but I would not for I am sure her gratitude amply satisfied me for what
I had done for her. _Witnesses_--Thomas Thomas, John Baker.
_Twenty-ninth._--JANE GOUGH.* (1843.)
When seven years old, she fell into Hessle harbour; her mother gave the
alarm, and in a few moments I was in the water and saved her. I remember
but little about _this case_, but the girl's father often says, when
referring to myself, 'That man saved my child's life twice, and the
second time was as good as the the first.' I will explain the second
case. Miss Gough, many years after her deliverance, married Mr. Shaw, a
captain, and together they have brought up a family of children, in
respectable circumstances. Mrs. Shaw knew me well, but I had not seen
her for many years, when this strange event took place:--I was captain
of the Dock Company's steamer, and on going one dark night into the
Victoria Dock, I found a deep timber-laden vessel, with her stem upon
the bank and her stern in the channel, and she was rapidly filling with
water. I at once went to her assistance, and having fastened a strong
rope to her, and then to my packet, I tried, first in one way and then
in another, to pull her off, but she seemed immoveable; and I began to
fear I should not accomplish my object. But I always believed in that
little catch,
'Have you not succeeded yet?
Try, try again.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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