A STORY OF BLACKBIRDING.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 306, 25 June 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

A STORY OF BLACKBIRDING.

Mr Grant Allan has published a vivid romance of sea life in the days when the Queensland labour traffic was in full swing. Tom Pringle, an honest Canadian lad, joined unknowingly a vessel named the John Wesley, commanded by as great a scoundrel as could be found trading in the kidnapping business. The vessel is sighted by a. gun boat, which gives chase, and the following horrible scene takes Dlace :

" Now, below with the stock !" Ford exclaimed with a shudder. The sailors proceeded to hurry the men and women to the hold, one by one ; Tom hardly know why, but a minute later, he saw it was'to prevent resistance and the chance of a rising. Handcuffed as they were, they might still have gi/en trouble had they known what was coming. One man alone was left on deck at the last. Meanwhile, the John Wesley continued on her course, as if she had never even noticed the gunboat, though it was signalling from its distant position. " Weight," the skipper said. Quick as lightning, two sailors fastened a weight to tho blaokfellow's feet. " Now, over!" They lifted him, struggling and screaming, in thair arms, carried him to the lee gunwab, and dropped him quietly into the dark soa like a bale of goods, as thoy had dropped the corpse. With & wild shriek he foil. The shriek was ohoked by the rushing water. He sank like lead to the bottom. The rollers closed over him. " Good money gone !'' was all the skipper's comment. Jt " Next?" Bully Ford said oalraly. Tho sailors brought up another in turn from the hold, where Tom could see two of their number standing guard with sixshooters over the excited blackfellowe. The natives did not know exactly what was happening, indeed, but they suspectad mischief, and rushed about wildly or crouched in terror. Quickly and silently • with military order, the sailors brought up one man after another. As each reached tho deck a weight was fastened with mechunioal regularity to his feet, he wae carried to tho edge, and with a " One two, three," heaved over into the black ' water. The monotonous repetition of the loud cries, as the sullen shriek was stifled, sickened Tom as he looked. He had a vague suspicion that his turn would come next, when tbey had finished with the blackfellows. Time after time tho samo horrible eceno occurred. They worked their way through the men, and proceeded to the women. Thoy met their fate with more sullen resignation. Perhaps thoy were better accustomed to brutal treatment. As the last was just reached, a shot across their bows ploughed up the water. Billy Ford glanced aside. " Ha, she's angry," he said, ''because we don't notice her signal*. But I'd knock this ship's brains out, on a reef, if I could, sooner than let her catch us." He rang the bell to stop her. The engine reversed. Then he glanced with cold eyes at Tom. " Go, below, sir, h# said shortly, I ain't got timo to chuck you overboard just now ; but, by George, if once we run past this tight place I'll break every bone in your sneaking whitu body. A "white man, and you want to side with niggers ! He's under arrest, Hemmings. Mind you keep an eye oa him."