The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-02
HOLOCAUST AT SEA.
The COOlIe Ship Uncawnh Destroyed by Fire
Together with Over -Four Hundred Of Ho
GoOlie pnaseuaeTR.

Together with over -Four Hundred OF Her
OoOlie Passengers.
From the Straits Times, Dec. 3, 1870
From the late Java papers we learn of the
loss by fire of the ship Uncawah, from Macao,
bound to Calao with coolies, who muLinied at
sea and set fire to the ship. The captain and
crew arrived at AMER in the San Salvadorian
ship Fray Bentos, and portion of the coolies
in the British ship Juanpore. The particulars
that can be CLEANED of this sad affair are as
follows:-
The Uncawah, under San Salvadorian coors
left Macao on the 18th of October for Callao,
with 537 coolies. She was under the command
of Captain Giuseppe Roseana, an Italian,
whose account is in effect as follows-
"After having sailed for q couple of days with
a fair wind, the coolies began to grumble.
Several of them circulated letters among the
coolies, urging them to rise and make them
selves masters of the vessel. On the morning of
the 21st of October the coolies were, as usual,
left on deck to refresh themselves. After having
stayed some time on deck they were ordered to
go below, but refused to obey. The coolies per-
sisting in their refusal, the crew endeavored to
force them to go below, and a fight ensued be-
tween them. The sailors we're provided with
weapons but the Chinese armed themselves with
pieces of iron and wood, and laid about with
these 80 effectively that the steward and carpen-
ter were killed and several sailors wounded
"After a struggle lasting half an hour the
Chinese we're driven to the hold, and, seeing
that there was little hope of obtaining command
of the vessel by force broke everything below
this became panic-stricken, got out boat and
made away from the ship so hastily that the
captain, who was left behind, was obliged to
jump overheard and swim after the boat, which
The fate of the vessel and of the coolies
who wefe thus left on board is best described
in the following statement by Captain Haldaue
of the British ship Juanpore, who has also
reached AMER with 112 of the coolies and q
Greek sailor, who had been left behind on
board the burning vessel by his shipmates.
More than 400 of the coolies must have per-
ished by fire and by drowning:-
AMER, Nov. 19, 1S70.-While proceeding
down the China Sea from Shanghae '2r Lordon,
on the 21st of October, in latitude 8 deg 4V min.
north, longitude 100 deg. 45 min. east a vessel
was reported to me to the south-southeast.
Shortly after this smoke was observed proceed
ing from her, from which 1 concluded that she
was steamship, under which belief l remained
until sundown, when fire was distinctly visible,
enveloping the whole ship.
At this time we were about twelve miles dis
Lant from her. As the wind was very light,
despatched Mr.. Stewart second officer, in
charge of the gig, to pull away ahead, in hopes
of seeing anything or picking up any of the
survivors. About an hour after this the second
officer returned with intelligence that one of
the unfortunate ships boats, manned by twenty
five Cinnamon and one European, had hailed
them stating that they were part of the sur
vivors from the burning ship, who had been
directed to US by observing our blue lights and
rockets, which were exhibited every hour; but
doubling the truth of their statement, he re-
turned alongside, followed shortly afterwards
by the Chinese boat.
requested the European, Greek, to come
on board and drop the boat astern and make
fast, not allowing the Chinaman on board till 1
was satisfied with this mans statement. From
him / was acquainted with the fact that the
burning ship was the Uncawah, from Macao for
Callao, with 53S coolies on board, who had
mutinied and set fire to the ship. that day, a
fierce conflict having taken place between the
officers and crew with the Chinese, some of them
bearing strong evidence of the scene of slaugh-
ter, ,cutass and pistol wounds being on several of
them. The Chinese, seeing they were getting
defeated, retreated to the foreend of the ship
and set fire to the vessel The captain, officers,
and crew, seeing that all hopes were gone, now
left the ship in boats. am also informed that
five days after leaving Macao the coolies had
made an attempt to capture the ship, but had not
succeeded, whereGpon about one hundred of
them were put in irons.
At2 A: NJ. on the 2sd of October reached
the burning ship and hove to about a mile dis
tant, manned the gig, and taking command,
proceeded in the direction Of the ship; but as
the water was strewed with bodies in all direc-
tions, floating on fragments of the wreck, l
stopped to pick up as many as possible, return
ing twice to the ship to discharge our living
cargo. Finding that we had now sixty Chinese
on board, l proceeded direct for the burning
ship in hopes of rescuing some of the crew, but
did not find any traces of them. After survey
ing the vessel round, which was surrounded
with wreck to considerable distance deemed
it prudent to return on board and wait till day
light.
At five A. M. started again for the burning
! ship, which was now nearly burned to the wa
| ter's edge, and reaching her commenced to
| rescue as many as possible, which was attended
with considerable toll and danger, as there was
| heavy swell running, and the Chinese, seeing
! deliverance approaching, became frantic
| plunging into the water from all quarters, com.
| pletely surrounding us and laying hold of the
| gunwales of the boats, which compelled us tc
make free use of the oars to prevent their toe
| quick approach, otherwise the boats would have
been upset AT ten A. NJ. | despatched Mr.
Barlow, officer in charge of the gig and PIN
mace, with instructions to fill both boats and
return as quick as possible to the ship. On hi:
| return mustered all hands, and, finding thai
We had 112 men on board, decided that no more
! could be done.
! At II A. NJ. 1 filled away to the south, passing
| dead bodies, fragments of wreck, and various
articles of cabin furniture, fully twenty miles
from the wreck.
AUGUSTUS NJ. HALDANE,
| Commander of the ship Juanpore, owned by
| Messrs. /. q j, Brook bank of LIVERPOOL