Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-04-04
THE MUTINY

Captain 5. Samuels, the commander
of the yacht Dauntless, which made
the race across the Atlantic against
the Coronet some time ago, is the hero
of the subjugation of the celebrated
mutiny on the ship Dreadnaught,
from Liverpool to New York, in 1859,
and no page of fiction is more inter-
esting than the history of his voyage.
Despite the protests of his friends,
and in face of the open declaration
that a plot had been conceived by
them against his life, and that they
would murder him before he reached
New York, Capt. Samuels shipped a
full crew of the Bloody Forties
just thirteen of them. The "Bloodies"
could not be subdued by moral sua-
sion. They were cut-throats, and
worse. Their fashion was to capture
a ship and run it themselves-to give
the skipper a swim, or close the lid of
Davy Jones locker down upon him.
Capt. Samuels determined to bring
these desperate fellows to time at
once. The ship was anchored in the
river, ready for sea, when the captain,
addressing his crew, said: "Men,
you know the rules of the ship. Pass
by the carpenter shop and have the
ends of your knives broken"
"What for?" the men asked.
"You heard the order. Obey it."
They obeyed, slowly and grumbl-
ingly.
When the points of the knives we're
broken, the captain called them aft
and addressed them. He told them
he knew their plot to kill him, and
directed his words with particular
vigor to Finnigan and Casey, ring
leaders, who had sailed with him be.
fore. and Jim Sweeney, who had
taught him to box in the Mobile Jail,
nearly twenty years previous. The
men then, under orders, stood up and
we're searched for hidden weapons.
"Now," said Capt. Samuels, "ac-
cording to your behavior. you shall
have watch and watch, and an Occa-
sional glass Of grog. AS see some
of you are shivering for want of it,
you shall have one now"
Next morning, July II, 1859, at 4
o'clock, the ship stood close to St. Da.
vid's Head. The crew responded
slowly to orders, and the man at the
wheel made no reply. The order was
"steer steady" The man said, inso-
lently, he was steering steady. The
Captain jumped toward him. The
man attempted to draw his knife
The Captain knocked him down, and
the Captains dog, Wallace, planted
his paws on the fellows breast. He
was handcuffed and locked up in the
after house. The second mate took
the wheel. Orders were given to
"turn to and haul taut the weather
mainbrace." The crew came aft Ia
the quarter deck
"Why don't you obey the order p
the Captain asked.
eve want Mike let out of irons,
they replied.
Capt. Samuels' answer was that he
was master of the ship; for the re-
mainder of the voyage he would STOP
their watch and watch, and treat then
MS they deserved.
again / repeat" he commanded
"haul taut the weather mainbrace
The refusal to obey an order places
you IN mutlny.
Not man moved. 1t was very ex
citing. The emigrants huddled aft al
far as the mainmast to witness wba
would happen. The Captain turned
to go into the cabin, and the crew raj
forward. They had knives all re
pointed, but when the Captain emery
ed from the cabin, he had weapon
concealed under his raglan. The EN-
igrants we're ordered below. The Cap
tain went forward, followed by hi
faithful dog, but unaccompanied b
his officers. At the galley door, 81.
feet from the end of the house, tn
crew rushed at him, yelling like de
: mons, with their knives. Women an,
children we're screaming below, an
the noise and tumult were terrible
.. With a pistol in each hand the Cap
.. tain brought them to n stand. II
! tried to talk to them; they would nc
" listen. With another yell they al
tempted to rush upon him.
! THE first man who advances an
other STEP" said the Captain, "dies."
Backing through the passage-way
he walked aft. The passengers er
treated him to turn into Queenstown
bearing eight miles to the north. II