ENTOMBED IN A SHIP'S HOLD.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1953, 9 January 1914, Page 8

ENTOMBED IN A SHIP'S HOLD.

NATIVE'S AWFUL EXPERIENCE. ELEVEN DAYS WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER. A remarkable story of a native being "entombed" in a vessel's hold for 11 days without food or water, is told in a, letter, received in Sydney from one of, the officers of tho Union. Castlo liner (Tiger, at Capo Town. The Tiger arrived at Capo Town on Novouiber. 2G from Delagoa Bay, with a cargo of 50(11) (tons of coal, and.while the cargo, was being discharged the labourers in No. 4 hold were astounded by seeing a hand omcrgo from the heap of coal. In a few moments, enough of tho coal was removed to disclose the body of a niali in a painfully weak condition. Ho was assisted on, deck, and water and food were promptly given him. Tho man uttered a few incoherent words, and continually held up three of his fingers, giving the idea that other men were buried beneath the coal.

Immediately the work of shifting tho cargo was resumed with the greatest energy, and carried on for a couple of hours after tho usual time for ceasing work. By that time all tho coal against the sides of the ship and between tho bulkheads had been discharged, but no trace was found of any other person. '

[ After tho native had sufficiently recovered to be able to tell a connected story, it was'gathered that he was engaged at Delagoa Bay in loading tho Tiger with coal. His work was to trim tho coal after it had been removed from tho baskets. Ho was working'ths bottom "wiug" when the order was given for tho men to leave the hold, but this he _ was unablo to do, as tho spot in which.he was working had been covered up with coal.

It is_ presumed that the man, whose I name is Fish Bando, fell asleep, and that his companions went- on with the trimming of tho cargo iu ignorance of his whereabouts. Directly Bando discovered his unfortunate plight, he commenced to shout, but tho noise caused by the handling of the coal prevented his cries being heard. Tho Tiger left Delagoa Bay, and the hold in which he was was battened down four darj prior to that.

.' Ho was, therefore, imprisoned for no fewer than 11 days. His ph'zrht was an awful one, for not only was he entirely without food and water for that longperiod, but hemmed in as he ,was between the coal tho roof of the "wing," ho had no space in which even to turn. Fortmiatoly his sufferings wcro lessened by thefact that for the major portion of his incarceration he was unconscious. During his brief periods of consciousness, he was oppressed by the idea that he would be suffocated, and, as he naively remarked to his rescuers, "he was very hungry and thirsty." a Ho abandoned all hope of escaping with'his life.