Mutiny on a Schooner.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 95, 26 April 1886, Page 3

Mutiny on a Schooner.

A report has boen .received at Cooktown stating that on Monday, 29th March, threo "boys" belonging to the schooner Rover were speared at Restoration Island, aud that ono had since died. The other natives on board mutinied, and attacked the vessel and crew. Of the latter occurrence Capt. Christensen reports :—" The wholo of the 'boys' had como alongside the vessel during the time the dingy was away, and as those on boared were getting rather noisy and shouting a great deal, the mate thought it best to get the * boys' below in the hold. In doing so he was taken hold of by three young men, one of whom camo towards him with a tomahawk. The mate fired at him, but could not say whether or not he shot him, as the hold was very dark at the time. Hearing the mate shout ' I am attacked,' I ran forward as soon as I came on board, and fired a shot into the hold to frighten the ' boys,' and when in tho act of firing this shot I received a cut on the left shoulder from' a tomahawk. Turning round, I fired at the ' boy' who struck me, and ho sprang over the ship's side. The mate and I fired several shots over fhe ship's side to prevent them from taking possession of the other boat. The ' boys ' from the south wero heaving blocks of firewood over tho vessel's side at anybody they saw swimming away from tho ship's sido. I cannot say how many of thorn made thoir escape or how many were shot or killed with blocks of firewood. Matters grew quiet and settled about midnight. We then turned our attention to the wounded. Dick, of Nomanton, was found with three spears in the face, which the mate extracted. Charles had reoeived one spear in the nock, which he managed to take out himself. In spite of all our attention Dick died next morning."