The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-11-24
The COOlie TRAGEDY.

The strange story that came to US a few
days ago about the French bark that was
AIKEN possession OF by her coolie passengers,
md the subsequent blowing up of the who'll.
lot OF them by the mate. who had escaped their
ury when the captain was murdered, Is ex.
planned IN detail by the mate, who publishes
.he following extract from his diary:
July IT, Becalmed six miles from Byron
Isle. Al oclrck, a. M, the captain gave per-
mission TO all the natives to go on the false OF
upper deck, and he distributed shirts and TO-
Jacco among them. Everything was quiet but
he deck was densely crowded wIlh nearly
$40 men. All at once, without a moments
warning, the kanakas rushed astern and At
acked The sailors on waLch. l was standing
IN front OF the cabin door, and saw Kanaka
xii Mr.. Latin, passenger, with one blow OF
d hatcaet. l seized carbine and ran to the
AID OF the captain, but IL was too rate. He h.d
oeen stabbed In BACK and face, and fallen
dead Besides terrible blow had been deal,
aim with Ratchet, which one OF the natives
uad stolen from the tool chest, which was ON
dsck. ! now fled to the cabin in com
pany with the only one Of the watch
'emalnlhg awe. There we found tn.
lieutenant and The steward with a gun The
latter had, while trying to relieve the can
IAN been wounded IN the right shoulder. bul
ne did not tell us OF his partly disabi ed cor
lition, tor feal we might be discouraged
we defended The cabin against all The Kama
kas, and am convinced that we might hav,
regained coutrol of the ressel immeaiat-,v. i,
we had possessed good arms. Once bayin. us
IN the cabin, the hanakas completely cut II.
of from The deck by blocking mp the passage
with brlcks taken from the kIIchen, but with
cerbnes we Kept them from approaching u.s.
While this condition ii affairs existed near the
stern OF the VI ssel, The men forward ere alsu
oeing attacked; but having four old sabre,
which had placed there the day before, they
.ucceded in defending narrow passaeewat
trough which the natives dared not venture
mus matters continued up to nine o'clock,
H., when Two OF the hen forward succe. dec
~ working their Way through partitions in tn,
Irtween decks, and gaining entrance to on,
cabin Though the lower passage. Three 9th
srs soon followed. Was thus reinforced BY
hve men, but we were almost without arms OBJ
long cavalry sabres beng poor dependence
Tor hand-to-haud contest with men.
In TINS condition We waited for some time
without deciding what to do. Near IL o clock.
tbe lieutenant insisted, potwithstand Dg m,
pIotestatlons, III endeavor. ng to open commu.
uicatIon with the Interpreter, whom the IA.
ives had bouLd with cords and imprisoned m
MS cabiu on deck. He left our cabin ana
while trying TO get within hearing distance o,
me interpreter, was shot DEAD by the pativ,
who had possession OF the interpreters gum
When the Kanakas saw him tall, they set IN
diabolical howl, followed by prolonged out
bursts of laughter. L now decided not to an.
empt 10 shoot any more of the natives. as
very little could be accomplished in that man
ner with our Two guns, and one revolver which
would not go off. Finally decided to maxi
a d sperate movement 1t was to blow off the
upper deck Of the vessel, and during the con.
fusion and fright which would follow, rush
though the smoke and overpower resist.
ance in the best way we could. w.
had within reach forty-five tin boxes OF
powder, each containing halt a pound
poured "a boxes into keg and placed il un-
der the centre OF the deck wh.r the natives
were; then spread the mats and sails under it,
% pretec: the beiw decks; then with six
more boxes made a train Of powder from he
place where We were TO the key. Then every
oody was ordered to pass into the between
decks as tar back as possible, and hold them
selves ready to all mount on deck at once after
I he explosion, and not wait for me, because
n, mere was no telling what might be nv fate
But had confidence, and was never NOR,
calm 10 my life. Alter having seen the mel
ale, and having made short prayer for the
protec ion of my wife and children, fred the
rain, and let myself Iall at the Same time IL
he hold The explosion as Immediate and
shook the vessel like an eartbquake;I Wa
iearly rhoked by the smoke. at once raj
IN d ok, where found The men We're in ad.
vance OF mt; also the interpreter, who hao
been released by his wife. There was not a
'Inge X 'naka on board. Tut the sea on all
-ides was Completely dotted with their black
heads going toward the island.
My first care was 10 send two men between
decks to extinguish The fire, aud with the 9th
ers defeated all the nanpuvers of a lew ma.
ives in The water, who were trying to a ain
get on board with knives and other arms in
their hands. Thanks to God, the vesse, was
gain in our coutrol; nothing had taken fir.
with the exc. ption of the sal which had been
placed ubder the powder, and viii was
speedily saved. The damage doue 10 the YES
sci is not very great The deck was not blown
II nor the planks greatly disturbed, yet tn,
whole was raised upwards about pine inches |
10 doubt giving the m IN stanj ling thereon a
tremendous toss. The cabin where the sailors
lodged was partially demolished, but the cabin
aear the stern was uninjured.