LIVING MEN ENTOMBED IN SUNKEN SHIPS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 61, 2 March 1908, Page 4

LIVING MEN ENTOMBED IN SUNKEN SHIPS

A striking example of one among the many strange accidents that befall"sailors, was reported lately from Newcastle Xew Soo.h Wales.

The barijuentine Kale Tatliam, turned turtle in a gale, and one of her crew was shut up in her hold. The survivors, who had climbed on her keel as »he heeled over, naturally took it for granted that he wa* drowned. What was their surprise, therefore, to presently hear faint knockings from beneath their feet, evidently made by their imprisoned comrade.

Help was at hand, and a hole was cut through the ship's bottom, when tlie ma;: was hauled out, little the worse for his terrible experience, lie had. it appeared, been kept alive by the air whh-h had been imprisoned in the hull when the vessel capsized, and which, becoming compressed as the water 10,0. had eventually stopped its further encroachment. He had used a balk of lloalimt timber to support himself. Altogether his imprisonment lasted for two hours, and in the cabled reports the incident was characterised as unparalleled. This, however, is by no means correct. There are several cases on record of men having lived in similar circumstances in the hulks of capsized ships. „ol hours only, but days, the most remarkable authenticated instance being I hat of Captain Engallandt, of the Knullc. who rescued alive after an entombment lasting altogether eleven davs. eighteen hours.

_ During tliis period the .IcrebVf, drifting bottom uppermost, was sighted bv tin- masters of several vessels, all of whom, however, passed nowlialaiitlv by none imagining for a moment that the semi-submerged and capsized hulk eontamed, shut up in its vitals, a livin" man.

Eventually the Eru.Hc drifted ashore near Dantzie, and Captain Kn-allandt was taken nut alive, although emaciated. '"