Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-10-07

Them below again.
About forty stalwart devils, yelling and grin
ming with all the savage ferocity Of their wilder
ness, were now on deck armed with slaves OF bro
ken water-casks, or billets Of wood, found in tn
hold. The suddeness of this outbreak did not ap
palme, foF, in the dangerous life Of Africa, a trade
must be always admonished and never off hi
guard. The blow that Frustrated the first whit
man was the earliest symptom of the revolt but
in an Instant, | had the arm-chest open on tn
quarter deck, and the mate and stewart beside NJ
10 protect it. Matters. however. did not stand 81
well forward the mainmast. Four of the hand
were disabled by clubs, while the rest detande,
themselves and the wounded as well as they coul
with handspikes, or whatever could suddenly b.
elutched. l had always charged the cook on suel
an emergency, TO distribute from his coppers a Ii
beral supply ofscalding water Upon the beIigerents
and, at the first sign he endeavored 10 baprise tn,
heather with his steaming slush. But dinner ha'
been over for some time, SO that the lukewarm H.
quid only Initiated the savages, one OF whom
laid the unfortunate doctor bleeding in the
scuppers.
All this occurred in perhaps less time than
have taken TO tell it; yet, rapid as was the trans
action, l saw that, between the squall with its fly
ing sails, and the revolt with its raving blacks, We
would soon be in a desperate plight, unless l gave
the order 10 shoot. Accordingly, l told my COM
Tades to aim low and fire at once.
Our carbines had been purposely loaded with
buck-shot, to suit such an occasion, so that the
first two discharges brought several Of the rebels
to their knees. Still the unframed neither fled
nor ceased brandishing their weapons. Two more
discharges drove them forward among the mass of
my crew, who had retreated towards the bow
spirit; but being reinforced by the boatswain and
carpenter, we took command Of the matches so eff
fectually that a dozen additional discharges among
the ebony legs drove the refractory to their quar-
tiers below.
1t was time-for sails, ropes, tacIs, sheets and
blocks, were Tapping, dashing and rolling about
the masts and decks, threatening us with immi-
nent danger from the squall. In a short time, ev-
cry thing was made snug, the vessel put on her
course, and attention paid to tho mutineers, who
had begun to fight among themselves in the hold!
l perceived at once, by the ~infuriate sounds pro-
ceeding from below, that il would not answer to
venture in their midst by descending through the
matches. Accordingly. we discharged the women
from their quarters nnder a guard on deck, and
sent several ~resolute and weil.armed hands to re,
move a couple of boards from the bulkhead. that
separated the cabin from the hold. When this was
accomplished, a party entered on hands and
knees through the aperture, and began to press
the mutiueers forward towards the bulkhead of
the forecastle. Still the rebels were hot for the
fight to the last, and boldly defended themselves
with their slaves against our weapons.
BY this time our famed cook had rekindled his
fires, and the water was once more boiling. The
hetches were kept open but guarded, and all who
lid not fight were suffered to come sing,y on deck,
they were tied. As only about sixty re
NAMED below engaged in conflict, or defying my
party Of sappen and miners, I ordered a number
IF augur holes to be bored in the deck, as the vii.
aims were forced forward near the forecastle.
. few buckets Of boiling water, rained on
hem through the fresh apertures, brought the ma
GRITTY to submission. Still, however, two of the
most savage held out against water as well as fire.
strove As long as possible 70 save their lives, but
heir resistance was so prolonged and perilous that
We were obliged to disarm them forever by a cou.
lie Of pistol shots. u,
90 ended the sad revolt of LA Estrella., IN
which two Of my men were seriously wounded,
twenty'eight balls and buckshot were ex-
raesed, with sailors skill, from the lower limbs of
he slaves. One woman and three men persisted
blows received in the fight; but none were de- :
slain except the two men who resisted !
death.
could never account for this mutiny. especially t
1.-THE blacks from Ayudah and its neighborhood I
re distinguished for their humble manners and q
ociiity. There can be no doubt that the entire
'ang was not united or concerned in the original
outbreak, else We should have had harder work 8
sueduing them amidst the risk and turmoil of :,
West Ipdia squali. q
There wes very little comfort on board La Es- '
ella AFTER the Suppression Of this revolt. We =
we'd with . pent up volcano beneath us. and. .
" and night, we were ceaaelessly v~igilant. Ter. II
reigned supreme, and the lash was its sceptre. y
At last, we made land at Porto Rico, and were c
witty passing its beautiful shores, when the in n
rector called my attention TO the appearance Of . P
'e OF opr attendant slaves, whom we had drilled y
. sort Of cabin-boy. He was a gentle, intelli. p
at child, and had won the hearts of all the off. c,
n. n,
His pulse was high, quick and hard; his face ii,
d eyes red and swollen; while, on his neck, n,
secsed half = dozep rosy pimples. He was sen, an
'mediately to the forecastle, fee from con,ac. =,
til any one else, and left there, cut off from the
~ till ! could guard against the pestilence. 1t Al
y small poxl pa
4he boy passed a wretched night Of fever and ~
!!n, developing the malady with all its horrors. III
ID very likely that I alenf az hadly &C IL. .,r no