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Historical Records of New Zealand South

Mutiny On The High Seas

Mutiny On The High Seas.

A schooner named Industry also made its appearance about this time, which became associated with one of the maritime tragedies peculiar to this period. The particulars given are as follows:—

The schooner Industry, which arrived from New Zealand on Monday evening, has returned under distressing circumstances, involving the loss of the master (Captain Bragg), with all the cargo untouched, as she left Launceston. On her arrival at Hokianga on November 30, she was boarded by Captain Young, of that place, who learned from the mate that Captain Bragg had fallen overboard, about 350 miles from land, and he requested Captain Young to take charge of the vessel and pilot her up the river. The ebb tide, however, compelling him to anchor not far from the heads, the mate took an opportunity of stating to him that the crew, consisting of four athletic young men, had mutinied, and thrown their unfortunate master overboard. To avoid exciting the sailors' suspicion of the communication thus made, Captain Young and the mate very prudently abstained from any further private conversation on the subject. The former, as pilot, remained on board all night, and succeeded in bringing the schooner up the river with the first flood tide, and anchored within a few yards of Mr M'Dowell's, R.N., the British Resident at Hokianga, under his own battery of eleven guns. That officer, with the usual promptitude of a British naval officer, took immediate steps for the apprehension of the mutineers, and, with the aid of his own, European establishment, and a few friends who happened to be in the house at the time, he secured the four men. He lost no time in taking the depositions of all who could give any information on the subject—the mate and boy, as well as the four immediately implicated in "the murder, the particulars of which we forbear to touch upon, as the men were fully committed at the Police Office on Tuesday for trial before the Supreme Court, which, it is understood, comes on to-day. Being secured, it was necessary to keep a guard over them, a duty which, though heavy, the respectable settlers of the river came forward cheerfully to perform. The assistance of Captain Crow, of the "Brazile Packet," was particularly serviceable, and deserving, with that of all the page 72others, of much commendation. Mr M'Dowell, having consulted with Mr Oakes and the other intelligent settlers, resolved on sending the schooner direct to Hobart, with the offenders in order that the ends of justice might be as easily attained as possible. To make the voyage safe, a guard of New Zealanders was engaged, under the control of Mr Oakes, aided by Mr Cooper (who navigated the vessel) and Mr Harper. Notwithstanding this precaution, however, while yet at sea, three of the offenders being on deck though in irons as usual, seized a moment when only two of the crew were beside to acquire a second time the command of the vessel. One of the two made his escape from their attempt by running up the rigging, while the other jumped into the cabin, from which Mr Oakes, with much presence of mind, immediately rushed with a loaded firelock, followed by the others, when the three (the fourth refusing to join in the attempt) were still more securely confined by attaching their chains to the iron cable. At the time the Industry arrived, Mr M'Dowell had just set out on an arduous excursion to survey the entrance of the Kaipara River, of which the navigation has as yet remained uncertain and unknown. His schooner had actually sailed for that place, and his attendants and many of the principail chiefs of New Zealand were at the spot awaiting his arrival, but his duty a.s British Resident made him at once abandon his enterprise until he had seen justice done, as far as the local circumstances would permit, and the Industry fairly despatched. During the stay of that vessel, with her prisoners, at his residence, the place resembled a well-conducted garrison, the expenses of which, though considerable, fall on himself. For, though filling so important a station, he receives neither salary nor emolument of any kind. From the growing population of the place, and the many indifferent characters around it, his duties, however, are daily becoming more and more arduous especially in adjusting the daily and numerous disputes that are referred to his decision.—Hobart Town Courier, January 8, 1836.