Smith, the other boat-steerer, who had been marked as one of the
victims, on hearing the noise in the cabin, went aft, apprehending an
altercation between the Captain and some of the other officers, little
dreaming that innocent blood was flowing in torrents. But what was his
astonishment, when he beheld Comstock, brandishing the boarding knife,
and heard him exclaim, "I am the bloody man, and will have revenge!"
Horror struck, he hurried forward, and asked the crew in the
forecastle, what he should do. Some urged him to secrete himself in
the hold, others to go aloft until Comstock's rage should be abated;
but alas! the reflection that the ship afforded no secure hiding
place, determined him to confront the ringleader, and if he could not
save his life by fair means, to sell it dearly! He was soon called
for by Comstock, who upon meeting him, threw his bloody arms around
his neck, and embracing him, said, "you are going to be with us, are
you not?" The reader will discover the good policy of Smith when he
unhesitatingly answered, "Oh, yes, I will do any thing you require."
All hands were now called to make sail, and a light at the same time
was set as a signal for the Lyra to tack;--while the Globe was kept
upon the same tack, which very soon caused a separation of the two
ships. All the reefs were turned out, top-gallant-sails set, and all
sail made on the ship, the wind being quite light.
The mutineers then threw the body of the Captain overboard, after
wantonly piercing his bowels with a boarding knife, which was _driven
with an axe_, until the point protruded from his throat!! In Mr.
Beetle, the mate, the lamp of life had not entirely gone out, but he
was committed to the deep.
Orders were next given to have the bodies of Mr. Fisher, and Mr.
Lumbert brought up. A rope was fastened to Fisher's neck, by which he
was hauled upon deck. A rope was made fast to Mr. Lumbert's feet, and
in this way was he got upon deck, but when in the act of being thrown
from the ship, he caught the plank-shear; and appealed to Comstock,
reminding him of his promise to save him, but in vain; for the monster
forced him from his hold, and he fell into the sea! As he appeared to
be yet capable of swimming, a boat was ordered to be lowered, to
pursue and finish him, fearing he might be picked up by the Lyra;
which order was as soon countermanded as given, fearing, no doubt, a
desertion of his murderous companions.
We will now present the reader, with a journal of our passage to the
Mulgrave Islands, for which groupe we shaped our course.
1824, Jan. 26th. At 2 A. M. from being nearly calm a light breeze
sprung up, which increased to a fresh breeze by 4 A. M. This day
cleaned out the cabin, which was a scene of blood and destruction of
which the recollection at this day chills the blood in our
veins.--Every thing bearing marks of the murder, was brought on deck
and washed.
Lat. 5 deg. 50' N. Long. 159 deg. 13' W.
Jan. 27th. These twenty-four hours commenced with moderate breezes
from the eastward. Middle and latter part calm. Employed in cleaning
the small arms which were fifteen in number, and making cartridge
boxes.
Lat. 3 deg. 45' N. Long. 160 deg. 45' W.
Jan. 28. This day experienced fine weather, and light breezes from N.
by W. The black steward was hung for the following crime.
George Comstock who was appointed steward after the mutiny, and
business calling him into the cabin, he saw the former steward, now
called the purser, engaged in loading a pistol. He asked him what he
was doing that for. His reply was, "I have heard something very
strange, and I'm going to be ready for it." This information was
immediately carried to Comstock, who called to Payne, now mate, and
bid him follow him.
On entering the cabin they saw Humphreys, still standing with the
pistol in his hand. On being demanded what he was going to do with it,
he said he had heard something which made him afraid of his life!
Comstock told him if he had heard any thing, that he ought to have
come to him, and let him know, before he began loading pistols. He
then demanded to know, what he had heard. Humphreys answered at first
in a very suspicious and ambiguous manner, but at length said, that
Gilbert Smith, the boat-steerer who was saved, and Peter Kidder, were
going to re-take the ship. This appeared highly improbable, but they
were summoned to attend a council at which Comstock presided, and
asked if they had entertained any such intentions. They positively
denied ever having had conversation upon the subject. All this took
place in the evening. The next morning the parties were summoned, and
a jury of two men called. Humphreys under a guard of six men, armed
with muskets, was arraigned, and Smith and Kidder, seated upon a chest
near him. The prisoner was asked a few questions touching his
intentions, which he answered but low and indistinctly. The trial, if
it may be so called, had progressed thus far, when Comstock made a
speech in the following words. "It appears that William Humphreys _has
been accused guilty_, of a _treacherous and base act_, in loading a
pistol for the purpose of shooting Mr. Payne and myself. Having been
tried the jury will now give in their verdict, whether Guilty or Not
Guilty. If guilty he shall be hanged to a studding-sail boom, rigged
out eight feet upon the fore-yard, but if found not guilty, Smith and
Kidder, shall be hung upon the aforementioned gallows!" But the doom
of Humphreys had been sealed the night before, and kept secret _except
from the jury_, who returned a verdict of Guilty.--Preparations were
immediately made for his execution! His watch was taken from him, and
he was then taken forward and seated upon the rail, with a cap drawn
over his face, and the rope placed round his neck.
Every man was ordered to take hold of the execution rope, to be ready
to run him up when Comstock should give the signal, by ringing the
ship's bell!
He was now asked if he had any thing to say, as he had but fourteen
seconds to live! He began by saying, "little did I think I was born to
come to this------;" the bell struck! and he was immediately swung to
the yard-arm! He died without a struggle; and after he had hung a few
minutes, the rope was cut, to let him fall overboard, but getting
entangled aloft, the body was towed some distance along side, when a
_runner hook_,[A] was attached to it, to sink it, when the rope was
again cut and the body disappeared. His chest was now overhauled, and
sixteen dollars in specie found, which he had taken from the Captain's
trunk. Thus ended the life of one of the mutineers, while the blood of
innocent victims was scarcely washed from his hands, much less the
guilty stain from his soul.
[A] A large hook used when hoisting in the blubber.
Feb. 7th. These twenty-four hours commenced with thick squally
weather. Middle part clear and fine weather.--Hove to at 2 A. M., and
at 6 made sail, and steered W. by S. At 1/2 past 8 made an Island ahead,
one of the Kingsmill groupe. Stood in with the land and received a
number of canoes along side, the natives in them however having
nothing to sell us but a few beads of their own manufacture. We saw
some cocoanut, and other trees upon the shore, and discovered many of
the natives upon the beach, and some dogs. The principal food of these
Islanders is, a kind of bread fruit, which they pound very fine and
mix it with fish.
Feb. 8. Commences squally with fresh breezes from the
northward.--Took a departure from Kingsmill Island; one of the groupe
of that name, in Lat. 1 deg. 27' N. and Long. 175 deg. 14' E. In the morning
passed through the channel between Marshall's and Gilbert's Islands;
luffed to and despatched a boat to Marshall's Island, but did not
land, as the natives appeared hostile, and those who swam off to the
boat, endeavoured to steal from her. When about to leave, a volley of
musketry was discharged at them, which probably killed or wounded some
of them. The boat then gave chase to a canoe, paddled by two of the
natives, which were fired upon when within gunshot, when they
immediately ceased paddling; and on the boat approaching them,
discovered that one of the natives was wounded. In the most
supplicating manner they held up a jacket, manufactured from a kind of
flag, and some beads, being all they possessed, giving their inhuman
pursuers to understand, that all should be theirs if they would spare
their lives! The wounded native laid down in the bottom of the boat,
and from his convulsed frame and trembling lip, no doubt remained but
that the wound was mortal. The boat then returned on board and we made
sail for the Mulgrave Islands. Here was another sacrifice; an innocent
child of nature shot down, merely to gratify the most wanton and
unprovoked cruelty, which could possibly possess the heart of man. The
unpolished savage, a stranger to the more tender sympathies of the
human heart, which are cultivated and enjoyed by civilized nations,
nurtures in his bosom a flame of revenge, which only the blood of
those who have injured him, can damp; and when years have rolled away,
this act of cruelty will be remembered by these Islanders, and made
the pretext to slaughter every white man who may fall into their
hands.
Feb. 11th. Commenced with strong breezes from the Northward. At 1/2 past
meridian made the land bearing E. N. E. four leagues distant. Stood in
and received a number of canoes along side. Sent a boat on shore; and
brought off a number of women, a large quantity of cocoanuts, and some
fish.--Stood off shore most of the night, and
Feb. 12th, in the morning stood in shore again and landed the
women.--We then stood along shore looking out for an anchorage, and
reconnoitering the country, in the hope of finding some spot suitable
for cultivation; but in this we were disappointed, or more properly
speaking, they, the mutineers; for we had no will of our own, while
our bosoms were torn with the most conflicting passions, in which Hope
and Despair alternately gained the ascendency.
Feb. 13th. After having stood off all night, we in the morning stood
in, and after coasting the shores of several small Islands, we came to
one, low and narrow, where it was determined the Ship should be
anchored. When nearly ready to let go, a man was sent into the chains
to sound, who pronounced twelve fathoms; but at the next cast, could
not get bottom. We continued to stand in, until we got regular
sounding, and anchored within five rods of the shore, on a coral rock
bottom, in seven fathoms water. The ship was then moored with a kedge
astern, sails furled, and all hands retired to rest, except an _anchor
watch_.
Feb. 14th, was spent in looking for a landing place. In the morning a
boat was sent to the Eastward, but returned with the information that
no good landing place could be found, the shore being very rocky. At 2
P. M. she was sent in an opposite direction, but returned at night
without having met with better success; when it was determined to land
at the place where we lay; notwithstanding it was very rocky.--Nothing
of consequence was done, until
Sunday, 15th Feb. 1824, when all hands were set to work to construct a
raft out of the spare spars, upon which to convey the provisions, &c.
on shore.
The laws by which we were now governed had been made by Comstock,
soon after the mutiny, and read as follows:
"That if any one saw a sail and did not report it immediately, he
should be put to death! If any one refused to fight a ship he should
be put to death; and the manner of their death, this--They shall be
bound hand and foot and boiled in the _try pots_, of boiling oil!"
Every man was made to seal and sign this instrument, the seals of the
mutineers being _black_, and the remainder, _blue_ and _white_. The
raft or stage being completed, it was anchored, so that one end rested
upon the rocks, the other being kept sea-ward by the anchor. During
the first day many articles were brought from the ship in boats, to
the raft, and from thence conveyed on shore. Another raft, however,
was made, by laying spars upon two boats, and boards again upon them,
which at high water would float well up on the shore. The following,
as near as can be recollected, were the articles landed from the ship;
(and the intention was, when all should have been got on shore, to
haul the ship on shore, or as near it as possible and burn her.) One
mainsail, one foresail, one mizen-topsail, one spanker, one driver,
one maintop gallantsail, two lower studdingsails, two royals, two
topmast-studdingsails, two top-gallant-studdingsails, one
mizen-staysail, two mizen-top-gallantsails, one fly-gib, (thrown
overboard, being a little torn,) three boat's sails (new,) three or
four casks of bread, eight or ten barrels of flour, forty barrels of
beef and pork, three or more 60 gal. casks of molasses, one and a half
barrels of sugar, one barrel dried apples, one cask vinegar, two casks
of rum, one or two barrels domestic coffee, one keg W. I. coffee, one
and a half chests of tea, one barrel of pickles, one do. cranberries,
one box chocolate, one cask of tow-lines, three or more coils of
cordage, one coil rattling, one do. lance warp, ten or fifteen balls
spunyarn, one do. worming, one stream cable, one larboard bower
anchor, all the spare spars, every chest of clothing, most of the
ship's tools, &c. &c. The ship by this time was considerably unrigged.
On the following day, Monday 16th February, Payne the second in the
mutiny, who was on board the ship attending to the discharge of
articles from her, sent word to Comstock, who with Gilbert Smith and a
number of the crew were on shore, attending to the landing of the
raft; "That if he did not act differently with regard to the plunder,
such as making presents to the natives of the officers' fine clothing,
&c. he would do no more, but quit the ship and come on shore."
Comstock had been very liberal to the natives in this way, and his
object was, no doubt, to attach them as much as possible to his
person, as it must have been suggested to his guilty mind, that
however he himself might have become a misanthrope, yet there were
those around him, whose souls shuddered at the idea of being forever
exiled from their country and friends, whose hands were yet unstained
by blood, but who might yet imbrue them, for the purpose of escape
from lonely exile, and cruel tyranny.
When the foregoing message was received from Payne, Comstock commanded
his presence immediately on shore, and interrogated him, as to what he
meant by sending such a message. After considerable altercation, which
took place in the tent, Comstock was heard to say, "I helped to take
the ship, and have navigated her to this place.--I have also done all
I could to get the sails and rigging on shore, and now you may do what
you please with her; but if any man wants any thing of _me_, I'll take
a musket with him!"
"That is what I want," replied Payne, "and am ready!" This was a check
upon the murderer, who had now the offer of becoming a duellist; and
he only answered by saying, "I will go on board once more, and then
you may do as you please."
He then went on board, and after destroying the paper upon which were
recorded the "Laws," returned, went into the tent with Payne, and
putting a sword into a scabbard, exclaimed, "_this_ shall stand by me
as long as I live."
We ought not to omit to mention that during the time he was on board
the ship, he challenged the persons there, to fight him, and as he was
leaving, exclaimed "I am going to leave you; _Look out for
yourselves!_"
After obtaining from Payne permission to carry with him a cutlass, a
knife, and some hooks and lines, he took his departure, and as was
afterwards ascertained, immediately joined a gang of natives, and
endeavoured to excite them to slay Payne and his companions! At dusk
of this day he passed the tent, accompanied by about 50 of the
natives, in a direction of their village, upwards of a league distant.
Payne came on board, and after expressing apprehensions that Comstock
would persuade the natives to kill us all, picked out a number of the
crew to go on shore for the night, and stationed sentinels around the
tent, with orders to shoot any one, who should attempt to approach
without giving the countersign. The night, however, passed, without
any one's appearing; but early on the morning of the
17th Feb.; Comstock was discovered at some distance coming towards the
tent. It had been before proposed to Smith by Payne, to shoot him; but
poor Smith like ourselves, dare do no other than remain upon the side
of neutrality.
Oliver, whom the reader will recollect as one of the wretches
concerned in the mutiny, hurried on shore, and with Payne and others,
made preparations to put him to death. After loading a number of
muskets they stationed themselves in front of the tent, and waited his
approach--a bushy spot of ground intervening, he did not make his
appearance until within a short distance of the tent, which, as soon
as he saw, drew his sword and walked quick towards it, in a menacing
manner; but as soon as he saw a number of the muskets levelled at
him, he waved his hand, and cried out, "don't shoot me, don't shoot
me! I will not hurt you!" At this moment they fired, and he
fell!--Payne fearing he might _pretend_ to be shot, ran to him with an
axe, and nearly severed his head from his body! There were four
muskets fired at him, but only two balls took effect, one entered his
right breast, and passed out near the back bone, the other through his
head.
Thus ended the life, of perhaps as cruel, blood-thirsty, and
vindictive a being as ever bore the form of humanity.
All hands were now called to attend his burial, which was conducted in
the same inconsistent manner which had marked the proceedings of the
actors in this tragedy. While some were engaged in sewing the body in
a piece of canvas, others were employed in digging a grave in the
sand, adjacent to the place of his decease, which, by order of Payne,
was made five feet deep. Every article attached to him, including his
cutlass, was buried with him, except his watch; and the ceremonies
consisted in _reading a chapter from the bible over him, and firing a
musket_!
Only twenty-two days had elapsed after the perpetration of the
massacre on board the ship, when with all his sins upon his head, he
was hurried into eternity!
No duty was done during the remainder of the day, except the selection
by Payne, of six men, to go on board the ship and take charge of her,
under the command of Smith; who had communicated his intentions to a
number of running away with the ship. We think we cannot do better
than to give an account of their escape in the words of Smith himself.
It may be well to remark, that Payne had ordered the two binacle
compasses to be brought on shore, they being the only ones remaining
on board, except a hanging compass suspended in the cabin. Secreting
one of the binacle compasses, he took the hanging compass on shore,
and the exchange was not discovered.
"At 7 P. M. we began to make preparations for our escape with the
ship.--I went below to prepare some weapons for our defence should we
be attacked by Payne, while the others, as silently as possible, were
employed in clearing the running rigging, for every thing was in the
utmost confusion. Having found one musket, three bayonets, and some
whale lances, they were laid handy, to prevent the ship being boarded.
A handsaw well greased was laid upon the windlass to saw off the
cable, and the only remaining hatchet on board, was placed by the
mizen mast, to cut the stern moorings when the ship should have
sufficiently swung off. Taking one man with me, we went upon the
fore-top-sail-yard, loosed the sail and turned out the reefs, while
two others were loosing the main-top-sail and main sail. I will not
insult the reader's good sense, by assuring him, that this was a duty,
upon the success of which seemed to hang our very existence. By this
time the moon was rising, which rendered it dangerous to delay, for
those who had formed a resolution to swim on board, and accompany us.
The _bunts_ of the sails being yet confined aloft, by their respective
gaskets, I sent a man on the fore-yard and another upon the
fore-top-sail-yard, with orders to _let fall_, when I should give the
word; one man being at the helm, and two others at the fore tack.
"It was now half past nine o'clock, when I took the handsaw, and in
less than two minutes the cable was off!--The ship _payed off_ very
quick, and when her head was off the land, there being a breeze from
that quarter, the hawser was cut and all the sail we could make upon
the ship immediately set, a fine fair wind blowing. A raft of iron
hoops, which was towing along side, was cut adrift, and we
congratulated each other upon our fortunate escape; for even with a
vast extent of ocean to traverse, hope excited in our bosoms a belief
that we should again embrace our friends, and our joy was heightened
by the reflection, that we might be the means of rescuing the
innocents left behind, and having the guilty punished."
After a long and boisterous passage the ship arrived at Valparaiso,
when she was taken possession of by the American Consul, Michael
Hogan, Esq. and the persons on board were put in irons on board a
French frigate, there being no American man-of-war in port. Their
names were, Gilbert Smith, George Comstock, Stephen Kidder, Joseph
Thomas, Peter C. Kidder, and Anthony Henson.
Subsequently they were all examined before the U. S. Consul; and with
the following, an examination of Gilbert Smith, we shall commence
another chapter.