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M EI, A NCIIO LY CAT AS T…

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M EI, A NCIIO LY CAT AS T HOP HE. (From the Ayr Observer.) On Sabbath night, the wind began to blow a strong gale from the north west, and on Monday morning there was a heavy sea on Ayr bar with high wind, when the Nancy of Saltcoats, Captain Shearer, appeared in the bay, making direct for the harbour, about eleven o'clock. Soon after the brig was descried, two pilot boats put ofl for the purpose of conducting her safely into the haven. One of these boats belonged to Henry French, and was manned by four men, viz. the owner, James Murphy, Hugh Kelly, and Patrick Harvey; the other boat con- tained Daniel and John Hunter, William Gibson, Dugald M'Millan, and William Hamilton. As the brig Was sailing at a very rapid rate, she had nearly reached the pier head before either of the pilot boats approached her, when both boats put about with the view of funning alongside and boarding her, but in the anxiety to secure the fare, French's boat came right athwart the bows of the brig just as bhp. reached the pier liead, when Captain Sheerer directed the helm to be put hard down in or- der to avoid coming in contact with the devoted boat the order was promptly obeyed, the vessel shifted her course, but the heavy surge thrown off her larboard bow struck the boat and filled her, when she instantly capsized, and the four men were left at the mercy of the waves. At this time the other boat was within one hundred yards ahead, waiting for the brig, and the i istant the accident occurred, Captain Shearer called to Hunter and his companiolls not to mind offering any assistance to his vessel, but to put about, for God's sake, and save the drowning men who were struggling for life only a short distance behind them. The reply from Hunter's boat, whatever it was, could not be heard some one on board was observed to hold up his hand, and she continued her course up the harbour. The acci- dent was observed from the shore by a number of sea- faring people and others, who ran along the side of the river, alternately menacing and imploring Hunter and his mates to return and save the poor fellows, or, at least, to make an effort to do so. But no attention was paid to (heir entreaties, and the boat's crew eventually went on board the brig after she attained comparatively smooth water. Great indigna- tion was felt and loudly expressed by the public that not even an attempt was made by those in Hunter's boat to rescue French and his companions from their dreadful situation but as an investigation has very pro- perly been instituted by Air. Hurdoch, the Procurator Fiscal, we decline going into details in this place. We may slate, however, that it was alleged by Hurter's boat's crew that she was half full of water, and incapable of rendering any assistance. The people on shore (as they have always shown themselves on former occasions.) were most active in their endeavours to aid the unfortu nate men. Some ran towards the harbour to procure a boat to be rowed to their assistance otherit hastened to fetch ropes to be thrown to them, should they be washed towards the pier, and some remained to cheer them up in their struggles against the waves, until relief could be obtained. The whole four continued to support them- selves above water for some lime, but as the swell was heavy and the breakers followed each other in rapid suc- cession, completely covering the victims, two of them —French (who had a wooden leg) and Murphy—disap. peared in about five minutes from the time the accident took place, and were unfortunately drowned. Another of the poor fellows, Patrick Harvey, a native oflrtlsnd, swam towards the south pierhead. and being an expert swimmer, kept himself up for nearly twelve! minutes, till a line was procured and the end of it thrown to him, which he made fast round his arm, and he was landed at the stairs, but received a severe contusion on his head by being dashed against the wall; however, he speedilv rallied, and was soon able to walk home. The fourth' individual, Hugh Kelly, was driven by the surge towards the north side of the river, and having hold of either one or two oSrs, he was able to keep his head pretty well above water, but the force of the great body of fresh water carried him out of the harbour, and round the pier-head, towards the north beach, where the breakers momentarily threatened to dasn tne oars from his relaxed grasp. Meantime some spirited seamen manned a boat belonging to the brig Ellen, with which they hastened to his aid, and as he had drifted by this time near the back of the wall, they resorted to the novel expedient of launching the boat over the wall, an operation which the high tide greatly facilitated; she was then tracked alongside of the wall by a part of her crew, till nearly opposite the exhausted swimmer, when she was rowed to the spot, and happily rescued him from the very gates of death. The two unfortunate men who were drowned had both served their country in a warlike capa- city, and were in the receipt of merited pensions, the necessary papers for drawing which were to have been signed and despatched by them yesterday morning, when they were so unexpectedly summoned to their last ac- count. Neither of them were married, but we have been informed that French supported his aged father and mother, by his labour as a pilot, and from the profits of a small public house which he lately opened on the south qUJY; his boily has not yet been found, but that of Murphy was picked up yesterday near the gas works, on the sauth beach, between two and three o'clock.

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