The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1877-09-14
A Singular EscaDe,

worthy merchant sailing-vessel e. Siamese)
the Iye Wot, set out from the North OF
China to Siam, with cargo of bean cake,
etc. The weather became excessively
stormy, and at last the old vessel actually
went to pieces many miles from land in
the Gulf of Pe-che-le. The crew consisted
Of eight Malays, who worked the ship the
captain, an Englishman and in addition
was one Chinese woman. They had no
boats on board, no time to make raft or
means of doing SO and as the vessel was
rapidly sinking. the wretched people look
ed round in despair, when hope ofescape
struck one Of them as his eye lighted on a
very large wooden water-tank which was
on deck. This tank was strongly made,
about six feet long, five feet across, and
five feet high, with large hole at the top
into which man could squeeze, and
tight-ftting cover. There was not mo-
ment to lose; hole was bored in the bot
tom, to let out what water it contained,
hen quickly plugged and all ten squeez-
ed themselves in hurriedly, put on the lid,
aud awaited their fate. In a quarter Of an
hour after they were thus packed, the ship
sunk under them. They first whirled round,
and then aoated off freely, and felt them
selves rolling and tossing about frightful-
ly on stormy sea. The weather was
intensely cold-so much so that the icicles
had hung from the rigging ofthe snnken
ship the day before and being so tightly +
packed, perhaps it was fortunate the
weather was so cold. In their haste to
save lie. they had brought only part Of
ham which the captain had snatcAed up,
and bottle of brandy; and thus these
poor creatures were tossed about from day
TO day, hungry and thirsty, jostled like
potatoes shaken in BARREL now and then,
when they dared, letting in little air by
raising the lid. The situation strongly
reminds one Of CULVER in his box when
the eagle carried him out to sea from the
land of the Brobdignags.
On the fifth day the Malays said they
must kill and eat the English captain but
the poor Chinese woman to the credit Of
her sex yehemeutly opposed them, and
succeeded in saving him for that day. On
he sixth day the Malays said they mast
Eat her but the captain in turn saved her
or that dav. It is difficult to imagine
more horrible situation than that of this
surrounded by eight starving
men, determined to eat him-which they
certainly would have done had not an En-
slish vessel rescued them on the seventh
lay. 1t happened thus: The captain Of
hat vessel sighted a large box tossing on
he waters, aud at first never thought of {
ninding it, only supposing it part of some
wreck, as the weather was SO bad y; but as
le looked, to his utter surprise head t
'opped up through q hole in the centre,
nd then vanished, to be followed by
mother figure, making frantic gesticula
ions. With much difficulty this straage
OK was got alongside, hauled up, and its
oor inmates dragged out to light, barely y
live, and emaciated fearfully, finding the
lanhole easier to pass out Of than to get
ITO; which was reversing the fable Of the
easel who got into the barn. The captain
the rescuing vessel was kind English
ian, and did all il his power to restore
is guests. They were still in the Gulf Of
and did not reach the port of i
WatoW sooner than six days, where d
octor was called in to visit these liberat-
! "Jacks-in a-box." He said they were 2
ngular proof ofhow much human beings
IN endure. All lived and recovered per
city. Certainly they were all goung
eople. The Malays went home. The
nglTsh captain went to Singapore, and ],
lowed himself really grateful to the poor :
hinese woman who had saved him from "
e jaws of the Malays.-G Chambers jour
III 4
A Tayvars's Lave gfO1sv Ii;