The Nevada journal., 1852-04-15
MUTINY AND MURDER ON BOARD AN EN-
GLISH SHIP.


GLISH SHIP.
The Singapore Fres Press of Feb.
Sd contains the following account of
a dreadful mntiny and murder on board
an English ship:
BY the Java steamer, twelve Ma
nilamen were brought here in custo-
dy, having been forwarded by the au-
thorities from Batavia under the fol-
lowing circumstances. The English
barque Herald left Shanghae on the
lst September last, bound for Leith,
with cargo of teas and silks. There
were ON board Capt. Lawson the mas
ter, and his wife, two European mates,
a carpenter, a steward and cook, ma
tives of the coast, twelve Manila sea-
men, one European Portuguese sea-
man and Manila boy of nine years
of age, who waite'l upon Mrs. Law
son. One of the Maniiman was gun
/ ner.
Five days after leaving Sanghae.
the crew was put upon the customary
allowances, which was not agreeable
to the Manilamen, who began to be
refractory, and came aft four times
before the vessel reached Anjier to de-
mand more, but were refused They
would then appear to have resolved
upon extremities, as they told the Por-
tuguese they intended to murder all
the Europeans on board. At half
past one A. NJ, of the 25th, the Por-
tuguese heard his name called in a
loud voice and Immediately ran on
deck, where some of the Manilamen
told him that they had water and pro-
visions gnow at their own pleasure,
since the Captain and his officers were
gone to the other world He was
sent to assist in cleaning the cabin
and saw the bodies of Captain Laws
son, his officers and the carpenter, Mrs.
Lawson also being there crying Bit
terly. Weights were alta ched to the
feet of the bodies which were taken
on deck and thrown overheard. The
chief mate was not quite dead when
thrown over the side,and he was heal d
to utter the exclamation "Good God?'
The crew had committed this horrible
massacre with hatchets, bars of iron,
and large billets of wood, of which
they had possessed themselves. AT
ter the officers had been thus disposed
of, the gunner took command of the
vessel, having two of the men as first
and second officers. These three men
we're constantly armed, and made the
others give up their knives every eve
ming Six days after the murder of
the officers, the Portuguese, steward
and cook we're tied up and told that
their last hour had arrived, and be-
fore the unfortunate steward could ut
ter single word, the person who ac-
ted as chief mate split his head open
with hatchet and also ran him thro'-
the body with long knife. The 9TH
er two were then released and enjoined
to secresy. The same day prepara-
tions were made to scuttle the vessel,
and on Mrs. Lawson eptreating the
gunner to take her on shore, he said
his companions would not allow it.
She then begged that spar should be
given her and she would commit her.
self to the waves on it and trust to
Providence, but even this was denied
her. About 10 p. NJ. they left the
vessel in one Of the boats, and she
would appear to have sunk rapidly, as
nothing but her masts were visible
above the water short time after
wards. 1t is said by some that Mrs.
Lawson was locked in her cabin be-
fore the men quilted the ship. She
took little or no food during the six
days that interviewed between the mu :
der of the officers and the abandon
nent of the ship, although it was Of
fered to her, and she is said to have
been subjected to the grossest indig-
mites by the gunner.
The boat reached the Java coast
, about o'clock on the following NOR
ming, and the crew landed at a place
called Tjilankang, the gunner having
ordered his companions to assume fic-
titious names, and to say that they be-
longed to Spnnish vessel named the
Chypro, which had been wrecked
The Demang of Tjilankang before
sending them on to the Resident at
Bontam, questioned them through the
gunner, who spoke the Malay language,
and he told this official that the Cap
tain had left the vessel in another boat,
and that there were no females on
board
1 n Lnfora fba Resident