MUTINY BY CHINAMEN.

Evening Star, Issue 3475, 13 April 1874, Page 3

MUTINY BY CHINAMEN.

What threatened to be a rather serious affair occurred during the voyage of the Tohatea, which arrived in port to-day from Hong Kong. It appears that ten of the passengers (Chinese) were stowed away in baskets at Hong Kong, and put on board as cargo. The Chinamen on the 17th March became turbulent, and being of opinion that there was opium on board the vessel, they asked the crew to open the hatches and give them access to it. One of the crew went aft and told the captain what was going on, and it was not till he procured a rifle and threatened to shoot them that quietens restored. The next day one of the Chinese who could speak English came aft, and said that if they did not get opium they would kill the crew

and burn the ship; but the captain took such steps as to prevent any outrage being committed. On the 2nd April, while the second mate was serving out the rations, the Chinese closed the hatches and battened him down. No one knew of the occurrence until a Chinaman happened to te 1 one of the sailors, who, coming aft, informed the captain. He, with the aid of the crew, rescued the mate just in time to save his life, he being nearly suffocated. Upon another occasion the Chinese had a row among themselves. They brought one of their people on deck to hang him, but, the captain interfering, they went below, and in a short time had the unfortunate man hung in the main hatch. The mate, noticing it, ran down and cut the rope; but the Chinese brought him on deck again in the evening, tied all his luggage on his back, and were about to throw the victim overboard, when the crew interposed and saved him. He is now suffering from the treatment he received. W hat with the adverse weather and the violence of the Chinamen, the passage of the Tokatea must have been anything but a pleasant one. ■