During the night of the 25th September, the schooner Oathrina, of Biga, stranded on the Aber- tay Banks, which lie to the eastward of the entrance to the River Tay. At 4 A.M. her signals of distress were observed from the shore. It was then blowing a strong gale from the S.E.; a bad sea breaking on the Banks.

The Life-boat Mary Hartley, stationed at Broughty Ferry, about 3 miles inside the entrance of the River Tay, was at once launched, and proceeded to sea in tow of the North British Railway Com- pany's steamer. On arriving outside, the Life-boat was cast off, and, under oars, managed to reach the lee edge of the bank, then, partly dry. The crew of the stranded vessel, numbering 8 men, then made their way to the Life-boat, as it was feared that with the flood tide their ship would go to pieces, or be swallowed HP in. the sand. She was bound from Oron- stadt to Montrose, had been set into St. Andrew's Bay by the storm, and finally on shore on the sandbank. Before the tide fell she had beaten half across the bank from the violence of the gale. Fortunately the tide then partly left her for the time, and gave the Broughty Ferry Life-boat and the steamer the opportunity of effect- ing the rescue of the crew.