14.
B
15
her. We lost sight of the other two boats, the morning after we left the ship.
(signed) Ignacio Ruis,
Beforen
: me this 27th May, 1874- (signed) A.G. Thomsett.
Marine Magistrate,
True leopy (signed) N. G. Thomsett
Harbor Master
EXTRAORDINARY MUTINY AT SEA.
(From Sydney Morning Herald, April 17th.) The ship Trevelyan has arrived at Port Chal- mers, bringing intelligence of a mutiny on board the barque Saizuma, of Sunderland, which was bound to the Cape of Good Hope. The master communicated the following statement to the captain of the Trevelyan :--
"On January 29th, 1874, latitude 31' south, longitude 24' west. I, William Leslie, muster of the barque Satsuma, of Sunderland, on a pas- sage from Cardiff to Table Bay, with a full cargo of coal, was on the morning of the above- mentioned day, about 5 o'clock, earprised in my bed while asleep by three men seizing me, one of them, the instant I raised my head, put a repe with a slip-knot over it, trying to strangle me; another beld a hatchet above me; the third bad a revolver pointed at me-all of them looking at me with murder in their eyes. I, with the strength which despair alono gives, sprang from my bed, closed with there, and rashed through them on my way to the fore- cabin where the mate was asleep, dragging the man after me who had the rope round my neck, but did not reach him before my skull was laid open by one or more blows from the hatchet, the blood streaming down my face and blinding mo; my head reeled, and I felt I should sink on the deck. I reached the mute's berth, who in an instant sprang from his bed, and saved me from being killed. Gathering all my strength I rushed from the mate'a cabin and np the companion, and astoundin ly dragged the man (who still kept hold of me) with the rope round my neck on to the poop. When I got there could get no assistance, but shortly afterwards was joined by the mate, who was soon overpowered by one of the mutineers, who was a very powerful man. At this time I managed to sever the rope; but from being half strangled, loss of blood, and suffering from the effects of the blows from the hatchet, I hardly knew what ocenrred. All that I can remember there seemed to be reyolvers in all directions, for the shots were whizzing round us, and one of them aimed a blow at my bead wi ba handspike, which partly hit me, knock- ing me down the companion. After that I did not know what took place for some time, think- ing all on my side were shot or drowned. Shortly after, the mate came to me-wbo had got clear of them by some means,
I was very weak, and sat down in the aftercabin, aud was. guarded from the skylight by one of the mutineers, who had a revolver in his hand. The mate was ordered from me-they at this time having full ebarge of the ship. The cook-one of them--was sent down to the cabin, and hand- ed up six rifles, nutter cover of their revolvers. They then looked down the ekylight, and asked ne what boat they should take. After me tell- ing them, they coolly asked if I was much burt. On my saying that I was, they said they were sorry for it, but if I had kept quiet I should have been all right. They then took the second boat in size, with mast, sail, and six oars, one bag of bread, one breaker of water, wine, whisky, rum, one cheese, one ham, one log line, a bug of nails, compass, a chart from the mate, pipes, tobacco, mathes, some small cordage; also, clothes belonging to other members of the crew. They then called ont for the man Duns. Į as they wanted to bang bim before leaving. When I heard what was wanted I begged the ringleader (the steward) to spare his life. At this time one of thein was in the bold calling for him to come out, and fired his revolver in the dark several times. He was stowed away under some rope, so could not be found. They then took the rammer belonging to the large gun, and spiked the gun. They took a quantity of black paint to disgnise the boat, she being painted white and blue. They also cut several of the running ropes, taking saw, chisel, and lifehnos, the ringleader sitting on and looking down the skylight, with a revolver in his band, giving his orders in the coolest mauner possible. Shortly after the six left the ship, it being Nearly calm, standing to the west, distance from the nearest land 900 miles."
The following is the second rate's state- ment: At 5, w. I was in charge of the deck; had just finished my coffee. The stoward came bebind me, seizing me by the shoulders, two others coming to help him. They then threw me on deck, one of them getting on the top of me, another holding a pistol to my forehead, and said if I spoke he would blow my brains out, the other two lashing my hands and legs. I asked them what they were going to do. They replied, if I kept quiet, they would not burt me, if not they would throw me overboard. They then slung me with a rope and lowered me down the after bold, and then put the batch I shortly heard the captain cry for help, and heard a rushing going on aft. Soon after one of them looked down the hatch to see if I was still lying there. I asked him where the captain was. He told me that he was dead. i After the boat had left ship, the mate came and set me free."
UN.
Dunn, an able-bodied seaman reported:~~ : “At 5 a.m. was asleep on deck, bat awoke by Beltram (one of the mutineers), and told to go into the forecastle. I went to the door, but, found it was fast; was told that something was going on, and it I interfered it would be worse for me. Shortly after seeing a disturbance ou the quarterdeck, and knowing they had revol-1 vers, I hid myself in the hold. After being there some time J. heard voices telling me to come out, but did not move. They fired soveral times, but did not hit me."
In connection with the above report, the schooner Flora, which arrived at Sydney on. Thursday, the 9th instant, froin London, for- nistes the following:-On the 29th January, in latitude 31 S. longitude, 22-17 W., the Flora was boarded by a boat and crew from the barque Satsuma, of Sunderland, bound to Cape Town from Cardiff. The chief officer, who was in ebarge of the bort, stated that that morning five of the crew, armed with revolvers, had taken forcible possession of a boat, and having seized on provisione and other goods bad left the ship, laving only five of a crew all told on board the barque, and assistance in the shape of an extra huud or two was requested to work the barque into port, but Captain Wright was un able to comply. The wind was fair for the Cape, and the weather fine, at the time.
Captain Graham, of the Clagalese, which arrived at Melbourneon April 8th from Liverpool gives the following account of five men having hren found at sea in an open boat, and picked up by the Kate Curnie Tho Cingalese, n the 1st February, in 83-51 S., and 21:51 W., sighted the burque Kate Carnis, bound to Hong. kong, and on coming within hailing distance, Captain Wilson, of the Kote Carnis, asked Captain Graham if he would relieve him of three out of five men that he had shortly before picked up, as he had not sufficient water on board to fast bim the voyage if obliged to keep the whole of the men in his vessol. This was acceded to. Captain Wilson, of the Kate Carnie, then sent his chief officer on board the Cingalese, with the following men :--Wiliam Weston,
of Manchester, aged 30; John Johnston, of Dungarvau, aged 21; Richard Newton, of Preston, aged 19. They were engaged as scamen on board the ahip Laura, under the Costa Rica flag, bound from Val- paraiso to Monte Video: When ont 535 days; the crew bad to abandon the Laura, as she was in a sinking state, and they took to the boats to save their livee. Those rescued by the Kate Carnie were in their boat seven or eight days before they were picked up. The other boats, two in number, were not seen by those saved by the Kate Carnie beyond the second night after the men left the Lata. An investigation will be held into the matter, when fuller particulars will probably be elicited."
By telegram from Melbourne we learn that three of the Satzu na mutineers were brought before the Court on the 14th. They confessed: their guilt and said that the men made the mate drunk and. tied him down, and then threw all the rifles and firearms overboard. Five only of the men went into the boat.
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