Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-09-13
NARRATIVE OF THE LOSS OF THE
PERSEVERANCE.
[Reiated BIZ Me Supercarco.l

j
The ship Perseverance left China on the
10th OF May for Batavia, when on the God
OF June, lying at anchor about eight or ten
miles to the southwark of Ragged Point,
on the coast of Borneo, in the Straits OF
Macassar, at about half past ten O'Clock
z. NJ. the ships crew, consisting partly of
Javanese. and party MaIays, mutinied.
and murdered the chief officer, who was
then on deck (; on hearing his cries, the
captain and myself together came out from
our cabin, the captain called out to the
crew and asked, what was the matter p
when one OF them answered, nothing, only
that he himself was now the caBtain Of the
ship, intending to murder every one of us.
The captain hereupOn told him, that if
they did not give up their design. he would
olow, up the ship, and them together with
1t, whereupon he said, that it was WE'LL
Meanwhile the captain, the second officer
and myself, returned into the cabin. where
we got up barrel of gunpowder, loaded
all the muskets and pistols we had. and in
TINS situation we were waiting for them.
IN case OF their coming down. I'm about
halt an hour they threw down every thing
that was loose on deck, broke the Ianthor1
which was IN the cabin we also heard
them work with one of the guns, being
loaded with double shot, which after bay-
ing got up the hatch, they tried to point Il
down, but we understood they were una
Die to point it low enough for the purpose
Of their intention the captain told them
t1at IN case OF their coming down he would
blow up the quarter deck, on which the
greater part of the crew were standing. be-
cause he saw no possibility of saving the
ship, or to defend our lives any longer
We then brought one barrel of gunpowder
into the fore part before the cabin, and laid
train to it from the cabin / placed nv
self in one of the stern windows. with
couple ofloaded pistols, so did the captain
and the second officer. On sudden the
mutineers came down, upon which fred
off one pistol.
The train caught horrible explosion
followed and in an instant, found my
self, almost without sense, IL the wafer.
near the pieces of plank, &c. got hold
OF a large log of wood which appeared to
be the boom, a-stern of the main braces
The whole after part of the ship being on
fire, got alongside the ship, and came
over by the gangway, where I saw the
most shocking sight man ever beheld.-
The greatest part of the crew living within
the flames, some without arms, others
without legs, crying very loud. One of
them yIng close to the gangwsy got hold
ot my leg on coming over, calling out 10
another, who, with or 10 men, was en-
deavoriug to get the long boat over the
ships side, which they effected after
which | saw one coming up to me with a
ccriss in his hand, and leaping upon the
fOrecastle, intended to Jump overheard |:
but when he saw me on the bowsprit, he
went back, and called out to me TO leave
The ship, and follow him into the long boat,
which / refused. On the bowsprit with
sc was sitting the Chinese passenger Bley.
who would not leave me we in the mean
time saw the remainder of the crew leave
The ship with the boat others of them be-
ing wounded, flung themselves overheard