MUTINY AT SEA.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9019, 5 December 1907, Page 4

MUTINY AT SEA.

exciting Voyage,

A mutiny which occurred on hoard the British barque Austrasia, on a voyage from Barry to Brazil, was investigated at Liverpool recently. Three black seamen, Jack Smith, Harry Williams, and James Thomas, were first charged with wilfully disobeying the captain. Charles Bew, the second mate, said, on August 12th, as the vessel was Hearing the had latitudes on her voyage to Rio de Janeiro, the captain called all hauds and ordered them to bend the heavy sails. The watch below, including the three prisoners, refused, saying they did not think it necessary. The stipendiary said ..this was certainly an act of mutiny, and the three man must go to prison for 28 davs. The next case taken was a charge against the boatswain, Michael McCarthy, of firing a revolver on board to' the common danger. Evidence was given that the bo:'t-wain got liquor from a boat which came alongside at Rio de Janeiro. He became very drunk and fired four or five shots in the forecastle, but fortunately overvbody escaped the bullets. < The Magistrate said the boatswain must go to gaol for three mouths. The most serious of the charges was agniust William John Taylor, the master of the Austrasia, aged ilfl, for shooting Charles Bew, the second officer, on August J4th. Dr. Price, medical officer at Walton gaol, said In had had the prisoner under observation for a week, and he was now perfectly sane and competent to plead. Bow said he had known the. capt lin for six "vears, * aud they had always beeu ' tho best of friends. "Wo"left Barry," he continued, "on Jane ,29th, and a crow of 30 hands, including nine coloured men. We had fine weather up to August 13th. The eaptaiu then gave the order to iwnd the heavy sails. A number of tho men who wore on watch holow vn fused to work. Previous to that the captain had been strange in his manner, as if there was something wrong in his mind, and after the bother with tho crew lie beoamo a little more excitable. On August Mth. when we wove four days cast of Brazil, the. wind goi up, aud uoarlv all the sails were blown a war" ' The eaptaiu became still more excited after that. The men had been working all that afternoon, and at about 7 o'clock in tho evening I went to the captain to ask him if the men could have their tea. He was then lying down oa the forward house, and had a small revolver in his baud. He pointed it at me twice without either of us speaking. I pushed it away each time. I asked him if the. men could have their teaStill handling the revolver, he replied sharply to me', ' I am running this show.' " 'All right,' I said. 'I 'll go away.' As I was going away from him he fired at mo, and I was shot- in the left thigh. I was assisted by the men to my hunk, and remained thero till September 10th. My leg is not quite healed yet." Answering further questions, the second mate said he did not know whether the captain was addicted to opium laudanum drinking. The medicine chest was kept in tho saloon under the charge of tho captain, aud if ho wanted laudanum he could get it from the chest. Ho had never seen the captain drunk. Further details of this exciting vovage were given by Mr Duder. who prosecuted. Afer Bow had been shot ho was taken to his bunk, and remained there some time. In the meantime the first mate had received injuries to his back, and was incapacitated. During the night of August 14th the captain locked himself in his cabin, and at half-past 7 in tho morning the crew secured him au.l put Jiim in irons. In this condition, with tho captain in irons, the two mates incapacitated, and the sails blown to ribbons, tho snip was worked to Rio do Janeiro. Here the nolico took charge of the crew, and the Consul ordered au inquiry, as tho result of which the captain andtho other four men charged were sent in custody to Liverpool. The captain was committed to the assizes, bail being refused. THAT ACHING BACK. Do noi neglect the warn ng message jf tin back thab aches. Backaohe is a sign that your kidneys are weak, and not able to properly cnr,y out their woi k of iiltering the blo-.d. Then look after your kidneys st the fi-st sign of back jebe. for if neglectsd s rious trouble will follow: rheumatic pains, urina-y titrable, ncu algia, gravel, stone, diabetes, Bright's Disease. Take Doan's B*ckicho Kidney Pilla in time and the mo is s ; mplo. Mi s Amy Wood, of Pipirik;, late of Grey street, Marton, says, "Backache had been troubling mo for a lons 'l™°- I fancied thai it rose from the lainey", and decided that I would try Dean's Ba/kiche Kidney Pi'ls. This med'.o'nc rroved excs'leni in my ease, it hia completely euro.l :i.e. I only used one box, nnd I hive had no return of the trouble, and I ht.ve not used any of the pills for Pomefcime. Doan's Backache Kidney Pdls are sold by aslchemkts and irtorekeepej.'ii at 3s per box (s x boxe ■ 16s 63), or will be posted on receipt of nrce by Foiter-MeClellan Co., 76 Pitt Street, Sydney But, ba sureyou get DOAN'S.