AN EVENTFUL VOYAGE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 320, 28 November 1888, Page 3

AN EVENTFUL VOYAGE.

From a San Francisco paper of a recent date, we extiact the following : — The Child - wall, British barque, Captain Watson, from Bombay, at this poro October 14th, had a most eventful voyage, of which tho following is a brief synopsis : Bailed from Butfco Dock, Cardiff, March 29th, 1887, for Calcutta, and September ]3th left the latter port tor the Mauritius, on which voyage the crew was troublosome and inclined to bo mutinous. Arriving at Mauuliu& a number of the men deserted. From Mauiitius to Bombay more trouble was experienced. On March 3rd the vessel sailed lor this port, frhe places of the deserters having been tilled, and from that time on the captain had his ha.nds lull. Mai eh sth three ablo-bodied stowaways were found, and on the 24th the British ship JVlatterhorn being sighted, tho chief oflicev was bent to hereto arrange for ttansferring the stowaways to the Matterhoin, there being insufiicient sloies on the Childwall to support lbe'e\tra men. Captain Williams ot the Mnttorbom \isited the Childwall and consented to take the men. but they lurl again concealed them&elvet,, and when one was discovered in the foiehold, i esi^ted the oiticers sent to bring him on deck and relied them both with a crowbar. Nob until Captain Watson had gone down in petbon and fued two .shots in then direction did tho men surrendei, and then only because the pistols of tho officers covered them. Ad this time the stowaways were encouraged by the ciew ot the Childwall who were liioiibordinate. After shipping the stowaways and leaving the lYlattcrhom, one of the crew was put in iionh for bad conduct and the crew mutinied. April 19th the ship touched on Banka Island but was not damaged. The cisw, however, demanded the ship be headed for Hongkong, and this being denied, the ciew refused duty and the otticeis were compelled to work the ship. Finally she leached Manilla, up to which time the sailors had enjoyed things pretty much their own way ioiwaid, had killed and oaten the live stack, stole the stoics and onjo>ed themselves at caids. etc. On the 4th and sth of June a naval court investigated the circumstances of stranding ani the charges of iusuboidination against the crew, and counter charges of cruelty against the captain. The veidict exonerated the captain from blamo as to the stranding of the ship, the cruelty charges were dismissed as unfounded, and tho crew was ordered to Efongkong as prisoners there to be tned for insubordination. At Hongkong the prisonoi3 weie tried, convicted duly sentenced. A new crew was shipped and the vessel left Manilla, August 9th. While beating out of the harbour the ship book the giound bub floated off uninjured. Six of the crew met with accidents during the balance of the voyage which disabled them. On August 20th, oiFSumatra, a typhoon was encountered and the ship Jay to on the port tack for thiity hour.". The topsail wa& blown away and subsequently mobfc of the sails that were furled were blown to pieces and a heavy sea was shipped which drowned the live stock. A heavy shock of earthquake was also experienced which for a lime caused those on ho.nd to believe the ship had struck a rock. Oft" the coa&t of Japan another typhoon A\as encountered, during which monv of the sails wore injured. A iolent gale was encountered off the Hawaiian' lslands which blew the topsail out of fh'e bolt ropes. The Childwall also broached to on the poit tack and was swept by heavy seas which carried away the boats? on the forward house and stove in boats on the skids aft. The lower staysails wore also carried away, cabin and deck houses stove in and decks swept. Five 1 iron bulwark stanchions were broken, and the jib cai i ied away. When the Childwall reacht d tins port ail her boats were gone, six of the crew were laid npj an entire suit of sails has been destroyed and spare sails were so reduced by lo&s that she had no sails on the foreman abovo the lower topsail.