The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-06-08
An Encounter with a Slave Dhow.

follows: 4Hc SlOIy VI tHc DAliSu uSSut
with q slave dhow, flying French colors
is now officially and in detail before the
country. The affair was not an attempt
to capture the SLAYER; it was not fight
at all, but massacre. The incident is
tragic episode of the work which Great
Britain performs as sort of naval police
in the forcible abolition of slavery. While
the murder of Captain Brownrigg and
the deaths of the other brave fellows were
being lamented in England, retributive
justice soon laid hands upon the dhow
and the Arab assassins- 1t appears that
Captain Brownrigg had long been en-
gagged off Zanzibar in the philanthro-
pic work of the government. He had
never boarded French dhows, but had
been in the habit of running alongside in
his pinnace to verify their papers. Other
dhows he had regularly boarded. Some
he had captured, releasing their living
cargoes. On this occasion, Dec. 3, he
only intended ''quite cursory examina-
tion'' of the dhow in question. He did
not even arm his boats crew. He went
alongside without hailing or stopping
the dhow. just as he was making
the vessel he sent the cockswain forward
to attach the pinnace to the dhow, SO that
he might converse with the Captain as
they both forged along through the wa
ter. As the man was standing on the
stern of the boat, in the act of ''making
FAST" he caught sight of eight or ten
men crouching down with guns at the
''ready'' position. He called out to the
Captain, who was standing aft at the
tiller, whereupon the Arabs rose up and
fired. He closed with one of them, and
| the two fell overheard. Fifteen to twenty
Arabs then leaped into the pinnace with
drawn swords and dubbed guns. At
their first volley they killed one of the
crew outright, mortally wounded a Sec
ond, and severely hurt two Others. 1t
was, therefore, no difficult matter for
them to drive the remainder, unarmed as
they were, into the sea- Captain Brown
rigg and his steward were in the after
part of the boat. There was but single
rifle on board. The Captain seized it and
shot one of the Arab boarders. Before he
could reload he was attacked from above
by the rest. He dubbed his weapon
and fought gallantly, but under the ter
rible disadvantage of being below his as
sailants and half blinded with blood flow
ing from a severe wound in the forehead.
He was in the stern sheets, while the
Arabs were on the top of the canopy and
at the sides, so that he got at them with
difficulty, they at him with ease. For
twenty minutes the unequal contest went
on. As fast as the Captain knocked one
man over another took the vacant place.
At last the English officer fell, wounded
in twenty places, the coup being given
by bullet which pierced his heart. Dur
ing this sanguinaIy business Bishop, an
ordinary seaman badly wounded, was
supported to the dingy, astern of the
pinnace, by the stoker Venning (himseh
shot in the leg), but the Arabs, hauling
their boat up alongside of the pinnace;
cut him over the head until he sank.
Massey, an able-bodied seaman, badly
wounded, was supported to the shore, q
distance of 700 yards, by two com.
rades. The account of the remainder
of the crew is thus made up
The second stoker swan ashore; 40 like
wise did the interpreter and writer y
There were then left on board, as pre-.
viously stated, the Captain and steward
Genoese, who saved himself by falling
down and pretending to be dead. The
leading stoker remained in the water
swimming about and keeping clear of the
assassins, and when the dhow saileG
away he scrambled on board the pinnace
got up steam, picked up the men on thu
beach, and took them and the dead Cap
! tain to headquarters at the Island of Penn
ba. A few days later the dhow was tax
J en-. In the scrimmage of capture one o.
, the Arabs was shot. Eight others are il
| custody, as is also the Captain. Full re
. ports have still to come in, though it il
understood that no papers were found il
: the dhow, or anything to verify her ma
| tionality. Captain Brownrigg was /.
} brave and popular man in the service
r and his death is lamented in the regior
| where he had done so much useful worl
, and also at home. One cannot help feel
ing that there was certain amount o
, recklessness in not arming the crew. An
| other notable thing is the fact that tn
> Winchester rifle is not used in the serv
ice. Had Captain Brownrigg been armed
with this weapon he would most proba
l bly, have been alive now to describe it
deadly effect upon the treacherous Arabs
} Englishmen who go to explore strang'
and possibly hostile countries invariabl,,
3 carry Winchester as well as ordinar,
/ rifles.