MUTINY ABOARD. An Unsought Adventure,

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 16, 19 April 1884, Page 4

MUTINY ABOARD. An Unsought Adventure,

At Sydney, towards the close of a sultry day in December, I was pacing the quarterdeck of H.M. frigate Herald, when the old quartermaster called my attention to an' unusually fine merchantman that was just rounding Macquarrie Point. She was a very handsome clipper, and as she slowly came up before the faint breeze her sunbleached sails shone out in dazzling white ness against the dark forest of gum trees that surround the lovely harbour of Port Jackson. Her long hull, though low and black, was yet exceedingly graceful, and for a vessel of her tonnage she seemed to sit lightly on the water. Having nothing better to do, I resolved to board her, and accordingly ordered the gig to be manned. As with long, steady strokes we approached the vessel, the slovenly way in which they were taking in sail, the general slackness, and untidiness of everything connected with her, became painfully apparent. Not that she was worse than the generality of merchant vessels, but leaving a frigate in the magnificent order and seaman-like condition of the Herald, without so much as a rope-yarn out of place, the contrast was so very great. On board all was noise, bustle, and confusion. The captain, who received me courteously at the gangway, I was surprised to find, was a gentlemanly-looking young man. In command of these Australian clippers one generally finds rough, bearish, old Scotchmen, who take pride in saying that they "came in through the hawse hole," by which they mean that they were originally common sailors. Any one knowing much about them would not doubt the truth of this their favourite boast. Hoavever, in this case it -v\as entirely different. The captain, as I surmised, was a protege of the owners, and was accordingly placed in command of this fine vessel as soon as he had satisfied the very moderate requirej ments of the Board of Trade. He was a I most agreeable man, of good education, but totally deficient in any strength of purpose, any firmness of will or quickness of decision; hence I saw that he was by no means the right man in the right place. After our first meeting we were a good deal together whilst the ship was discharging cargo and taking in her homeward freight. As I expected, the greater number of his crew deserted in Sydney, and he had to make up the complement from the loafers und villainous riffraff that abound in a colonial seaport The day before he was to sail from England he expressed to me his distrust of his new crew : they were certainly as rascally a lot of ruffians as any one would be likely to meet with. Having had considerable experience of the merchantman service, I knew tolerably well what these fellows were ; when once out on the high seas, they would be all riqjht ; but whilst at anchor anywhere inside the harbour they I become nearly unmanageable. I therefore volunteered to see my friend outof his difficulties by accompanying him to the mouth of the harbour, a distance of about six miles, and then returning with the pilot. My offer was gladly accepted. On the following day I went on board, just as the half-drunken crew, with much shouting and singing, were weighing the anchor. The fussy little tug-boat, lashed alongside, was hissing and steaming, and as soon as the anchor was at the bows, her powerful engines began to move the two vessels slowly out from the circular quay into the stream. Then all hands dropped their work, and, swarming up the rigging, greeted the bystanders and shipping with drunken cheers. And so they continued to work spasmodically, repeatedly leaving off to cheer, feebly and discordantly, anything that was passing. It was only too evident that there would be trouble with them yet, if there should not be wind enough outside the heads to enable the ship to get clear away to sea that evening. The captain was already as nervous as he could be, and so I said nothing of my fears. It was with much concern for him that I noticed the veering flaws of wind growing every moment fainter and fainter. As we slowly wound in and out amongst the lovely bays of this superb harbour, at every turn apparently landlocked in a different lake, each of a beauty surpassing the last, the wind gradually died away. The golden rays of the setting sun steeped one shore in a ! glorious flood of warm light, whilst the nigh cliffs and richly-wooded slopes of the other were in dark sombre shade. By degrees the lengthening shadows, extending far out into the blue waters, stretched over to the opposite shore, and enveloped all in a cold grey twilight. By this time tho noisy, rattling old tug had taken the vessel within sight of the Heads, and it being now a dead calm, she was brought to an anchor near a reef called the Sow and Pigs, in such a position that she could stand out to sea with tho first breeze. This done, the tug-boat was cast off, and permitted to return to Sydney. As soon as the cabin was secured, the mate reported that the crew demanded grog. The men being already in a half-intoxicated state, their request, which was really a demand, was not complied with. This was the beginning of troubles. There immediately followed much murmuring and many growls of dissatisfaction, gradually getting louder and more vehement. Presently, angry voices were heard in fierce altercation with the mates at the very doors of the cabin, and then about thirty of the worst of the crew rushed violently into the saloon, at the farther end of which the captain and I were sitting. They were an ugly-looking mob, some with blue shirts, some with red, many with neither, but nearly all brandishing large open knives. With frightful oaths and threats, they demanded that the keys of the "lazarete," in which the spirits" are kept, should be given up to them. This, of course, was refused, and they were ordered to leave the saloon. At this they yelled and shouted defiantly, still demanding the cask of rum. I attempted to speak to them, but my voice was immediately drowned in a torrent of imprecations. In the adjoining state-room of the captain's a revolver was lying on the table. I stepped quietly back, and returned with it conoealed under my uniform coat. The captain then, by my advice, ordered the boatswain to pipe to supper. The command was received by all with derisive laughter and yells of defiance. The time for action had come, so putting the captain a little aside, I stepped forward, at the same time taking care to let the revolver be seen. The sight of the deadly weapon produced an almost instantaneous silence amongst the cowardly crew. Then, speaking slowly and firmly, I said, "Boatswain, you have been ordered by your captain to pipe to supper ; do so." He answered with a string of oaths that he would not, and concluded by telling me to mind my own business. Taking no notice of his braggadocio, I again spoke to him, in a tone that implied that I should be as good as my word. "Boatswain," I said, " I have given you an order ; if you fail any longer to obey it, I will put it out of your power to obey or to disobey another oraer in this world ; for, as sure as you stand there, I will send one of [ these tolls through your head. Now, then, I what do you say to it ?" *

With these words I slowly cocked the revolver, and took a deliberate aim at his head. At the first sound of that disagreeable click of the pistol-lock he cried out— ' ( For goodness' sake don't fire, sir ; I'll do it, " adding in a low growl to the others, "it don't matter, chaps, I know you wont go none the more fort." i The boatswain's shrill whistle then rang sharply and clearly through the saloon, but no one heeded it except to greet it with yells and roars of derisive laughter. As soon as I could make myself heard above the tumult, I said sternly and resolutely— "Men, you have disobeyea your captain, but you shall do as I tell you." Here there were shouts, " Who are you ?" "Go back and bully your own men," and the like. " Now, I order you all to clear out of this cabin." Here, again, I was interrupted by cries of " Won't," and much stronger expressions to the same effect. " Very good," I continued. " You wont. Well, then, I'll give you three minutes to alter your minds ; at the end of that time I'll blow out the brains of the nearest man, and then the next, and so on." At this there was a great buzz, and talking amongst the men, yet they showed no signs of moving, but watched me standing with the pistol in one hand and my watch in the other. "One minute has gone. You have only two minutes left, and you will have but one warning." This I said, keeping my eyes on the dial of the watch. The crowd received this with a sulky groan, but yet they seemed as if they would stand to their ground. It was strange to see these wild, almost frantic men cowed into a state of dogged silence by one determined man with a revolver. "Two minutes have gone. I warn you no more. The instant this hand passes the third minute I fire, and the nearest man will be my mark." For a few moments more they stood grumbling and growling ; but on hearing the click of the cocking of the revolver they began to waver. Then, comparing the respective distances of the foremost men from me, and fixing my eyes steadily on one burly fellow, I said, in a low tone, as if speaking to myself, yet loudly enough to be heard by all, "I think he's the nearest. Yes, yes, by some inches." At this he cowed down, and began to draw back to give one of his comrades the preference. He in his turn gave way to another, and so on, until it was evident that no one was desirous of being the foremost, and so they moved off sulkily out of the cabin. They seemed sadly apprehensive that the last minute would be shorter than either of the two preceding ones, and it was really ludicrous to see how the last halfdozen men tumbled over one another in their hot haste to get out of the saloon. "Alone again with me, Captain," he exclaimed, seizing me warmly by both hands. "Thanks, my dear friend — a thousand thanks. But what an awful risk you have run. Did you not know that there was not a chamber loaded in that revolver, not a single one ? " "My dear, sir," I replied, " I knew that perfectly well ; but the men didn't, and I trusted rightly that they would not find it out." Having somewhat imprudently replaced the pistol in the captain's cabin, we went on deck to calm our minds with some good cigars. The captain going below shortly afterwards, came quickly on deck again, and, with consternation plainly visible in every feature, whispered to me — i " The revolver is gone ; they have stolen it. We shall have more trouble to-night. What are we to do now ?" "You are right," I replied; "we have not done witli these rascals yet. And it seems that they have the power in their own hands now, but that musn't be. Quick ! get me pen, ink, and paper." These were soon brought, and I wrote the following letter : " Ship , off the Sow and Pigs Reef. " Send the pinnace immediately, with a dozen marines with their arms and ball cartridge. Let the boat's crew have their sidearms, revolvers, and ammunition, and send mine as well. There is a mutiny on board — expect an outbreak every moment. We must take them by surprise, therefore see the oars well muffled. The boat is to approach the ship's stern, keeping her three masts in one, so as to be as much out of sight as possible. The officer of the boat is to enforce strict silence on nearing the vessel. Lose no time in carrying out these instructions." Having sig jed this, and addressed it to "The Commanding Officer, H.M.S. Herald," the noxt consideration was as to the means of sending it ; there was the difficulty. Our only chance was a passing boat. We watched anxiously for some time, and at length we heard a veiy merry pleasure party singing as they pulled back after a day's sea-fishing. To my shout of " Boat, ahoy !" nothing but the echoing rocks and hills answered. Just as we were losing hope, and the boat was passing away, I gave a louder hail, and I knew that I was heard, for they stopped singing, and the monotonous splash of their oars ceased. Then there came a lazy " Hul-10-ah !" across the water. " Give me a passage on shore," I sung out, at the top of my voice. They seemed for some time to debate whether they should or not, but presently a hail of " All right " was returned, and they pulled in the direction of the ship. As they came alongside I stepped over the gangway into the boat, and was glad to find that the boatman was well-known to me as a man whom I could trust. I slipped the letter into his hands, and told him in a whisper to take it with all haste, as there was a mutiny on board, and that that was all I wanted. By this time the crew were leaning over the bulwarks watching us, as well as they could in the uncertain starlight. The old boatman saw at once the position of affairs, and with consummate address said, in a bullying tone : "Oh, it's you, is it? I know you! I don't have any navy gentlemen in my boat, though j so I guess you can go back aboard, just as quick as you like ! I wont give'ee a passage ashore, so I tell'ee, Mr Quarterdeck Jack !" This was received by the men with roars of laughter, and I pretended to remonstrate with the clever old salt, who only oontinued : " There, don't I tell'ee it's no use a-argy-fying, for I wont take'ee ashore. Mutiny aboard, says you? Why you men-of-war folks calls everything mutiny, you does ; and if there is mutiny aboard, why you'd better stop and Bee it out. Come now, just get out of my boat, for I wont take'ee ashore— my colonial oath I wont." Again the crew of the merchantman shouted with delight, and greeted me with derisive laughter, as with great apparent reluctance I returned, to all appearances baffled. Thinking that those laugh best who laugh the longest, I rejoined my friend on the poop. The ruse had succeeded admirably j none of the men divined for a moment my real object in calling the boat alongside, nor suspected that I had so well achieved my purpose. So far the best had been done, but no assistance could reach us under two hours at the lea,st, Jt was an anxious time. The m.en were gathered together about the forecastle talking with a savage earnestness. They showed no disposition to turn in peacefully, but on the other hand, seemed to be only

consulting as to their next course of action. Thus a long tedious hour passed away. To keep them quiet for another hour the captain, by my advice, threw them a sop in the shape of some bottles of rum, which they received with ironical cheers. This was a desperate expedient, for, although it had the effect of making them for the time more contented, there was no doubt but that in the end the spirit would only make them mor6 pot-valiant and mutinous. However, we trusted that before then the pinnace would have come to our assistance. Anxiously we sat in the sternport, intently listening for the sound of the muffled oars. It was quite dark, nothing could be seen nor heard but the drunken brawling of the crew on deck. By degrees they became noisier and noisier, their conversation principally turning on that infernal naval lieutenant, as they were pleased to designate me, and what they intended to do with him. gome suggested "keelhauling" him, others a dose of his favourite cat-o'-nine-tails, whilst many advised making a target of him for a little practice with the revolver which had previously so cowed them all. Again, many thought that he would look well dancing on nothing whilst hanging from the fore-yard-arm, that is to say, if one could judge from the roars of laughter that this suggestion provoked. All this was not particularly pleasant for the individual in question, so that we were not sorry when we heard the welcome plash plash of the pinnace's oars. A few minutes sufficed for her to pull silently up under the stern, a few more saw the men safely ensconced in the after state cabins, to which they obtained access by means of ropes lowered out of the stern ports. And they arrived none to soon, for the captain and 1 had hardly seated ourselves at our old places in the saloon when the same unruly mob burst in as before. In answer to the captain, they said that they meant to do him no harm, but all they wanted was that man-o-war officer, and with©ut him they would not leave the saloon, To this the captain replied, with unwonted firmness, "This gentleman is a guest of mine, and I must first know what you want with him " The boatswain then, as spokesman for the rest, said, "Waal, we don't 'xactly know yet what we do want with him, but you can take your jolly good oath that we'll make it pretty lively for him M\hen we do eet hold of him." Here there were shouts of " Ay, that we will;" " Hang the beggar ;" "Stick him up and shoot him ;" " Feed the sharks with him," and numerous other playful suggestions of a like nature. "In that case," said the captain, " not a man of you shall lay a finger on him ; so you'd better clear out of this at once." "Avast there a bit," replied the boatswain. " Not so fast, my hero ; not so fast. That man taught me a lesson just now, and I'll just lam it to you now." At these words he produced the very same revolver, and, with a malicious grin, he took a deliberate aim at the captain's head, at the same time saying, " Now, my fine feller, if you don't change your mind in three minutes, I'll blow your brains out first, and his'n afterwards. Them's the right words, aren't they, mates? I thought I'd lamed the Jesson pretty well. I ain't got a watch, I know, but I can guess three minutes near enough. But I'll tell ye what I have got, and that is a pistol as is loaded this time j there's no gammon about it." This speech of the boatswain's was evidently considered extremely facetious, for the men roared again and again with drunken laughter, and they chuckled with a fiendish glee over the game they thought they now had entirely in their own hands. "So then," said I, "you rascals won't leave r the saloon when your captain orders you to. I see that I shall again have to make you." This produced cries of " \\ T ou make us ?" and howls of derision. "Stop a moment," I continued, "you want me, do you ? Well, then, here I am, and as much more of the same sort as you like." At these words I opened the doors of the state-cabins, and giving the orders, " Ready, present !" a dozen rifles were levelled at the head of the braggart boatswain. With a cry of baffled rage and amazement, he di'opped the pistol from his grasp and begged for mercy. The rest ran like a flock of frightened sheep. The ringleaders, and those who had been the most troublesome, were soon secured and placed in irons. The next day saw them safely lodged in Sydney Gaol, where they remained for periods of from two to ten years. The captain of the merchantman was more fortunate with his next crew, and made a good run to England.