The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-04-09

sSARRATIyE OF A FIRE ON CHINESE
RiVEa.-Fhe missionary reports from
Ghina,as quoted in the Kolnische Zeitung,
deserihe tho terrible ravages Of fire
which took place on tho lst Of January,
1873, at llonauang, during tho prevalence
OF iinundation. The fire, which broke
putamong the shipping. was ofunpnraileled
horror, In order to form an idea Of it, we
must imagine the scene of its dovas,ations
Along tile shore Of Ki ang, for the distance
of2sevcral miles, SO many vessels arc
usually lyingyat anchor that when seen
fron,ihe opposite bank they resemble n
thiGk forest, but regarded from a near point
thcylook like an ilimitablc, populous city,
floating upon the water. At still greater
distance, though not SO crowded together,
many other vessels lie at the same
anchoring ground. The whole forms a
long harbor, extending many miles, filled
with. an immense number Of ships, and
presenting spectacle Of which no one
who bas not seen it can form conception
On the. night in question furious gale
strucksth's multudinous fleet. and in the
confusion that ensued ono of the vessels
wastound TO be on fire. Increased al once by
theSw wind, and fed by the tar and other
com!lnstble materials with which great
number of the vessels were loaded, the fire
spread like lightning to the ncghboring
vessels The violence and of tho storm the
tireParted The cables which had thus far
coatined the burning ships. Scattered by
the raging hurricane in every direction
those. every where spread devastation,
turning into flamc whatever they touched,
.nnnI3tkpdling the devouring fire in moment
~ tlie other vessels, In the midst of this
terrible sea of fire was heard tho shreks
and fgroans OF an immense number of men.
who, given over to despair, tossed by the
storm, pursued by the flames, and
ensosnpassed by the raging waves, were at
slast ft;f6t DO crisp by tho fire, or
sMaioWG1 up in the wild abyss OF the
( stream. The Ki.ang for great distance
resnmhlcd sea of fire, and ip the space of
three hours all those vessels, with the
unhappy mon on board, misrrabfy perished.
hisaGreed on all hands that the number of
vessels, according to a moderate estimate,
atnoantedGio more than three thousaud
The Chinese boats, rs is well known, even
the sfaailest,eare inhabited by the family Of
,the Gspt !, together with The crow. Indeed,
there are:wliole households, whose members
.a. are horn on board, where they live and die
wilttpus inoWing TO what country ;hcy
ptis'lls ptis'llsg5sss55 lleye come into the world
Wherever the floating abode oftheir parents
ti'al,BBsi,s Bssi' 70 be tounde Among the vessels
{ .,ll ntllrnt$sgerp several large ships. Many Of
'ieItg Fohthined from forty to fifty and sixty
perEd The bodies, mutilated and
d'stsis',rad by the fifc, which were drawn
ont o6 the stream, amounted 10 s;ytv
thousand. Those vessels were loaJo3
Wiiha'seight and belonged to Chinese from
tliiteseAt provinces. This may show tho
great loss and general bereavement caused sod
BY tho fire, Such a terrible contlaaTation
wasiseyer known, wo will not say in CHM
but In sEo whole world " ''''
-. alaYoR FINtNc HI,lsELr-slavor
NinEssaad has been lining the merchants Of
iNff,v''fs,rk I, city for obstructing the side
Wa'Bs wisAaheirboxes, bales, and harre's of
goods Some Of tho sufferers .retaiated bv.
kcetai'g watch over The largo whoscsale