EIGHT DAYS WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2385, 28 August 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

EIGHT DAYS WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER.

The Royal Mail steamer, Kinsombo, which lias arrived in the Mersey from the West Coast of Africa, reports having rescued at sea in an open boat, two men. • : who had been eight days without t'oud or water. The boat had originally four occupants, but two of thein died of their Bufferings boforc the Kinsombo fell in with the boat. When the Kinsembo was noar .Calabar an object was descried in the distance. It appeared to be a canoo * . but no occupants were visible, but for fear thero should bo anybody in the tiny craft „ Captain Liversidge ordered the signal whistle to bo blown, to draw tlieir atten- ;. .tion. In a moment or two there slowly roBB from tho bottoni the form of a man. The steamer's courso was then altered, •• ■ • and (in coming'up to the canoe it was r found to contain two natives, one of the • poof fellows'lyinc; helplessly at the . bottom of thi< bo;it. The two men were ■' • : thon helped on board, and tfie doctor ■ • of the steamet was soon in attendance oil them. When they had sufficiently recovered, thoy . told a pitiful talo' of aufforin? and death. They were. fugitives from Prince's Island, • ' fleeing from' tho yoke of their Portuguese ... masters. Thoy were Kroo-boys, and had •" gono to Prince's Island many years ago to work on the plantation for about a ' year. Wlioil tlieir poriod of agreement wa3 up thoy said they wero not permitted to leave the island. Tliev got clear of thtJ island but on tho third day a tornado was encountered, and the boat filled with water. . The.mon had thou to get out of the boat to balo tho water. What li'tle V■ • stock of fresh water thoy had was spoiled, and somi of the paddles of the csnoe was ...■•lost:-Pay.after .day passed without bringing any rescue until tho eleventh lof their departure from the island. They had thou buen days without food or . water, excepting-some salt water, • which ' only niado (heir thirst more intense.