Evening star., 1899-06-01
DEVICES FOR LIFE SAVING.
! Methods Employed by Shipyvrecked
| Passengers to Keep AhOat.

| Passengers to Keep AhOat.
From the Philadelphia Times
One of the chief features in connection
| 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 a Hfebuoy.
This, however, Is not nearly SO unique as
| most people imagine.
| Some years ago a similar catastrophe
| overlook, steamer plying between Bristol
| and Jersey, which struck on some rocks off
the Scilly Isles and speedily went to pieces
On board was an old lady who had been
| bedridden for number of years. and who
| was going to ST. Heller to spend the bal
ance of her days, Naturally, the journey
| presented great difficulties to a person in
her condition. and in order that the fatigue
! might be lessened somewhat she was pro-
Vided with an air-tight bed, which regu-
| lated to certain extent the oscillations of
the vessel.
When the steamer struck, of course the
| old lady thought her last hour had arrived
| but great was her surprise when 1t went
| to pieces to find herself floating out to sea
on the air bed. In a short time she was
! picked UP, and thus her life was saved
| through the bed. which, had it not been air
| tight, would have left her no alternative
| but to have gone to the bottom.
| The Barcarelle, French merchant YES
SSi' SCI out lloii bIGSI en- route LOT Boston
some years since, with no other than a
| cargo of bees. The insects were stored in
| wicker hives similar to those with which
| we are familiar in this 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 of the numerous small islands in the
| vicinity, and although it was broad day
lght a fog prevented the signals of dis
treSs 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 water: the strug-
gIlng insects, too much overcome by the
fumes, allowed themselves to be drowned
and were swept away by the waves. Soon
! 1t became apparent that those who wished
to be saved must jump overheard and swim
| for the rocks Those unintiated in the art
! of swimming We're given life belts, and fol-
| lowed their more fortunte brethren in their
endeavors to reach terra 1rnna
Then new difficulty presented Itself:
| there were not enough belts so it looked as
| II some would have to perish. when a
| bright idea struck one of those who had al
ready plunged into the water Swimming
| TO one OF the hives floating about every
where, he turned 1t over and got inside
The experiment proving successful. others
| followed his example, and soon the strange
sight was seen of inverted bee hives con-
tanning human freights moving slowly
through the gray mist. Occasionally one
upset and loss of life frequently followed
| but there is no doubt thai had X not been
ioi lit HiNeS many OF InOSe IN the lated
vessel would not have been alive today 10
| tel the tale.
A similar case is also to be found in the
| annals OF maritime history, but in this in
stance hen coops took the place of hives.
The cargo consisted of hens ducks and
geese, penned in coops, and when the ship
foundered many of these foated about
such of the poultry could swim making
good their escape. Some of the rassen-
gers got astriGe the coops, and Were thus
Kept from the fury of the waves, many
saving their lives thereby.