The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-06-22

FIVE HUNDRED COOLIES ROASTED ALIVE
OR DRowNED-TnE CREW ESCAPE IN THE
BoATs-nonRIBLE DEATHS. m
. tai. .u SAN FRANCISCO, June 13. .,
Details of the total destruction by fire Of
the Peruvian ship Don Juan, at sea, have
been received. It is supposed that she was
set on fire by tho coolies entrapped on board
at Macao, Gihina. The crew abandoned
the vessel, leaving $50 coolies fastened un-
der the hatches Five hundred were roast
cd alive, and the Others escaped when the
hatches burned off. The vessel was Ameri-
can built, and sold in San Francisco to
"Compania Martins do Peru. ? and re-
christened Do Ores Uquarte. She was fitted
out here for the'coolie trade, and returned
several times for supplies.
The following particulars Of the disaster
are given: ------
The DON Juan loaded at Macao on the 4th
of May, taking $50 coolies on board for
Peru, and on the 9Th of May was b?rned to
the waters edge not more than fifty miles
from Hong Kong. The coolies, who have
arrived in Hong Kong all aver that their
treatment was humane, and they had nothing
to complain of, either as to allowance of
food or variety or quantity, and the whole
affair was accidental The other view, that
tho vessel was set on fire by designing men
among the Chinese, is not impossible. One
of the: men distinctly AYERS that he heard
the explosion of gunpowder aft, and also
slnelt strong oder Of it. Others assert
they did net hear any report, and that they
were nearly overpowered by sickness from
the smell Of the ships material burning aft
IT is to be regretted that the European
who had the humanity to open the matches
did not succeed is saving his own life, as
he was overtaken by the coolies, who made
a rush at the boat waiting for him, and
general scramble occurred to get to it, the
Europeans using arms to prevent the coolies
from getting in it.. In the scramble several
Chinese were drowned. The boat, however,
intimately succeeded in getting clear of the
ship, but had not gone far when it upset.
within sight of but not in reach of the coolies.
The coolies seemed to have had little
leisure to look around, when they observed
the other three boats at distence Du-
ring this time all the materials Of the ship
were rapidly burning, and a large number
pcrishcd in the held, some of whom were
sufocated, and the cries from others were
pitpous. Many, however, jumped into the
water and escaped by drowning the more
horrible death by fire A number of them
remained on the deck and bowsprit, and
whilst in this position one Of the mast gave
way, and the coolies at once made much
efforts as they could to. reach it. Having
got to it they clung with desperation, call
ing as loud as they could to save their lives
They had not been long in the water before
passing junk came up and they were taken
off two or three at time The mast was
held on the wreck by wire rigging, or it
would otherwise have drifted away to sea.
The coolies state that there were no less
than fifty Europeans in the, vessel, and it
remains to see what became of them, some,
no doubt, being lest in the boat, that swamp
ed.
It isreported that thirty of the crew have
arrived at Macao, and they are unanimous
in stating that the coolies mutinied and set
fire to the ship aft, in the hope Of pressing all
forward; and so take possession of the vessel,
1t seems they thought the fire could be ex-
tinguished afterward ..,..