The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-09-26

practicable. The men who had volun-
teered for the task worked continuously
by constant relays in endeavoring to cut
passage through the wall which sepa-
rated them from their imprisoned COM
rades. The passage was about three
feet in diameter, and the men carried on
the work on their hands and knees. So
great was the interest to effect their
rescue that colliery owner worth at
least ESQ, 900 went down in the train of
collier to lend helping hand. On
the second Thursday following the dis
aster, the rescucrs came near enough to
communicate with the entombed.
Shouting at the top Of his voice, q
miner asked How many of them are
you?" The reply came back "Five."
It was then asked: Chow have you
lived ?" To this answer was made:
"By eating candles. Do make haste. D."
Shortly after ten o'clock the next morn
ing it was known that the men would be
brought out alive, and message which
came up to that effect drew forth
ringing cheer from the excited crowd
around the pit-a cheer which was re-
echoed from one end of the village to
the other. Between two and three
o'clock in the afternoon, the men, who
had been living for quite ten days in
tomb far underground, once again came
into the light of day and breathed the
free air of the upper world.
BY q happy coincidence, when the
last man was brought to bank and was
being conveyed on stretcher covered
with blankets into the hospital, mes
sage WAS received from the queen. Mr..
Parker, one Of the officers Of the COM
pany, mounted tram, and, with loud
voice, said: "a message from the queen"
There was rush OF people forward, and,
the miners and all others having uncov-
cred, it was read. This was followed
with ringing cheers and waving Of caps.
The message was rs follows: "Biddulph,
Osborne, to Mr.. Wales, mine inspector,
Pontypridd: The queen is very anxious
for the last accounts Of the poor men in
the mine. Are they saved? Pray tele-
graph"
Everything was in readiness, and the
five rescued ones were carefully attended
to by nurses and surgeons. 1t was
learned from them that they had nothing
to eat during their confinement except
little grease which had r1ln from the box
where they kept the candles. The first
two days they had light, but this went
out ut the close of the second day. They
suffered terribly from thirst. During
the imprisonment, and while the work
of rescue was going on, many prayer
meetings were held in the district and
the men commended to the mercy of God.
It should not be forgotten as one of
the many incidents connected with the
thrilling affair that the four men who
first escaped and the poor fellow who
was their companion and subsequently
suffered death, when surrounded by
water, took, as they thought, IN eternal
farewell of each other, and then sang
well known hymn in Welsh, of which the
following is translation:
In the deep and mighty waters
There is none to hold my head
But my only Savior, Jesus,
Who was slaughtered in my stead
He, friend in Jordan's river,
Holding up my sinking head;
With his smile I'll 80 rejoicing
Through the regions Of the dead.
1t appears that they were singing this
when the welcome tappings were heard;
"and," said Thomas Morgan, "off went
our Jackets, and my beloved son, who is
no more, worked all night with the en- /
ergy of lion. He passed the Jordan /
river, and is to-day on the ,holy hill of
the better land"