The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-09-25
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A BURMESE ROBINSON CRUsoE.

NJ sea, III small boat Oy hlmSelI, aDoul
ninety miles east Of Tavoy. The mans
history of himself is strange one. lie
was one of six men who proceeded, about
seven months ago, in a boat from Tavoy to
one of the Preparis islands, named Bundur.
Their object was to obtain cargo of cocoa
nuts. 1t is an understood and acknowl-
edged rule among the Burmese tribes that
inhabit the western coasts of Tcnasscri,n,
that the first party arriving at any Of these
islands, have tho sole right and title to the
cocoa nuts of the season.
A day or two after the Tavoy men had
reached the island at Bundur, party of
the Moulmein men arrived at the same
place for the same purpose and were Of
course somewhat annoyed to find the Ia
voy men had arrived before them. They
asked to be allowed to halves in the nuts,
but the Tavoy men insisted on their right
to tile whole, and told the Moulmien men
they might get the cocoa nuts from the
iicigilboriig small island of Wa. Ti,e
Moulmein men went and returned the same
day, saying there were no nuts worll, hav-
lug, and said they would remain on the is
land of Bundur, as.l would take what were
left by the Tavoy men. This was accord
ingiy settled between them.
1t seems that nuts could only 1c obtained
III dne weather, or from some reason or an
other they did not try 10 get any when it
rained, but fislIcd for sea slugs instead, IA
fish highly priced by the Chinese, and bring
ing Il good price where there are China
men, o"e rainy day, rs the Tavoy men
were fishing, three being on the sea shore
and three in the wafer, the Moumcin men
made al attack on them with musLets and
DAVIS. The three Tavoy men OH shore were
killed, and the three in the water, of whom
the narrator was one, being fired at, swan
out to sea- Two of these, after swimming
some hours, sank, and the third and only
survivor, being a very good swimmer, float
ed OIL his back, and while so, stated Ire
went TO sleep aud awoke in the middle Of
the night, finding that the tide wss drifting
him into the island again.
Lie regaincd the shore before it was light,
and finding, as hc stumbled along the shore,
u hollow trunk Of Il tree standing upright,
with hole at the top. he got into it, and
that tree actually was his place of conceal
rncnt for six months. lie could see through
\ cliink in the tree when the Moulmcin men
went abroad, and managed 10 get cocoa
nuts when he knew they were not about.
The Kernel was his food, and water or milk
his drink. At last he found his enemies
had gone, and i'll vcntuiing abroad and 60
ing round the island, lie perceived that they
had taken both boats with them.
lie declares that one night he dreamed
that i'll certain part of the island there
was lying small boat, and on proceeding
the next morning to the spot lie found it.
This seems like romance, but the man gave
his evidence i'll q calm manner 10 tic ma
gistratc here, DIR. Martin, and had told the
same story exactly to the captain of the
Chinese junk, rs soon as he came to him
self after being taken on board, for lie was
at first too agitated to say anything To
continue the strange narrative, our Robinson
Crusoe remembered that ono of his COM
rades had broken the blade of his knife in
opening cocoa nut, and had thrown it
down i'll particular spot. lie found the
knife Oh the ground among the grass and
though the blade was broken, managed to
cut a rudder and mast These he attach
cd to the little boat, and taking supply of
cocoa nuts with him, started for Tavoy, be-
ing guided by the sun by day and the stars
by night. lie was proceeding on his
course when he was picked up by the
junk.
The truth of tile mans story was partly
confirmed in court, for one of the native of.
fcials connected Herewith told the maois-
trate that his wife, who had lately returned
from Moulmein, had mentioned to him that
the wife of the person whom our Robinson
Crusoe had named as the head of the Moul-
mein crew, had lately come out in very
costly garments, and that her daughters
were also very richly dressed, and that it
was generally known that the man lad
made lately very successful expedition to
ono Of the Preparis islands, and had brought
back rich boat load of cocoa nuts.
Robinson Crusoe has been sent to Moul-
lnein to identify tile murderers, whom he
z knows by name as well as by appearance
Conceive their horror and a,nazement when
they are confronted with the man they
must have long ago considered drowned
and ,devoured by the sharks. Time will
show Tbether the mans story turns out
trie. His s,narrative was clearly and dispas.
sionately given*-lpdian paper.
I;s ,t,i,ty ~ .~s S.----- G%s-E
sEIAuiIrisbmap lately bought fami-
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