Arizona republican., 1899-06-09
DEVICES FOR LIFE SAVING
Methods Employed by Shipwre cked
 Passengers 10 Keep Afloaf.

One of the chief features in connec- tior with the recent disaster of the English channel steamer Stella was the curious method in which one of the passengers saved his life through an inflated foot ball tied about his waist acting as a life buoy. This, however, is not nearly so unique as E.ost people imagine.
 Some years ago similar catastro- phe overlook a steamer plying be- tween Bristol and Jersey, which struck on scme rocks off the Scilly Isles and speedily went to pieces On board was an old lady who had been bedrid- den for number of years, and who was going to St. Heller to spend the balance of her days. Naturally, the journey presented great difficulties to q person in her condition, and in order that the fatigue might be lessened somewhat she was provided with an tight bed, which regulated to cer- tain extent the oscillations of the yes sel.
 When the steamer struek, of course the old lady thought her last hour had arrived, but great was her surprise when it went to pieces to find herself floating out to sea on the air bed. In a short time she was picked up, and
 
 beu which, had it not been air-tight, would have left her no alternative but to have gone to the bottom
 The Barcarelle, French merchant vessel, set out from Brest en route for Boston some years since with no oth- CT than a cargo of bees. The insects were stored in wicker hives similar to those with which we are familiar in tbis country, fires being kept burning in the hold throughout the journey for the purpose of stupefying them. When nearing Boston the, ship struck on one O. the numerous small islands in the vicinity and although it was broad daylight, fog prevented the signals Of distress being seen.
 Quickly the steamer began to break up, and as it did so the hives of bees began to float out and cover the wa ter, the struggling insects. too much overcome by the fumes, allowed them selves to be drowned, and were swept away by the waves. Soon it became apparent that these who wished to be saved must jump overheard and swim fer the rocks. Those uninitiated in the art of swimming were given life belts, and followed their more forum ate brethren in their endeaYorS to reach terra firma.
 Then a new dlhcu.ty presented it. self; there were not enough belts, SO it locked as if some would have to perish, when bright idea struck one of those who had already plunged into the water. Swimming to one of the hives floating about everywhere, he turned it oyer and got inside.
 The experiment proving successful, others followed his example, and soon the strange sight was seen of inverted bee hives containing human freights moving slowly through the gray mist Occasionally one upset, and loss of life frequently followed, but there is no dcubt that had it not been for the hives many of those in the fated yes sel would not have been alive today to tel the tale.
 A similar case is also to be found in the annals of maritime history, but in this instance hen coops took the place of hives. The. cargo consisted of hens, ducks and geese, penned in coops, and vixen the ship foundered many of these fioated about, such of the poultry as could swim making good their es- cape. Some of the passengers got astride the coops, and were thus kept from the fury of the waves, many say 1 ing their lives thereby-Philadelp | Tin es.
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