g out. And, raising
myself as high as I could out of the water, I sang out at the top of my
voice. There was a silence on board, but no answer, and I did begin to
feel that there was a chance of being lost after all. "Never give in,
though," thinks I; so I sung out again, as loud, you may be sure, as I
could sing. This time the answering cheers of my shipmates gave me
fresh spirits; but still I knew full well that I wasn't safe on board
yet. If I had wanted to swim, there was too much sea on to make any
way; so I kept floating on my back as before, just keeping an eye to
leeward to see if a boat was coming to pick me up. Well, sir, when the
boat did come at last, with Mr Christopher and the rest in her, I felt
strong and hearty, and was well able to help myself on board. I now can
scarcely fancy I was so long in the water.' I was much struck with the
extraordinary coolness of Miles. He afterwards had another escape,
which was owing less to his own self-possession, though he took it as
coolly as the first. On our passage home, the ship was running with a
lightish breeze and almost calm sea across the Bay of Biscay, when Miles
was sent on the fore-topgallant-yard. By some carelessness he fell
completely over the yard, and those aloft expected to see him dashed to
pieces on the forecastle. Instead of that, the foresail at that moment
swelled out with a sudden breeze, and, striking the bulge of the sail,
he was sent forward clear of the bows and hove into the water. A rope
was towing overboard. He caught hold of it, and, hauling himself on
board, was again aloft within a couple of minutes attending to his duty,
which had so suddenly been interrupted. On his arrival in England,
Lieutenant Christopher received the honorary silver medal from the Royal
Humane Society for his gallant conduct on the occasion of saving Miles'
life."

TWO COURAGEOUS SWIMMERS--1838.

HMS _Seringapatam_, Captain Leith, was lying off the island of Antigua,
in August 1838, when, on Sunday, the 26th of that month, eight of her
officers, three of whom were youngsters, and all belonging to the
midshipmen's berth, with a gentleman, a resident in the island, and two
seamen, started away from the ship in a pinnace on a cruise. Their
intention was to go down to Falmouth Bay, situated about two miles to
leeward of English Harbour, where the ship was, and to beat back. The
afternoon was very fine, and everything seemed to promise them a
pleas