Ballads of Brave Deeds By H. D. Rawnsley. With a Frontispiece and Preface by G. F. Watts |
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In Honour of E. A. Hatton,
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 | Ballads of Brave Deeds |  |
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In Honour of E. A. Hatton,
Seaman of the “Dunbar Castle”
The Stanhope Gold Medal, the chief prize of the Royal Humane Society for the year 1895, was awarded to seaman E. A. Hatton of the “Dunbar Castle.”
When nearly dark, and with a high sea running, he jumped overboard and rescued the carpenter who had been swept from the deck.
The steamer was running ten knots an hour, and the sea was full of sharks.— Cf. The Spectator, April 11th, 1896.
Or graves in gold the memorable deed,
Then let a grateful generation read
Of that strong sailor soul
To whom our praise is given.
The man who when his shipmate fell
Into the perilous surges hissing past,
What tho' Leviathan with mouth of hell
Watched if his prey should overboard be cast,
What tho' his ship thro' darkness to her goal
Stood on with ever undiminished speed,
Leapt to the rescue, felt a brother's need
Could claim life's offering whole,
And plunged for God and Heaven.
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