MUTINY AT BAKER'S ISLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 206, 31 August 1871, Page 4

MUTINY AT BAKER'S ISLAND.

The barque Robert , loaded with guano from Baker's Island for Cork, which put into this port for repairs on Sunday, brings us tidings of a mutiny amongst the Kanaka laborers employed in loading vessels. This occurrence took place on the Ist July, when the Robert was lying off the Island.- On that day the Kanakas came off with a lighter load of guano, and after shoving a few bags on the stage, said that as it was 6 o'clock, they would work no longer, and immediately jumped overboard and swam ashore — a distance of 500 yards. It appears that Baker's Island is in charge of a Capt. Snow, who has with him four Europeans. The number of Kanaka laborers is ninety, and some eight Chinamen act as cooks. On the morning, after the strike described above, the manager's assistant came on board, and stated that the Island was in a state of mutiny, and requested that in a case of need, assistance might be sent ashore. Captain Lanfare went ashore at once, and saw ' the condition of affairs, and the same day a German barque arrived, on board of which were some firearms. These, consisting of 7 muskets, 9 pistols,2 revolvers, as well as 7 sabres, were purchased, by Capt. Snow and taken ashore. No work was done that day by the Kanakas, and they began to make preparations for resistance. At sundown the crews of the vessels passed the Kanakas houses to go on board, when a drum was beaten and shots fired at them, but no further attempt was made to molest them and they regained their boats. Groing on board, a call was made for volunteers to protect the, Europeans, and the entire crews came forward. Two officers and three men from each vessel went ashore and remained all night. On the third day the party went armed to the Kanaka barracks,and Capt. Siiow ordered ten of the ringleaders to go up to his house. They refused to obey, whereupon two were seized and secured. The gang oe the wharf then knocked off work and started for the houses, and in the meantime the mutineers hoisted a flag calling in the field hands. A threat of being fired at, however, drove them back. Ten of the ringleaders were then put in irons, and finally 53 of the most turbulent were secured in irons and made fast to a chain, and kept in the same position until the next day. Search was made for arms, and 2 muskets, 12 pistols, two of which were revolvers, 8 sabres, 3 boarding pikes, 2 whale lances, 2 harpoons, a pair of graips, 150 rounds of ball cartridge, lOlbs of powder, and a quantity of s'ugs, sheath knives, &c, were collected and taken to the Superintendent's house. There was also, discovered a document written in Kanaka containing a sketch of their plan, which was to kill the Europeans, take the boats and leave the Island. On the 4th day the hands agreed to turn to again, and were let out under a promise that they would give no more " trouble. A prison was constructed, into which 12 of them were put with a view to their being forwarded to Honolulu for trial by a schooner expected on . the 20th , July. These Kankas are engaged in Honolulu for a term of two years, at 10 dollars a month. After all was over, some of these fellows told the crew, of the Robert that if no more vessels came in, they intended to. carry out their murderous designs, and it was feared that they might do so, as they probably had a further supply of arms buried in the ground. As usual in such cases it was discovered that those upon whom Captain Snow placed the most reliance were amongst the worst of the traitors. ■