ON the 6th of May last a small schooner, the Endeavour, of Ipswich, was driven on shore in Polkerris Bay, about one mile north-west of Fowey, on the south coast of Cornwall. As soon as her perilous situa- tion was observed, the Coast-guard at Pol- kerris manned their boat, and strove hard to go to her aid; but the sea was too high, and, finding it impossible to weather the Gribbon Point, they were compelled to give up the attempt. At the same time, how- ever, preparations were being made in other quarters to rescue the crew, which were providentially attended with greater success.

Captain NORCOCK, E.N., Inspecting-Com- mander of Coast-guard in the Fowey district, on receiving intimation of the wreck, pro- ceeded with all haste to the spot, in readiness to direct his men, and afford any assistance he might be able. Fortunately, also, Mr. W. C. GEACH, steward to WILLIAM RASH- LEIGH, Esq., the gentleman who owned the surrounding property, foreseeing the dif- ficulty there would be in communicating with a wreck at the foot of a lofty cliff, had sent a waggon to Polkerris for a supply of lines and a small boat, which were then con- veyed with as little delay as possible to the spot. By the time they arrived a large number of persons had assembled there; but only one of the unfortunate crew remained alive. Three of them had succeeded in get- ting on a rock, over which the sea every now and then broke with such violence as to threaten to wash them off. Two of them then attempted to swim from the rock to the nearest point of the shore; but they both lost their lives in the attempt. The third, GEORGE DEWEY, remained on the rock. The small punt was now securely slung, and lowered over the cliff to the rocks below, a height of no less than 200 feet; and Captain NORCOCK immediately called for two volun- teers from amongst the crowd to accompany him in the boat. Two Coast-guardsmen, WILLIAM PAPPING and THOMAS KENWOOD, volunteered at once to do so; but as PAP- PING could not swim, he was rejected, and a merchant seaman, RICHARD JOHNS, volun- teered to take his place. The chief boatman of Coast-guard at Polkerris, MATTHEW JEN- KINS, who had previously endeavoured to get off in the galley, now arrived, and also volunteered to go; but the other two having been already accepted by Captain NORCOCK, he and they took their places in the frail barque. After a manful struggle, at great personal risk to their own lives, they suc- ceeded in reaching the rock, taking on board the almost exhausted survivor of the crew, and conveying him safely to the shore, to the joy, surprise, and admiration of all the per- sons assembled on the spot, who had sup- posed it almost impossible that so small a boat could have lived in so heavy a sea.

As the account of this very gallant ser- vice, so creditable to all concerned, has ap- peared in all the London, and no doubt in many of the provincial newspapers, it will probably have already been perused by most of our readers; our principal reason, how- ever, for repeating it is to point it out as an example of what may be done by a com- bination of courage, energy, and forethought, whether united in one person, or divided amongst different individuals, as in this case.

Thus, if Captain NORCOCK had hesitated to trust himself in this small boat, probably no other person from amongst the crowd would have ventured to do so. Again, if Mr. GEACH had not foreseen the possibility of lowering a boat over the cliff; or if, trusting to the Coast-guard or fishermen doing all that could be done; he had not at once set to work energetically to supply the means, the courage of those who used those means so effectually would have been unavailable, and the poor seaman whose life has been saved would, like his companions, have miserably perished.

The silver medal of this Institution has been awarded to Captain NORCOCK and the two men who accompanied him, and its vote of thanks inscribed on vellum has been pre- sented to Mr. GEACH.