The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1869-02-05 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MURDER OF A SHIP'S CREW.  Captain Janes Hamilton, of the whaling barque Sea Breeze, gives the following account of an appalling tragedy committed on board a barque named the Cayalti, sailing under the American flag, the particulors having been obtained from the only survivor of the !esteemed vessel. Oa the 30th day of June, 1868, whilst cruising in N.B. Gall (says Captain Hamilton), I had two boats along shore looking for whales. They landed on Crag Island, where they found a stranger, with a Chinese coolie, his servant, and a few natives who were collecting the egos of ducks, which abound there. After hearing a pact of their story the first officer braLtht teem on board, as they were in a very destitute and almost starving condition. On their arrival, and in answer to my inquiry of who he was and how he came on that island, the stranger narrated to me the following tragic tale of piracy and murder, with the incidents attending the ertraordieary cruise ef the vessel, which he left on the 22ud of May. The name of the stranger was J. C. Codina, a native of Bar. celona. The Cayalti sailed from Callao on the 16th day of January, 1868, bound for Pacnsmayo ton my chart, San Pedro), a port some 315 miles to the northward, with a crew of ten men, including captain and officers, also himself as passenger and supercargo, and his coolie boy as steward. There were about 20,000 dollars in specie, and a general cargo on board, together with 40 Chinese coolies, most of whom belonged to a large and wealthy plantation called the Cayalti, after which the vessel was named. The coolies had been transferred to the Cayalti from the Italian ship Providencia, which had brottght them from China without 1 haring landed them, as is very commonly done on that coast. On the second morning out of port, between four and five o'clock, being about daylight, the steward having just tamed out to prepare breakfast, the Chinese rose and massacred all the crew, except Mr. Codina, who saved his life by showing where the spice and opium were kept. They steered W. about 20 days; W.N.W. about 12, N.W. Levet 15, when they lost the trades, and then went any course, according to the winds and drift of the vessel. There were only six men who knew anything about steering, and whenever they got tired of sitting at the wheel, or got cold, let go and went below, letting the vessel drift about, enjoyirg themselves drinking the wines and smoking opium, apparently not caring whether school kept or not.' When about 75 days out they triads lend (which I suppose must have been the Kurile Island,i) covered with snow, and were drifting about with them in sight fix five or six days, at times close to them, and eventually arrived in the Ochotsk Sea, where they got into the ice and remained three days. When about one hundred and eighteen days out they found themselves one morning close in shore, with four fathoms water and ice around. They came to anchor, and remained five days, the natives going on board over the ice, and from them they got some deer. Bending more sails, they got under way, and remained at sea for three deep, coming to anchor again in another place. Here Hr. Codina obtained permission to go on shore with them in the boat, and after he got on shore concluded that his lease of life might be longer by remaining and trusting to the hospitality of the natives than by returning on board, where he held it by a very slight tenure indeed. When the boat returned, be refused to go in it, and his coolie (or steward) voluntarily remained with him. The barque got ueder weigh shortly afterwards, with fresh sails beet, and bad not since been heard of." Captain Hamilton thinks the Cayalti could not have sailed and drifted less than 10,000 miles.