A WOMAN'S SUFFERINGS. Captured by Acheenese Pirates and Held for Ransom.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 188, 22 January 1887, Page 3

A WOMAN'S SUFFERINGS. Captured by Acheenese Pirates and Held for Ransom.

The Acheon correspondent of the Surabaya "Courant" give 3 tho following particulars of tho sufferings endured by the unfortunate Mr 3 Haneen, wbo?e husband was butchered on the steamer Hok Canton by a band of pirates : From the moment that Tunku Uraar got to know that an expedition was on the way to Rigas to rescue the captive 3, the poor lady suffered from the severest fatigue. She had to ascend almost inaccessible mountains, often to march along from early morning to late in the evening, somutimss far into the night, until her feet; wero swollen or deeply cut, with hardly any clothing on, and moreover with the most ditmal future before her eyes. So long as Tunku Umar was with the band phe was comparatively well off. She waa always treated by him with some kind of respect. But, as soon as he waa absent, which often happened, her powers of endurance were fully put to the teat. Six European deserters who formed part of the band aioused her fears materially. Oftentimes she dreaded these fellows from the civilised world moro thro the marauders by profession. Her description of the bloodshed on bonrd the Hok Canton and the fearful struggle between her husband and the Acheeneee ig heartrending ; for instance— how her husband received an additional wound on the hoad when in her arms, and, when dying, being terribly anxious about the approaching future of hi? >oung and handsome wife under circumstances so trying to her endurance. The most shocking part of her story is this : She stands out in saying with the utmost conviction that the whole affair had been planned beforehand, and that others than Acheeneee were concerned in it So convinced is she of this that it cannot be talked out of her mind. In private she gives the names, but I may not do co. Should Bhe have good grounds for her opinion, and should it be proved once for j all that Tunku Umar had an accomolice | who has been brought up in more civilised lands, no punishment can be too great for ' such a criminal. ' In such a ca&e tho death penalty is none too heavy. For such a fellow executioners in abundance can be found. All her clothing waa successively taken from her, and the rings from her fingers as well. When at last ahe became ill in consequence of these privations close to the Dutch lines, and asked for some medicines to be brought from a neighbouring fort, all the answer phe got was that this would not do, for the Blanuas, or Dutch, would certainly put poison in the medicine in order to get rid of the whole troublesome affair. At length somebody hit upon the idea of sending a messenger to Oleh-leh to Mr Toleon. When it was told that he waa an Englishman, aome one was immediately sent thither who, besides drinks such as champagne and brandy, etc., brought the indispensable* medicines. This is all over now, but for her, not. Everything! she has gone through is so deeply engraven on her memory that she hardly dares to close her eyes for fear of fearful visions.