MUTINY AND LOSS OF LIFE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 760, 13 November 1852, Page 4

MUTINY AND LOSS OF LIFE.

The ship Georgiana, Captain Robert Murray, was the scene of an alarming and tragical nature, yesterday afternoon. The vessel left Glasgow on the 13th of July, and sailed direct for this port, where she was moored at Point Henry, by Mr. Friend, (be harbour master, on Saturday last. She brings out 372 immigrants from the Isle of Skye, and s uch had been the excellent accommodation and good treatment shown to all on board by both the captain and surgeon, that nothing occurred to interrupt the happiness of the voyage. On Sunday morning, so little reason had Captain Murray to an^ripate anything like a disturbance on board, that be 4ook his gig, visited the Brilliant, lying alongside, and breakfasted with the master of that vessel. Between 12 and 1 o'clock at noon, after be bad returned on board Georgiana, about 16 or 18 of the crew, including the warrant officers, came aft and informed the captain that it was their intention to go ashore and proceed to the golJ diggings. Captain Murray told them in reply that be would not give his consent to their project, until they had taken tbe vessel on to Sydney, when on their return to Geelong, he would be enabled to give them two months' leave of absence. The boatswain, sailmaker, and cook, who headed the mutineers, replied " that they wished to go to the gold diggings at once, for perhaps when they returned from Sydney the best of the gold diggings would be over." Captain Murray again repeated bis determination not to consent to their -unreasonable request, when they threatened to jig ont the life-boat and proceed ashore at once, without further parley. The life-boat had been filled with a considerable quantity of lumber, .placed in her to prevent any surprise in hoisting her overboard. This lumber they set to and placed upon tbe deck. Captain Murray then went forward to bis passengers, and asked them if be could depend upon their support at this critical juncture. To this natural appeal, the only answer he could obtain from the emigrants was, " that they had done all they could for the good of tbe ship, and should decline farther interfer--ing;" their epokesmsn, a Highlander, who delivered this very laconic answer, thrusting his hands into his pockets at the same time, and turning round upon his heel, went away. Fortunately for Captain Murray, and for the credit of the British marine, the chief officers of the vessel were stedfast to their duty, and the Captain seeing that be had to rely upon his own determination, and the support of his first, second, and third mates, and also of the surgeon-super-intendent, armed himself, and in a loud voice warned the misguided men " that the first man he saw In the act of hooking on a tackle to the life-boat he would shoot." He, at tbe same time, approached to where the mutineers were busily engaged in unhooking the life-boat to put to sea. True to bis word — tbe cook, one of the ringleaders of the gang, was in the act of hoisting the boat over the sides of the ship, when the Captain fired, and the cook fell down dead, tbe ball having passed through his bead. The Captain then took aim at another of the insurgents, and fired, but missed him. Upon seeing this, the stilmnker stepped up to the Captain, and discharged a pistol, the ball of which grazed bis head, when the villain drew another, and placing it to the left ear of the master, was in the act of pulling the trigger, when a blow from the surgeon knocked it out of his baud. The boatswain, a seaman named M'Dougall, and the sailmaker, then lashed the Captain to the wheel, extending both his arms and legs out as far possible with, ropes, M'Dougall gave him several j kicks "over the head and face, and left him for | dead. Whilst this was going on on deck, another body of tbe mutineers bad driven the doctor, the first, second, and third mate below, and fastened down the hatches. They then put ashore in the life-boat, and made their escape towards the Bellerino Hills. The police were on 4be alert, immediately that news reached town of this daring occurrence, and from the circumstances of the boat of the Georgiana being taken away from the beach, and placed alongside tbe ship by Captain Murray of the Brilliant, no chance of escape remains for the men by tbe sea. Up to.eight 6 .clock yesterday evening, no tidings were received of their capture ; but from tbe effect of their, being edged in by the Barwon, there is little donbt they will eventually be seized. We are happy to say that Captain Murray, ex- ' cepting some severe bruises, is quite well, having thought proper to feign himself exhausted, when, after being ill-treated, he saw himself surrounded by half-a-dozen cut-throats. It is strongly suspected from the fact of all the crew being armed with short guns, and also long knives, which they brandished about, that the act had been long-premeditated. — Geelong Advertiser, October 18.