Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-09-02
COCHIN CHINA.

my account comes from n respectable |
source. Early in April, the French !
corvette HerIoOe, Captain Sevenge, ar
rived at Singapore from Cochin China,
having Uu board Five French Missiona-
RES, who were rescued from n cruel
death by the Interference Of Ga plain Sc !
venge. They had been imprisoned for
two years awaiting the execution OF the
sentence Of death, which was delay ed
tthus giving time for the arrival oC the
Herione,l only By the energetic remon
STRANGE Of our Consul at Singapore, Mr..
Bales cir, who is ever ready 10 relieve
the distressed, whether they are for.
eigners or countrymen; and having
heard Of the capture and Imprisonment
oil these missionaries. who would, as he
well knew by precedents, most certainly
suffer horrid death, he Immediately
sent for the Mandarins Of some ships
belonging 10 line King Of Cochin China,
then lying in the port of Singapore, and
with whom he had friendly intercourse
on former voyages, and told them IL,
through their interpreters, to make
known TO the King on their return, that
NJ he presumed 10 inllict such iortures
on these unfortunate victims, as he had
on others, who had fallen in to his hands
he might be sure his cruelty would be
visited with most exemplary punish
ment, by The King Of the French, who,
"a well as other heads Of governments
in Europe and America would not per-
init such barbarity to be ractised TO
wards their people.
The Consul's Message was faithful
ly delivered, for on several acquisitions
of the Mandarins, TO execute the sen
tence against the prise lers, The King or
dered in quiries to be made as 10 the
truth Of the story told by Mandarins,
who had returned from Singapore; and,
on having it repeated and reaffirned,
further delay was allowed. As it very
fortunately happened that the govern
ment Of Bourbon had, by this time, heard
Of their detention and peril, the move
msnt Of the Consul in their behalf was
carried out with signal success, for the
ship above named was ordered to pro
coed at once TO Macoa for further infUr-
nation, and subsequently arrived al Stu
the Cochin China, when, after a pro
tracted negotiation, the King found that
Captain Sewerage was determined 10 save
hAS NONhAl IlCll VI lllHiCL ScNeIC pun
ment for their detention and sufferings,
he gave them up and delivered them on
board, although during the whole time
Of communicating with Captain Sevenge
he denied having the N in his possession.
The missionaries had heard Of Mr.
Balestler's declaration 10 the Mandarins,
soon alter the return Of the ships, thro'
some ef the naive youth, their pupils
10 some hundreds of whom they were
required 10 teach The French language
while awaiting their execution; and
when on the day previous 10 their re
lease, list of names was presented to
them, enquiry was made whether they
were therIn named, and they then had
reason to hope that deliverance was al
hand. Their hopes we're speedily and
10 thor unmixed JOY, as may very rea-
Oily be supposed, confirmed, aud made a
pleasant certainty,by finding themselves
On board the Heroine, and thus once
more under their national flag, and in
security under rs protection.
Soon after arriving at Singapore, they
all went 10 the house of Mr. Balestier,
10 thank him, who, under Providence,
had been the means Of saving their lives
and ascrlbing their deliverance from a
death Of torture, 10 his we'll timed Mes
sage to the King. They then sailed
Tor France, and on their arrival will
give government such information as
"lLi, 1t Is hoped. put aH end 20 further
infamous practices on helpless mission
aries, whose only transgression was
perseverance in their duties without the
consent Of the King; a transgression
which surely could afford no excuse for
such a terrible Tetribution terrible as
II must have been, according to the
FOLLOWING account Of the diabolical means
resorted TO in putting prisoners 10 death
as related by these unfortunate French.
men, who so narrowly escaped them.
selves.
Three SIomese officers, who were in
Nited TO come over under the pretepce OF
adjusting some differences between the
two countries, on complying with thi.
request, we're no sooner within the ter
ritory than they were bound, carried {,
Siue, and thrown into prison with the
missionaries. A mock trial was ther
gone through with, and they were sen
fenced 20 death. On the appointed day
they, with their fellow prisoners, were
taken from the prison, aud told that the
time of execution had come. The,
were then ali carried to an open square
where the missionaries were so placed
as 10 have a luii view OF the scene tina
followed, and through which they ther
suppOse d they were soon 10 uass.