The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-26
TERRIBLE TALE OF THE SEA.
Atrocities Committed on q Ship by Mutinous
Black Flags
London Times.

Black Flags
London Times.
A Dublin correspondent has telegraphed to the
St James's Gazette the particulars of mutiny
and some terrible scenes some weeks ago on a
ship belonging to the British mercantile marine
which has been doing duty as a Chinese trans
port in the Chinese seas. The story is con-
tanned in long letter to q Dublin gentleman
which has just arrived. The writer is chief
steward on the vessel on which the mutiny oc-
CURED; but, as every effort has been made by
the authorities in China to prevent the affair
from becoming known, he desires mis- name and
that of the ship not to be given. He however
is highly respectable man, and the truth of
the remarkable story he tells cannot be doubted.
The, writer states that his steamer was char
tered by the Chinese for $4,000 to
take to Hankow from Annoy, 600 miles, $500
Black Flag troops who had been disbanded
from the Tonquin war. On their way to Annoy
they had committed fearful murders and atroci-
get them from Annoy, where they were terror.
At the embarkation about ,OC0 were disarmed,
Eut they crowded on board too fast and the
work of disarmipg had to be abandoned. Many
of them were drunk and carried liquor with
them and were fit for any mischief. The ship
was crowded to excess, the bridge. poop, fore
castle, between decks, and lower holds being
packed. After getting under way with great
difficulty, the Black Flags commenced gambling.
having plenty of money about them, and were all
night quarreling, fighting and numbering each
other. Numbers were thrown overheard, alive
or dead. Some were stabbed, others were
strangled and not one of the ships crew dared
interfere The writer himself saw three MUIR
dered men pitched overheard during the night.
When morning came dozens Of dead bodies were
thrown overheard. some OF them having been
smothered, squeezed to death, or having died
from want of water. party of the Black Flags
seized the water on board and guarded it, re-
fusing any to the crew. A fearful crush fol-
lowed on the other Black Flags trying to get at
the water. The heat was fearful, and many
died from thirst The Black Flags destroyed all
the food threw the rice overheard with the
cooking apparatus, and threatened to kill the
cooks. They eventually began to drink sea-
water The sailors, who were fearfully parched,
crawled down to the engine room and got con-
densed water and drank it, though it was quite
hot Things became still more serious, and the
Black Flags threatened to kill the crew, drawing
knives across their own throats to convey to the
sailors their meaning. They succeeded in get
ting hold of the captain by the beard and held
knife to his throat Eventually the vessel was
put back to Annoy, where British warship was
anchored. The commander of the latter pre-
pared to sweep the vessels deck with his Cat
lngs. and eventually boarded her. The mu.
black flags hosted on spears. The Chinese gun
boats subsequently arrived and took off the
Black Flags, those refusing to leave being
thrown overheard, and left to get to land as they
could. Six OF the mutineers were at once be-
headed and one hundred bastinadoed. Five
dead mutineers were afterward found in the low
or hold, having been crushed to death.