The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-10 00:00:00

MURDER OF A NAVAL OFFICER AND FOUR•

THEN SEAMEN.

A private letter furnishes some particulars
of a tearful tragedy recently enacted on the Arabian coast,
not far (menthe entrance to the Bed Sea. It appears that
some time in the month of September, whilst she was in
the Mozambique Chiming, four brats, for the purpose of
watching some slavers, were detached from the Penguin,
Lieut. G. G. M'Hardy, tender to the Narcissus, the
Sag-ship of Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker, at the Cape of
Good Hope. It was the intention for the vessel to
pick them up at a place called Fort Durnford, about sixty
miles south of the line. On the vessel arriving there,
however, nothing could be heard of the beats. As the
wind was blowing steadily and strongly towards the north
it was determined to cross the line in search of them, and
when the Penguin was about 30 miles north of the line, at
• place called Brava, news of the missing boats was alt-
Mined. The boat, had been seen there, but ea they could
not get in by) reason of the heavy surf, they bad gone on
before the wind towards the north. The natives did not
know there was any landing
__place in that direction
within six hundred miles. When the boats left the
ship they only bad eleven days' provisions, and therefore so
soon as the Penguin got news of them she followed in
the track with all possible speed, and arrived at • place
called Bonder Feluk on the 25th of October. At this
place the Penguin learnt the sad news that the whole of
the crews of two of the boats, fifteen men in all, had been
cruelly murdered by the natives. So far as could be learnt.
the boats' crews, finding themselves short of food and water
on the Arabian Sea, and unable to return, landed with the
intention of replenishing, and then making the best of their
way to Aden, on the Red Sea. They had gone in their boats
from the time they left the Penguin in the Mocambique
Channel, over 1,200 miles. No doubt their inten-
tion was, had they reached Aden, to have come back to the
Mozambique Channel on the change of the wind. They
landed at the Arab villap, named Bonder Felnk, to obtain
water and provisions. The natives did not at first appear
hostile, but, on the contrary. invited them to come on
shore. Sub-Lieutenant Fontaine, who was in charge of
the party, however, did not deem it prudent to risk all at
once, although probably nearly famished with thirst. He
therefore went in the small boat, with • crew of seven in
each. The cutter was lyieg on the beach. As soon as
the men touched the shore they were fallen upon and
murdered by the natives. What became of the other
two boats is not mentioned The following are the names
of the killed : Sub-Lieutenant Fountain.; William
Mitchell (quartermaster), John Carpenter (gunner's mate),
John Kemp (A. 8.), Henry State (A. 8.), Charles Kean,
James Watson, John child,, Martin Jolley, Richard 1.,
Henry Williams, Arthur Matthews, John Pratt, sad two
marines named George Baton awl Charles Foley. Mrs.
Mitchell, the wife of the quartermaster, we undsniaad, rir•
sides at Torpoint. John Kemp is the son of a watermsa of
Mutton Cove, ihmonport. On the arrival of the People,
and the foregoing particulars having been ascertained, the
officer in charge communicated with the native chieftain, and
demanded that the murderers should be given up, or in de-
fault prepare for the destruction by fire and sword of all
the vessels houses, and people of the place. After some
delay
twenty of the murderers were given up to the com-
mander of the Penguin, who was told that the others bad
escaped, or they also would have been sent. It was soon
determined to hang these. as an example to deter their
countrymen from indulging in similar conduct. At the date
of the latest advice', about the third week in October, the
murderers were awaiting their execution, which having been
finished, the Penguin would leave that part of the coast.
John Carpenter bad only recently come into the Penguin
from the Narcissus, and on this particular occasion took the
place of one who was on the sick list when the expedition
started. The Penguin bad recovered some of the carbines of
the murdered men, but had not discovered any of the bodies.