A CAVED CAPTIVE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LIX, Issue 9574, 27 July 1923, Page 2

A CAVED CAPTIVE.

EXPERIENCES OF A CHINESE PRISONER.

A thrilling story of his experiences during eighteen days’ captivity iti tin; hands of Chinese bandits is related by air H. C. Rotvson, ilio Brit-ish-American Tobacco Company’s representative tv ho was cavturcd recently while resting at a wayside teahouse at I'akhoi (says a special correspondent of the .Daily Mail). Mr Rowson , who lives at Chiswick, has now returned to IRongkong. Re was kept for six days and nights in a cave oft wide hv Kift in length, and on!v -J ft high. Mr liuwson was consequently obliged to lie down the whole time. The cave was pitch dark, but streaks of light, through the rocks enabled him to tell when day succeeded night, lie was hound by the upper arms, and a. noose was placed round Iris neck. lie was never allowed outside the cave or exercised, and ids only food was rice and fat pork, with the water in which the nee was boiled, and occasionally tea, to drink.

During tlu 1 rcmUnder of his eigh--1 icon days’ captivity he was marched across country, fording streams which were sometimes waist-high, and climbing hills towards the bandit country of Kwnngsi, As his infccrjjfvftor \vas sent away ! by the bandit-, with' tlu* rail 1 mi pro- ■ posnls, Mi' Roivson was unable to ; speak to anyhodv, lie was not ill- , treated. but the bandits indicated occasionally by a pantomime with their knives and rifles that lie would be killed if the ransom were nut paid. His release was affected by Chinese soldiers, whose general threatened to destroy f.ho whole district where the outrage was perpetrated unless Air Jiowson were released. After being marched nearly to Kwangsi, Hr Howson was marched back, and on Chinese soldiery approaching, firing, and shouting, was released near the snot whoro he was captured. During his captivity, the British consul at Canton and the Consuls at Pakhoi exerted them solves with the Chinese authorities to secure his release. The bandits wanted gold' equivalent to £3OOO, or Mauser pistols of that value, but no ransom was actually paid, unless it was surreptitiously arranged, by the Chinese authorities. Mr Rmvson is little the worse for his trying exnerienecs. ""i J