Thrilling Narratives of Mutiny, Murder and Piracy: A weird series of tales of shipwreck and disaster, from the earliest part of the century to the present time, with accounts of providential escapes and heart-rending fatalities.Anonymous
History
Thrilling Narratives of Mutiny, Murder and Piracy: A weird series of tales of shipwreck and disaster, from the earliest part of the century to the present time, with accounts of providential escapes and heart-rending fatalities.
Anonymous
Mutiny; Pirates; Seafaring life; Shipwrecks
At the fall term of the Supreme Court of South Carolina, four men were
arraigned on an indictment of "mutiny on the high seas," on board the
ship Gold Hunter. The evidence was so conclusive, that all the
ingenuity of the prisoner's council, twist itself as it would, could
effect nothing. The jury found a verdict of guilty, without leaving
their seats. Harmon was sentenced to the penitentiary five years; the
others four years each. Thus was a most dangerous indevotion
frustrated.
FATE OF SEVEN SAILORS,
WHO WERE LEFT ON THE ISLAND OF ST. MAURICE.
The Dutch who frequented the northern regions during the more
favorable season of the year, in pursuit of the whale fishery, became
desirous of ascertaining the state of different places while winter
prevailed. Various opinions were entertained concerning this subject,
and astronomers wished to have their sentiments regarding certain
natural phenomena, either realized or controverted. Besides, a more
important object was concealed under these ostensible reasons, namely,
whether the establishment of permanent colonies in the most remote
parts of Greenland was practicable. A proposal was therefore
promulgated through the Greenland fleet, for seven seamen to offer to
remain a winter in St. Maurice's Island, and also for other seven to
winter in Spitzbergen. We are not acquainted with the inducements
held forth; but it is probable that little hesitation ensued, for we
find a party prepared to winter at the different places specified,
nearly about the same period.
Seven of the stoutest and ablest men of the fleet having accordingly
agreed to be left behind, their comrades sailed from St. Maurice's
Isle on the 26th of August 1633.
The people, two days afterwards, shared half a pound of tobacco, to
which they restricted themselves as a weekly allowance. At this time
there was no night, and the heat of the sun so powerful through the
day, that they pulled off their shirts, and sported on the side of a
hill near their abode. Great abundance of sea-gulls frequented the
island, and the seamen made a constant practice of seeking for
vegetables growing there for salad.
Towards the end of September, the weather began to be tempestuous, and
in the earlier part of October, their huts were so much shaken by
violent storms of wind, that their nightly rest was interrupted; but
they did not resort to firing until the 9th of that month. About a
week subsequent, two whales were cast ashore, and the seamen
immediately endeavored to kill them with harpoons, lances, and
cutlasses, but the tide flowing enabled them to escape.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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