THE MAN IN THE BOX.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume VI, Issue 72, 14 October 1897, Page 2

THE MAN IN THE BOX.

The convicts of West Australia devise many ways to escape from the hard life of the penal col»uy, but rarely do they resort to so hazardous and torturing a method as on a certain occasion not long ago, an account of which is given in the “ Queenslander ” :

“ A Port Adelaide Customs officer was badly surprised last Thursday, and his nerves have been unsettled ever since. He was superintending the unloading of the steamer South Australian, from Wist Australia, when he noticed a box three feet six inches long by two feet one inch wide by two feet deep. “It was a peculiar-lcoking package. T lting it up on one side, he found it unconscionably heavy. He turned it over, and it fell open, and from it dropped, not a gross of clothespegs, but a man !—a live man, too —six feet long when standing, but literally doubled up now.

“ The poor feliow gasped for breath, and looked terribly emaciated. The good Catholics standing around piously crossed themselves. The man stretched himself, and criec!—screamed —for water.

“ No one knew at first what to do with him, but at last the happy idea struck somebody that this man had not paid his passage-money, and could, therefore, be indicted for something or other, surely. Anyhow, he had no fri* lids, and should go to the station. Me was given over to a policeman, and carried to the station, where he shrieked for something to eat.

“By aud by he told his story. He was a West Australian convict, and wanted to get away. He couldu’t book a passage, because the agents and police knew him, so be engaged a friend to put him into this box, with a little water and a few biscuits ; and in addition be had with him a small saw, pannikin, screwdriver, auger and bits, chisel, matches, tobacco, and a small botHe of oil. He arranged a number of strings to the lid of the box, so that he might keep it shut when be wished to have it so. “ The box was heaped up with the rest of the luggage, and thrown end over end into the hold, shaking the poor fellow in a terrible manner*. He was packed under a lot of ether packages, and thus cramped, stifling, starving, lay half-dying during seven days and nights !

“ When he arrived at Port Adelaide be was almost a skeleton. Excruciating agony bad ploughed fearfully deep furrows/ppon bis faceHowever, be had, at aDy rate, the sat'sf action of knowing that his arrival had created a greater sensation than the incoming even of any' Governor of late years “ The Customs officer is in a fix. He can scarcely determine to what rate-1 st of tariff the ‘ man in the box ’ belongs. It. is thought, huwever, tLat he will be iucludrd in the ‘ unenumeraled ’ articles, and pay ten per cent, ad valorem duty on himself.”