At 1 A.M. on the 1st November, a telephone message was received from the - Coastguard that a fishing vessel was making distress signals N.N.E. of the Look- out, close inshore. A strong W.N.W.

breeze was blowing with a heavy sea.

The Motor Life-boat Agnes Cross was launched, and found the motor drifter Bezaleel, of Kirkwall. She had left harbour for sea; her engines had broken down; she had drifted to the outer bank of the North Beach ; had bumped over the bank, and was drifting towards Ness Point when the Life-boat found her. The Life-boat manoeuvred alongside, and the crew of the Bezaleel were preparing to jump into her, when the engineer managed to start one of her engines, which held her head on to the wind.

The Life-boat then stood by until the main engine was got going again and the drifter had got out to sea. The Life-boat then returned to her Station which she reached at 2.30 A.M.—Re- wards, £33 17*. 6d..