MUTINY IN A COOCIE SHIP.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 105, 12 February 1870, Page 4

MUTINY IN A COOCIE SHIP.

The " St. Helena Guardian " relates a sad stoiy, perhaps the saddest th&t has ever been recorded in connection with the traffic in human flesh. The French barque Tamaris, Captain Rannie, left Macao on the 6th February, 1869, with 300 emigrants, a Chinese doctor, and a Portuguese interpreter, besides eighteen in crew. According to the account of those of the seamen who are still on board the Tamaris, everything passed on pleasantly until within about 270 miles of the Isle of JavaA revolt broke out among the free emigrants, who seemed to have got the best of it, the. crew taking to the bo.ats, deserting the ship, and leaving their unfortunate captain, who either did not wish or was not able to abandon his ship, a ready prey to these enraged semi-savages. What happened to this unfortunate captain, we cannot learn for certain ; according to the interpreter on board the Tamaris, he was cut up and thrown overboard. Thirty days these savages remained in possession of the ship, when they were captured by a Dutch man-x>f-war, which had been sent iv pursuit. The Dutch found a Chinese installed in the late captain's quarters, but could not discover the slightest trace of M. Rannie. They, placed him and the other leaders of the revolt into irons, and took the ship to Padang. At Padang the remains of the former crew, who had landed: in Java, here rejoined their ship. A new captain and chief officer were appointed, and the ship started in pursuit of her destination on the 15 th June. By this date the number of cpoliea had been reduced, by arm; and disease, to 245. Out of this number scores jumped overboard and committed suicide, when they found that they were to proceed cji their voyage. Scores of others hap. died' of what a coolie ship captain phlegmatically would call, the effect^ of opium. There now remain, on beard the Tamaris seventy-five emigrants alive. Much as we must abhor the murder and wholesale loss of lives oi board this ship, we would almost hail the occurrence as a blessing to humanity, were those who are now engaged in- this horrid trade to take a lesson from this story and abandon it |for ever. If the charterers of this ship are not inclined to profit by the fmoral lesson of the story of its voyage, they will most probably have to feamjby the pecuniary one it teaches them. '