"June 21, 1842.--My duty as a clergyman called me to the scene of blood.
When I arrived on the deck of the brig, it exhibited a frightful
spectacle. My heart sickened at the extent of the carnage; and I was
almost sinking with the faintness it produced, when I was roused by a
groan so full of anguish and pain, that for a long time afterwards its
echo seemed to reach me. I found that it came from a man lying further
forward, on whose face the death-dew was standing, yet I could perceive
no wound. Upon questioning him, he moved his hand from his breast, and I
then perceived that a ball had pierced his chest, and could distinctly
hear the air rushing from his lungs through the orifice it had left. I
tore away the shirt, and endeavored to hold together the edges of the
wound until it was bandaged. I spoke to him of prayer, but he soon grew
insensible, and within a short time died in frightful agony. In every
part of the vessel, evidences of the attempt which had ended so fatally
presented themselves, and the passions of the combatants were still
warm. After attending to those who required immediate assistance, I
received the following account of the affair:
"The prisoners had slept the previous night in a part of the vessel
appropriated for this purpose; but it was without fastening or other
means of securing them below. Two sentries were, however, placed over
the hatchway. The prisoners occasionally came on deck during the night,
for their launch was towing astern, and the brig was standing off and on
until the morning. Between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the men
were called to work. Two of them were up some time before the rest. They
were struck by the air of negligence which was evident on deck, and
instantly communicated the fact to one or two others. The possibility of
capturing the brig had often been discussed by the prisoners, among
their many other wild plans for escaping from the island, and recently
had been often proposed by them. The thought was told by their looks,
and soon spread from man to man. A few moments were enough; one or two
were roused from sleep, and the intention was hurriedly communicated to
them. It was variously received. One of them distrusted the leader, and
entreated his companions to desist from so mad an attempt. It was
useless; the frenzied thirst for liberty had seized them, and they were
maddened by it. Within a few minutes, they were all on deck; and one of
the leaders rushing at the sentry nearest to him, endeavored to wrest
from him his pistols, one of which had flashed in the pan as he rapidly
presented it, and threw him overboard; but he was subsequently saved.
The arms of the other sentry were demanded, and obtained from him
without resistance. A scuffle now took place with two other soldiers who
were also on the deck, but not on duty, during which one of them jumped
over the vessel's side, and remained for some time in the main-chains;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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