Arrive 12-0
mate,
anchor in the Straits of Malacca near Sophins, the second mate was on the grating of the ship. The prisoner was near him, scrubbing on the deck, securing the gratings of the hatch nettings.
The prisoner had removed the second grating and was scrubbing it. He had been warned, at half past five o'clock that morning, to send the five gratings which belonged to one side of the deck.
That occasion to call on him twice before he set to work, he worked unwillingly. It was my opinion that a person might have scrubbed all five gratings in half an hour. Mr. Hopkins asked me if the prisoner had scrubbed them. I said there were two gratings.
Mr. Hopkins then struck the prisoner on the side of the head with the palm of his hand. Prisoner looked up, Mr. Hopkins said, "You are a lazy fellow, why have you not finished them," and struck him again in the same manner. About three minutes elapsed between the two blows. Prisoner said nothing.
Mr. Hopkins turned away and was on the point of going away when the prisoner drew a fore-and-aft knife from his belt and stabbed him in the left side. Mr. Hopkins was about five feet from the gratings which the prisoner was scrubbing when the prisoner stabbed him.
Prisoner struck a back-handed blow - for Hopkins' back was to him - when he was stabbed, but on feeling the blow, he turned round. I seized the prisoner's elbows. He then stabbed him again close to the first stab.
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