IN DANGER READY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2346, 23 July 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

IN DANGER READY.

We extract the following interesting anecdote, showing how a mutiny on board a man-of-war was quelled by the pluck and promptitude of one determined man, from an interesting paper—one of a series entitled “ Mnsings Without Method,” published in Blackwood's Magazine, the contents of which we may observe ably sustain the long-earned and well-deserved reputation of that admirable periodical: In the early years of the present century H.M.S. Ferret, an IS-gun sloop, was cruising in the Gulf of Mexico, her commander being the Honourable George Cadogan, afterwards Earl Cadogan and an admiral. The commander was certainly what is called in the service a taut hand. Probably there may have been some bad spirits among the crew. About the circumstances which immediately preceded the acts which I am about to describe I can give no information, except that by some means or other the crew were in a most disaffected state. It was nik'ht. The weather was very warm. Cadogan, in his drawers and shirt, lay a-leep on his cot. The skylight had been taken off to give air to the cabin (a most important item in the account, as will bo seen). Oil a sudden an old quartermaster, who fortunately was faithful, 'called down in a hoarse stage, whisper from the deck, “Sir, ship’s company !” Cadogan, who slept with one eye open, as the saying is, understood the warning, and had his wits about him in an instant. Having seized and drawn his sabre, which lay near him, he sprang no through the skylight on to the deck. Arrived there, he saw—it was a tropical night and not very dark—a tall mulatto with a naked cutlass on his shoulder standing over the companion ladder or stair, by which, on ordinary occasions, it was the wont of the commander to ascend from his cabin to the deck. Him without an instant’s hesitation Cadogan felled with a stroke of his sabre, saying, as he did so, “You infernal scoundrel, what are you doing here?” “I stood here,” answered the man, doggedly, “to cut you down as you came up the ladder.” 1 ‘ Damn you ! you’re a brave man at any rate, and I'll save your life if I can,” answered Cadogan, who instantly called to the sentries to turn up the marines and the officers. All this passed more rapidly than is had been narrated. The commander then passed forward and encountered the body of his ship’s company, who with mutinous intent were moving aft from the forecastle. “ Damn you, ye rascals! what does this mean ?” or very similar words formed his salutation to them. They may not have immediately recognised his persoa, clad as ho was in his night clothes, but there was no mistaking bis voice. His undaunted appearance staggered them for a moment, and that moment’s hesitation saved the ship. Things had not gone quite according to programme, and the malcontents were not prepared to act, although their power was really irresistable now, just as much as if all had fallen out as they intended. While they paused for an instant, disconcerted, Cadogan, never losing himself, ordered the marines to load with ball. The officers were tumbling up now, and the chance of the mutineers was getting every second worse. “Up into the rigging every man of ye !” shouted the commander ; “1 11 shoot any seaman who is seen on deck five minutes hence. Up with you, I say !” The crew was beaten. One or two began to mount the ladders, and presently the whole were aloft. They were informed that any man who came down would do so to his death. Ami with things in this state the sloop made her way to Jamaica, and came in anchor in Fort Royal Harbour.

The question will probably occur to my reader—“ How could the ship ho navigated with all the crew in the rigging '{' The answer is, that they were in the trade winds, which blow steadily and give little trouble in the way of adjusting canvas; also, that it is presumed there were some few men like the quartermaster who gave the alarm, who could be trusted on the deck. The seamen’s food was probably sent up by boys and cooks during the two or three days that their voyage to Jamaica lasted. How it was that the officer of the watch was unable to give some alarm at the beginning, I know not. Most likely he was stealthily set upon and gagged. An admiral’s flag was flying at Port Royal; so, when the Ferret came in and her condition was reported, there was no difficulty in assembling a court-martial capable of dealing with capital offences. Eleven mutineers were there hanged at the yard-arm. I know not whether Oadogan saved the mulatto, hut he probably did, for he was a wilful mqn, and had powerful interest. After the executions. the commander went to sea again with the same crew!