FEARFUL SCENE ON BOARD A SHIP AT MADRAS.

Otago Witness, Issue 748, 31 March 1866, Page 9

FEARFUL SCENE ON BOARD A SHIP AT MADRAS.

Captain Breary, of the ship York, in a letter dated Madras, September 6th, furnishes the following report : — " We had a fearful traeedy in the Road:* on Sunday last. About 930 a.m. I was in my cabin, and heard s'.outs sml screams of alarm from ?ome ship, f rushed on deck, and on looking at the country ship FFarrier. from whence the cries of murder arose, I saw the crew over the side, some on the back ropes and martingale, some on the foreyard. She was 1> ing between us and ! the Barham. I sang out to man the boats and pass up cutlasses. The gig and jolly boat were lowered, Mr Bates and his crew getting into the boat, I into the gig, but before he was half-way up the Harriet's gangway-ladder, he and Kinsman were met by a Mala}', with a knife in each hand. Kinsman, I am sorry to say, | received two ugly cuts on his right arm, above and below the elbow. Mr Bates ' saved himself from the thrusts by letting go and falling overboard, and as I got alongside I picked him up. He could not swim. Four men from the Harriet— a Malay, the steward, cook, carpenter and part owner — all let go their hold and swam off to the gig, which was in danger of being swamped. The Malay — an ugly- looking? fellow, with a knife — wa9 made to swim off to a log ; but the others we took in, and then put them into the jolly-boat. I then observed upon the house amidships Captain Way, of the Barham, an officer, and another man, who bad got on board by the other side of the ship. The Malay "went from the gangway towards them with a knife in each hand, but they succeeded in securing the fellow, not, however, before Captain Way was stabbed in the thigh, though not seriously. I got oa board by the forerigging with my cutlass in hand, but too late, for they had by this time got him secured. He closed with Captain Way and bis officer, whom I believe the boatswain struck down with a billet of wood. A.s we did not know how many more there might be like him, we had to be careful in our movements about the de.-ks. Close to the cabin companion the poor captain lay dead, with his bowels protruding. It appears, so far a3 the evidence has gone, that Captain Goularle, a native of the Island of Florea, wanted an anchor run out, but this man refusing, the captain gave him a push, when be drew his knife, stabbed the captain, aimed the next blow at the mate, who, by a sudden movement of the body, received the blow on his arm instead of his heart. The captain cried out, 'Hail the York; jump aloft, or you will be served the same way." The mate sang out, and then went to the foreyaid. The fellow followed him, but seeing our boats he came down to receive us. The mate sang out he was lying in wait for us ; but no one heard him. The mate then came down the forebraces and fell in the water for the Barham's boat to take him up, and he is now in the hospital with Kinsman. The Malay was seen to cut the throat of the tindal and throw him overboard, and he nearly killed the serang, who has six fearful wounds. The case is still going on at the police court, and the next mail you will have further particulars. Kinsman will be disabled for a long time. Mr Bates is still very weak, and his eye3ijrht not quite recovered." T;e London Shipping and Mercantile Gazette adds : — '" The midshipman, Mr Kinsman, referred to in the foregoing, is a native of Manchester, and son of the late Mr Kinsman, of the Branch Bank of England."