The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-04-02
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the New Bedford Mercury.
MURDER OF CAPTAIN NORRIS,

VI the Uhdtlng snip SHARON or FdlrhdCcn
and re-capture Of the ship from Mutt
neers, by Mr.. BENJAMIN CLoUGn, her 81
officer.
The SHARON having been some time
cruising for whales in the vicinity of the
Caroline Islands, put in at Ascension Tho
18th ofOctober. le44, for wood, watel
and recruits. The requisite supplies be
ing obtained, preparations were made to
proceed upon the voyage, when eleven Of
the crew desertrd, and being secreted
take them were fruitess. The ship
sailed again on the 9th October, with a
crew Of seventeen men, all told, four OF
whom were natives of Kings Mill Groupe
and two ofother islands in the South
Sea. The intention was to touch at Bay
OF Islands or Port Jackson to make up the
compliment of men. On Sunday, Nov.
9th, lat. % 30 n. Ion. I6 p E., whales
were raised and both boats lowered in
chase, leaving Capt. Norris, Portuguese
boy named Manuel Jose dos Res, who
acted as steward, and three of the King s
Mill Islanders on board The boats
soon succeeded in capturing a whale.
which the ship ran down to & took along
side-they continuing in pursuit of 9TH
ers. At o'clock. P. NJ, the mates
boat being about mile and a half from
the ship, her signal was discovered at
half-mast, and he Immediately pulled to-
wards her. The singular and unac-
countable management of the ship tor
some time previous had already been re-
marked by those in the boat, and excited
the liveliest apprehensions as they ap-
preached her Coming up upon her quar-
Ter within speaking distance, the boy who
was aloft and had cut the main top-gallant
haIyards, told Mr. Smith, the mate, that
the Islanders had killed Capt Norris and
were in possession of the ship. Just
then one of them, armed with cut ing
spade, and entirely naked, leaped upon
the traffrail, and, brandishing his weapon
with most furious and menacing gestures,
dared the crew to come on board. The
other two were also naked and stationed
one each side of the ship, where they had
collected all the whaling craft, billets of
wood, hammers, belal ing pins,-in short
every thing that would serve as missile
or offensive weapon, determined to repel
any attempt to board. The fourth native
ofihe same islands was in the boat, and
one of the mutineers addressed him in
his own language, telling him, it was sup
posed, what they had done, and inviting
him to Join them. He made a GESTURE of
disapproval, upon whichAhe other caught
up the cooks axe and hurled it with such
precision of aim, though d ships length
distant, that it cut through the back of
his shirt as he stopped to avoid the blow.
A shower of missiles followed, thrown
with such force that the bone Delaying
pins were broken into several pieces on
striking the boat, but fortunately no one
was seriously injur ed by them. The
mate then ordered Manuel TO cut the
main-top gallant sheets and man-topsail
halvards, and to 90 forward on the stay
and cut the halvards OF the head sails and
clear them from the yards, which was
done. The task of retaking the ship was
evidently one of extreme difficulty and
danger fer the mutineers had the advanta-
ges of position and a plentiful supply of
arms, with the resolution and skill to use
them effectively, so that the second make
and his crew, who had i'll the meantime
come up, were called to consult upon the
best course to pursue. 1t was proposed
that both boats should advance and board
the ship, one upon each side, at the same
time; but Mr. smith, upon whom by the
melancholy catastrophe on board, the re-
sponsibiitv and duties of master had de-
volyed, thought that proper regard tor
the interest of the owners as well as Tor
the safety ofthe men under his command,
required him to avoid all personal risk,
for which reason he proposed that b"h
crews should take the tother boat and
proceed to the ship, leaving him alone to
await the issue. This proposal met with
no favor, the men declaring a wish rather
to start for the nearest land-hve or sin
days' .ail distant-and the second mate
relishing it so little that he suffered his
boat to drop astern out of talking dis
lance.
Mr.. Clough, the third mate, who acted
as Smiths stee:sman since the ship wa:
short manned, had darted his lance sever
but for want of sufficient warp it fell shor
three or four feet at each trial he re
quested, therefore, that he boat might be
pulled within reach, asthe fellow kept hi:
position without finching and lnsolently
defed him,-but the mate thought th'
danger to great and refused to crafty him
He then offered TO 90 on board over tn
bows, if the boy would cut the fore-roya
STAY and let the end fall overheard so tina
he could ascend by it to the jibboom witt
lance warp in his teeth: but Manu-
had become so exhausted by fright an
fatigue that he was unable to getup to tn
royal-mast-head TO execute his part OF tn
task.
His next plan and the one he executed was
that both boats shonld pull ahead OF the snip
and when it was quite dark, taking every pre-
caution to avoid exciting the suspicion OF IN
muiiueers, he would jump into the sea- an
passing close by the side Of the ship ente
her by the cabin window. The ship AM