The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-03-21
An RxtrnordlnarI Escape.

La the winter oi 1873 very nnsea'
worthy merchant sAiling-yessel ia Sia-
mesel, the Tye Wat, set ont from the
north Of China 10 siam, with cargo OF
bean cake, etc. The weather becane
excessively stormy, and At last the old
vessel actually went 10 pisces many
miles from land In the Gulf ot Pe-che-le
The crew consisted Of eight MalAys,
who worked the ship: the captain, an
Rnglishman; and ia addition Was one
Chinese woman. They had no boats ON
board, no time 20 make a raft or means
of doing 80; and, as the vessel was rapid
ly sinking, the wretched people looked
around in despair, when hope OF
escape struck one Of them as his eye
lighted on a large wooden water tank
which was on deak. This tank was
strongly made, about six feet long, I'VE
feet across and five feet high, with n
large hole at the top into which man
could squeeze, and tight-htting cover.
There was not "a moment To lose; hole
was bored in the bottom 10 let out the
water il contained, then quickly plugged,
and all ten squeezed themselves IN hur-
riedly, put on the lid. and awaited their
fate. In n quarter Of Rn hour after they
weie thns packed the ship sunk under
them. They fret whirlel round, and
then hoated of freely, and felt them
selves rolling and tossing about fright
fully ON Il stormy sea. The weather was
intensely cold-so much that the lclcles
had hung from the rigging Of the sunhcn
ship the day before; and being 30 tight
ly packed, perhaps il was fortunate the
weather was 80 cold. In their haste b.
save life. they had brought only part Of
IA ham which the captain had snatched
mp, and bottle Of brandy; and thus
these poor creatures were tossed about
from day 20 day, hungry and thirsty,
jostled like potatoes shaken IN "A barrel
now and then, when they dared, letting
in little air by raising the lid. The
situation strongly reminds one Of Gul-
liver in his box when the eagle carried
him oat 10 sea from the land Of the
Brobdignags.
On the fifth dsy the MAlAys said they
must kill and eat the English captain
but the Chinese woman Ito the credit OF
her seIj vehemently opposed them, and
succeeded in saving him for that day.
On the sixth dAy the MAlAys said they
must eat her: but the captain in turn
saved her for that day. IL is difficult to
imagine a more horrible situation than
that Of this poor Englishman, surround.
ed by eight starving men, determined q
eat him-which they certainly would
have done had not an English vessel
rescued them Oh the seventh day. II
happened thus The captain Of that
vessel sighted = large box tossing on the
waters, aud nj first never thought oi
minding Il. only supposing Il part oi
some wreck, as the weAther was 80 bad
but an he looked, 10 his utter surprise 4
head popped up through hole IN The
centre and then vanished, 30 be followed
by another figure. making frantic ges
tculAtions. With much difficulty TIM
strange box gAs got alongEide, haulec
up, and it, poor inmates dragged out &
light, barely alive, and enAciRted fear
fully, finding the nan-hole easier 10 pas
out Of than 10 get into; which was re
versing the fable Of the weasel who go'
into the barn. The captain Of the rescu
ing vessel.Sas kind EnglishmAn, ant
did all in his power 10 restore his guests
They we're still in the Gulf Of Pe-che-le
and did not reach the port Of SwatoV
sooner than six days, where doctor VA
called in 10 visit these liberated Jacks
in-a.bcx" he said they we're a singula
proof Of how much human beings cal
endure. All lived and recovered per
fecily. Certainly they we're all yount
people. The Malays went home. Tn
English captain went TO Singapore, ani
showed himself really grateful 20 th
poor Chinese woman who had saved han
from the jaws Of the Malays-ChdDabers
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