Eleven Days.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 7, 8 January 1914, Page 5

Eleven Days.

* WITHOUT FOOD & WATER. ENTOMBED IN A SHIP'S HOLD. NATIVE’S AWFUL EXPERIENCE. Particulars of the remarkable story of a native being “entombed” in a vessel’s hold for 11 days without food or water are given in a letter received in Sydney on 30th December from one of the officers of the Union-Castle liner Tiger, at Capetown. The Tiger arrived at Capetown on November 26 from Delagoa Bay with a cargo of 5000 tons of coal, and while the cargo was being discharged the laborers in Xo. 4 hold were astounded by seeing a hand emerge from the heap of coal. In a few moments enough of the coal was removed to disclose the body of a man ai a painfully weak condition. He was assisted on deck, and water and food were promptly given him. The man uttered a few incoherent words, and continually hold up three of his fingers, giving the idea that other men were buried beneath the coal.

Immediately the work of shifting ;he cargo was resumed with the greatest energy, and carried on for a couple •>f hours after the usual time for ceas-

:ng work. By that time all the coal against the sides of the ship and between the bulkheads had been discharged, but no trace was found of any other person.

After the native had sufficiently recovered to' he able to tell a connect'd story, it was gathered that he was ngaged at Delagoa Bay in loading the Tiger with coal. His work was to trim the coal after it had been removed From the baskets. Re was working Mie bottom “wing” when the order was liven for the men to leave the hold, but this he was unable to do, as the pot in which he was working had been mverecl up with coal. It is presumed that the man, whose mine is Fish Bando, fell asleep, and that his companions went on with the humming of the cargo in ignorance of his whereabouts. Directly Bando discovered his unfortunate plight, he commenced to shout, but the noise caused by the- handling of the coal prevented In’s cries being heard. The Tiger left Delagoa Bay, and the hold in which he was was battened down "onr days prior to that. ■ He was therefore, imprisoned for no fewer than 11 days. His plight was an awful one, for not only was he entirely without food and water for that long period, but hemmed in as he was between the coal and the roof of the “wing,”, he had no space in which wen to turn. Fortunately his suf'erings were lessened by the fact that or tlie major portion of his incarcer11ion he was unconscious.

During his brief periods of consciousness, he was oppressed by the idea that he would he suffocated, and is he naively remarked to his rescuers, “he was very hungry and thirsty.” He abandoned all hope of escaping with bis life.