The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-08-16
misffllaaeons.
Tie Escape of MIR. o'Donohuc.

and arrived in San Francisco on the ZZu OF
June. aud who reached New York on Monday,
in the steamship Northern Light, has declared
his Intention, of becoming citizen of the Uni.
ted States, and went through the usual forms
ut San Francisco on the 23I ult. H has pub.
lished full and very graphic account OF his
adventures IN Van Dieman's Land, and the
trials incident to his escape. - .-...
1t appears-that Mr. O'Donohue went on
board u steamer at Lannceston at o'clock On
the 2eth Of December last, and was concealed
in part Oft vessel which the police failed
to penetrate aiter,a vigiiant4 search. lie says:
= It was hastily agreed that should meet on
that evening at the house OF Mr.. r., and there
change my dress and accompany him on board
at eight o'clock that night. 4 FASTENED TO my
lodgings, at The house ot,my worthy friend, Mr.
K, of L.indhill, and packed upmy wardrote
which was very scantily supplied ;. still; scanty
though it was, WAS obliged to leave it aud
sixty volumes of books behind me. ON. and
j met at Mr.. G's house at o'clock, put on
a sailors Jacket, and we walked at a quick
pace to the Y. Y. steamer; he took me oil
board aud placed me in his own berth, from
which he removed me at daybreak nextmorn-
ing, to the platform Of The engine room. AT
Z o'clock he removed me- thence to the fur
iIace room, and placed ne in a stove. which
WAS locked ulsn me. ! just fitted into it like
a monster pie iir an oven, and certainly resem-
bled q large black hegreased, bedaubed ami.
NAL about tounderso the process of baking. |
hadEbeeu 10 thS domeile for the space OF an
hour, when ON. unlocked the door Of it, and
with CONSERVATION pictured i'm his face, he sta
ted that Mr.. S. the other---- of the ship, had
consulted With him. and. that they arrived at
the conclusion would be sufFocated if | re.
mained IN the stove ,and that rs the police were
about to commencetheir customary search,
must go ashore. This was amo>t appalling
encouragement. 1t was the 9th December, my
friend d, had his arrangements made in Mel
bourne for -neeeP..et' iainnnt FROM
thence; my ownahoPes'were baoyed up to the
hishest pitch of excitement-and all thus un-
expectedly frustrated r There was no time,
however, to be lost, as the. police were Prov
linz about i bid poor QN good morning,
and stepped senthe wharf. Pondeglns at what
had Just occurred, ,sand, viewing my grotesque
al5pearance in sailors uniform, scented with
tar and grease, as made my way through the
black slu,ns, burst into loud laughter! But
what gloom, despondeu@ and sorrow pressed
upon me a little afterwards, a. beheld Inc
vessel with her steam up gliding down the
Tanner! -.
. Iuow- anxiously looked forward to the re-
turn of D. from Melbourne, anA on tie. l7th
December the y. Y. again bore w the river;
and on. hastening to the quay, | tonnd my
friend c9uing' ashore in 4 beat; also saw
ON. busy about the deck. ID. and had a
short interview and met by appointment that
evening. We then arranged to see ON. ext
day, aud accordingly met him, when: after a
brief conversation, twas resolved that should
again 90 on board the steamer at clock on
Sunday night, as 8 o'clock on. Monday even
ing, the Goth December, was fixed upon for the
vessel sailing for Melbourne; and live or die
should proceed in her. On Sunday, the 18th
I had three interviews with q. e.; and at
O'Clock he accompanied me to the steamer
when ON. placed me in his berth, where lay
until o'clock, and was then removed to tie
engiue-room ; and at haf-pa>t 7 o'clock ON
led me through the furnace-room to the reccp
tacle used for holding the Goals consumed by
the furnaces IL was adjoining the furnaces
but partitioned off with sheet iron. In the
centre of this was an aperture, or trapdonr
which opened into cavity underneath. I'M:
cavity, surrounded every where with burning
flames, was selected as the apartment that
was to occupy in making my exit from th'
perfdiou: Denison. The chances were gloom,
in the extreme. The danger to me of suiioca
ton was too apparent to poor ON, whilst Will
quivering lips he bid me enter; for,
.Th0re be things which we must dream and dare,
And execute ere thought be half aware;
and without further reflection pushed FORWARD
into the first chamber on hands and feet. .
having foyced the trap door, he launched M
into the cavern beneath it, He then closc'
the trap door, and directly filled the entlH
space with Goals. was thus en>concee in
compartment about seven feet in length, three
in width, and two in height, and by its forma
ton was obliged to lie in recumhent pos
ture. II being lined on all sides with shee
iron, when the furnaces came to blaze in tul
strength, the heat and want of air made tn
den very insupportablc. | dreaded instan
death bv sufFocation or apoplexy. The ordeal
too was terribly tedious. After about an hour
ON, dreadng fatal consequences, caused va
ter to be pumped iuto my dungeon by mean
Of an opening in the ships keel. was the
placed between the two great elements, 'lr
and watcr-saturated from head to foot wit
water, while fire ragged all around me-
The police search occupied two hours, alto
which ON. opened the trap door, ana he'pr
me into the coal recess, from whence ne hronsl
me to the engine room. was greatly cxhaus
ed, but soon rallied.