The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-03-04

MURDER OF CAPT. NORRIS,

SnafDu =
bas In thr vicinity of the Caroline Islands, pot IN
al Ascension The 18th October 1872, iof ~ood, va
er and recruits. The requisite supplies o''hs 90
tained separations were made TO prvcr.o W." 'n'
voyage when eleven OF the crew deserted, ana pe'ng
ssoreted aud protected on shore, all shors W
them were huiiless. The ship sailed again on 'ne
9Th October with crew OF seventeen men All 'ou,
four OF whom were natives of Kings Mill Group, ana
TWO of other Islands in the South Sea Inc inten-
ton touch Bay Of slands OF Port Jackson 10
make 40 the complement of men. Do sunday NO
yember 9th, lat. z 20 n. long l62 T., whales were
| raised and both boats lowered IN chase, leaving
Capt. Norris, Portuguese boy named Manuel joe
dos Refs, who acted steward, and three OF the
Hugs Mills Islanders on board. The boats soon
succeeded in capturing whale, which the snip ran
down to and took aloDgslde-they continuing IN pur
suit of others Al 3 O'Clock, +. M. the mates boat
being about mile and half from the ship her sig-
nal was discovered at hal-msst, and he Immediately
pulled towards her
The singular and naccountable management ofthe
ship for some time previous had already been remark
ed by those in the boat and excited the velest ap-
prehensons as they approached her Coming up upon
her quarter within speaking distance, the boy who
was alof and had cut the main topgallaDt hayards,
told Mi Smith, the mate that the Islanders had killed
Capt Norris and were IN possession VI the ship
Just then one Of them, armed with a cutting spade
and enlirely naked, lesped upon the tahrsil, and,
brandIshing hts weapon with most furious and me
nacuR gestures, udIeu lhe ere" 10 come on boA il
The other two were also naked and stationed at
each side Of the ship, where they had collected all
the whaling craf, bets of wood, hammers, Delaying
pins in short every thing that would serve n mis-
sle offensive weapon, determined 10 Tepel any at
tempt board The fourth OF the same islands
IN the boat, and one OF the mutineers addressed
him in his own language telling him, il -uppos
ed, what they had done, and inviting him 10 JOIN
them. He made gesture Of disapproyal, upon which
the other caught up the cooks axe and hurled 1t at
him with such precision OF aim, though A ships
length distant that cut through the back Of his
shirt as he stopped 10 avoid the blow shower Of
IN ssilss followed, thrown with such foIce that the
bone Delaying pm broken into several pieces on
striking the boat, but fortunately one seriously
Injured by them.
| The mate then ordered Manee to the main top
gallant sheets and main-topsaIl hayards, and go
forward the stay aud cut the OF the heod
sails and clear them from the yards which done.
! The task of retakng the ship was evidently one Of
extreme difficulty aud danger, for the mutIDeers had
the advantages Of position and splendid supply OF
arms, with the resolution and skill TO them ehee
lively, so that the second mate and bis crew, who
had In the otme come up, were called to consult
upon the best course pursue IL proposed that
both boats should advance and board the ship,
upon each side, at the same time but MIR smith,
upon whom by the melancholy catastrophe on board,
the responsibility and duties Of master had devolyed
thought that proper regard for the interest of the
owners well for the safety Of the under has
command required him to avoid all personal risk for
which reason he proposed that both crews should take
the other boat and proceed to the ship, leaving him
alone TO await the issue. This PROPOSE met it'll no
favor, the men declaring wish rather TO start for
the nearest land--hye SIX days sail dsiant-and
the second mate relishing 1t so little that be suf-
fered his boat 10 drop ssern out Of talking distance
! Mr. Cough the third mate, who acted as MIR.
Smiths steersman since the ship was short manned,
had dared bis lance several tunes at the naked saw
age the rail, but for OF sufficient warp IL fell
short three or four feet at each trial. he requested
therefore that the boat might be pulled within reach
as the fellow kept HIS position without hinchng and
insolenlly defed hm-but the mate thought the dan
ger too great and refused TO crafty him. He then Of
fered to 90 board the bows if the boy would
cut the iereroys. stay and let the end fall overheard
SO that he could ascend by il to the jb-boom with
lance warp in his teeth but Manuel had become so
e1 hausted by fright and fatigue, that he unable
get 20 the royamasi-bead to execute his pant of
| the task.
| His next plan, and the one he executed was. that
both boats should pull ahead Of the ship, and when
quite dark taking every precaution to avoid ex.
citing the suspicious OF the mutIDeers, he would
jump into the sea, and passing close by TIE side Of the
ship, enter her by the cabin window The ship and
boats surrounded by sharks, attracted probably
| by the carcass OF whale killed 10 the morning, TO
defend himself against which he took boat knife in
his teeth, and let himself into the water as silently
as possible. AT the same moment the ship took
| aback and it became necessary to swim but to
"strke outn and make the best of his way would
cause sparkling in the water, and betrsy his ap
proach to the lookout, so that he obliged to
| "walk water" by which scarcely any agitation was
made and almost as little progress. 1t was tedi-
GUS passage Of more than hour and half in dura-
ton, terminating at length by diving under the ship
seized the rudder at the heel and ascending bv the
alter part of il to the starboard cabin window
through which he made his entry. Two large
sharks close to the boat when he left her
and kept him company the whole time without offer
ing to modest him, and the knife, which luckily had
been useless, he left upon the ransom he got in at
| the window.
He then Invested himself of his clothing that the
enemy might have no advantage over him on the
score of nakedness, should they to close quar-
tiers, and applied himself TO listening to the move
ments on deck these indicated that there were yet
no suspicious of his presence, he proceeded to search
Tor arms and ammunition. Two cutasses were soon
found, and amongst all the muskets, two only were
fit for service, so far he could Judge by carefully
handling-t was too dark to see--every locker and
drawer in the cabin was then ransacked for powder
and ball. which being found, the muskets were load
ed and placed with the cutasses the foot of the ca
bin stars-wh!le engaged in loading fowling piece,
he heard step in the gangway and some one de
scended the stairs hitting the at the bottom and
knocking them down upon the floor MIR. Clough ran
to the spot but unable to see anything CROPPED about
by the intruders feet till he caught hold of cutlass
with which he him through the body; as he drew
il out struggle ensued for the weapon and both fell
to the hoor-,hc officer luckily uppermost planting
his knee upon bis breast he took out one of his eyes
and with good deal of trouble brought the edge of
the sword to bear upon the back Of his neck, and
made an attempt to cut off his head-he pulled il
back and forth several times but it was an awkward
operation for the other kept hold of the sword and
struggled violently, wounding Mr.. c. severely by
twisting the blade several times in his band Alter
while he became quiet, and supposed him to be dead
| NJ. a. 81
struck about iuriously with the cuass hitting him at
almost every pass, until exhausted probably by loss
of blood, he uttered slight groan and fell upon the
| floor.
| Going again to the stairs, the officer saw another
IN the gangway, with cuttDg-spade pointed towards
| him Wh feeling for load cd