SUPPOSED TRAGEDY AT SEA

Otago Witness, Issue 1032, 9 September 1871, Page 20

SUPPOSED TRAGEDY AT SEA

(Xti/nJ r<,WV, June 20.)

Our L\tr.i, published on Saturday oveiinv_r. stated tli.vl the i!.M>. iNaial, ( '.iptam It'wr, had l.dleu in with the abandoned 2\<>i th-< <enn.ui sl''ooikji- Thomas "Xie'kersoii, wliidishe h.i'l towed into Algoa Hay. "We ha\e siiKv gathered the following particulaio io>jh cting the dereiii t ve.s~.el : -She was -.cm at anchor on Thursdvy, the Bth instant, oP ('ountz I'omt. "-iiiiio oO miles on the Cape side of _M<.^-.el Hay, with three Hags Ikiivj; fiom ditierent paits of tlie vessel. Thio was suluuent to excite curiosity, and steaming nearer it Avas soon a]iparent either that the ship bad been alundoiud or that somethiiig Avas amiss, (.'apt I >ivor then diieetcd the third oliicer io take a boat and go on boaid. This av;is done, and an elimination of the vessel show ed tl' it the st.vrbo.iid buhvarks had been staved in by the ; th.it pistols and outlasses were lying about the dock ; that A\hat was supposed to be the mark of a pool ot blood wi> seen near the foremast ; audthat the captain's, cabin as A\ell as the ship's -.tores seemed to have been hurriedly ransacked. These signs, as well as an entry m German in the log-book, dated 7th .lime, to the effect that the men had lefu-ed to go faithtr, and iiiM-ted that the captain slioulil make ior the nearest port, seem to f.uour the idea that the creAV had mutinied, and that Aiolonce, if not blooded, had followed. The A'e-sol could not have bu.-n loivj; abandoned, as "some still a\ ami coffee ay.is found in a kettle on the galley tire-place. The vessel is reported as m sound condition and A\ell provisioned, and full ot cargo to tin hat.'hes. There Avas nothing to make the desertion necessary. It Avas found that both cables had been payed out, and to their full e.vtent, and tied together Avith a lupe- round the foiemast. The windlass too. a% is di^eo.ered to have been broken, .md .is it w.in, therefore, impossible to A\eiu'h nnehor, her cables Avere slipped, and taking her in toAV, the Xatal steamed aAvay to -Mo>scl Bay. An examination of her pape-s .showed ?heA\as from Cronstudt, and bound to Yokohama A\ith stores for the JLvUsm.ui uaA'y. ]Jcr cargo is supposed to bo a A'aluable one, and the. amount of salA.ige due to the Xatal Avill be something considerable.

The Port Elizabeth Telegraph adds:— " The deck, as u arc told, was in a state of groat disorder, and there had evidently been a very severe scrimmage, if not a fearful tragedy, on board. Upon the deck were soa oral clots' of blood, and some death-deal-ing instruments were lying about. A large piece of canvas a\ as cut out of the mainsail, which it has been suggested may have been

used to seA\ up some coipses prior to casting them oveiboaid. The cabins had the appearance of having been ransacked, and the chronometers and ship--- papers are missing. ]>y a telegram published in another part of to-d.iy\s i^sue it ■will be seen that some of the itcav of the Thomas Xickerson have turned up at Mo^cl l!.iy. They state that the captain and si\ of the crew were drow ned and that m\ v, ore sa\ cd. But what powhle business they could have for abandoning Ihe ve.ssi.laro in\steries Avhi<'h no one here tan penetrate The general impression l- that a leaiJul tiagedy h.is Ijeen committed' on board the vessel. We trust the authorities will institute a strict eiujuiry into this mysterious ailair."'

The religious census of Ireland slioavs that of the population of .1,402,750, the Roman Catholics number 4, 141,933. the Protestant Episcopalians (sS3. '_'!),"), the Presbyterians 558, '_'3S, and other religious denominations 19.-253.

During the triumphal entry of the Herman troops into Berlin, the Prince Albrecht, brother of the Emperor, fainted from heat and fatigue, and an infantry soldier, avlio had been ten hours under arms, died from the s.une eausea.

A deacon in Tllinoi.s objected to the organ purchased by bis church, and when called upon to close the service Avith prayer, aaicl, '" 1. '.i1l on the machine! If it can sing the glory of (!od, it can pray too. Call on the machine !"'

The Pope's Jubilee parsed over very ouietly throughout Ireland. Bonfires Avere lighted at < 'lonmel and Cashel, and at the latter place some Uoman Catholics avlio refused to illuminate their houses had their vunlovys. (smashed,