The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-03-19
STORY OF the S0-GALLED
MUTiMEERS.

EDITOR BuLLETIN:-We having
read your article published the
other day in reference to the So
called mutiny, and feeling not only
grateful to you for its tone, but also
thinking that you might for human
ity's sake, be willing to give pub
lcity to our story, if prepared for
you, and feeling that that story if
published might tend to proper
examination of our case, we-have
prepared the following brief state
ment. BY publishing the same you
will earn our united gratitude. This
is the only course left open to us, 9th
erwise, we would never have attempt
ed to trouble you. Promising, we
would say that we have been before
the U. S. Consul, and after making
hasty and imperfect statement,
owing to his apparent Indifference
to our story, we were lodged in the
Station House and are there still.
The Portuguese Commissioner has
here visited such of us as are Portu
guese (about four of our number. }
There are others here of four diffe-
rent nationalities, namely: Ameri-
cans, British, Germans and Dutch,
who have had no means of commu-
nicating with their respective con-
suls or commissioners. Our treat
ment by the authorities has been
most kind and courteous, and in
singular contrast with our treatment
on our own voyage hither.
We are called mutineers. But if
the facts of the case, fairly stated,
make us so, then we suppose the
same reasoning will make our cap
tain saint and our ship paradise.
Here it is:-
We left New Bedford July 20,
1887, for ID months whaling
cruise to the Arctic, and arrived
here March 18th. We had not been
out 20 days, when the offensive and
impure character of the food sup
piled to us made it necessary to
complain to the captain. We made
no demand or threats; and one OF
us was knocked down in bruta
manner, while asking to see the
ships articles; and we were also
threatened with future illtreatment
for the offense we had committed
This threat has proved to be no idle
one, for off Cape Horn, the vessel
as we believe, was purposely delay
ed, the vessel with quite ordinary
weather taking two months to rount
the Cape, and going far enough
South Gas the Captain himself said
TO see ice. The course was not al
tered until the mate emphatically
declared it must be changed, fo
neither le nor the men could stant
the cold. Moreover, the men were
deprived of stove, put on board
especially for use by them. Certain
of us were refused the privilege OF
buying extra clothing from the slop
chest.
The captain was almost inces
cessantly warming his own interio
with grog, supposed to have beer
put aboard for the use of the men
while they had neither grog, fire
nor sufficient clothing to keep then
warm. The effect of his drinllin,
what was supposed TO have beer
aboard for the use of 80 men can b
imagined. He was almost Away
in state unfit to command YES
sci, and as a consequence, one poo
fellow lost his life overheard. Thi
was by a senseless command, L
furl and unfurl sail two or tire
times over in gale of wind.
Our only meat was salt-junk durin
the whole voyage with the eXceptio
Of three or four meals Of fresh mes
OFF the South American Coast. Afte
one month, our potatoes gave out
Besides this, we had bread made {
horrible flour, filled with debris {
various kinds. 1t was simply Xix
the salt junk, UNBEATABLE. The me;
was old and sinking, probably ha
been on several previous voyages
We had dried beans once ever
seven days until about six weeks b.
fore arrival. Had no other veg,
tables OF any kind.
We had scurYey in November an