ed down, and
every available thing at hand piled upon them. But now, having secured
their opponents, the mutineers were unable to work the brig; they
therefore summoned two of the sailors from below, and placed one of them
at the wheel, while the other was directed to assist in getting the
vessel off. The cockswain, a free man in charge of the prisoners, had at
the first onset taken to the rigging, and remained in the maintop with
one of the men who refused to join in the attack. At this moment, a
soldier who had gone overboard and endeavored to reach the shore, had
turned back, and was seen swimming near the vessel. Woolfe, one of the
convicts, immediately jumped into the boat alongside, and saved him.
Whilst this was the state of things above, the soldiers had forced their
way into the captain's cabin, and continued to fire through the gratings
overhead as often as any of the mutineers passed. In this manner several
of them received wounds. To prevent a continuance of this, a kettle of
hot water was poured from above; and shortly afterwards, a proposal was
made to the captain from the prisoners to leave the vessel in the
launch, provided he handed up to them the necessary supplies. This he
refused; and then all the sailors were ordered from below into the
launch, with the intention of sending them ashore. Continuing to watch
for the ring-leaders, the captain caught a glimpse of one of them
standing aft, and, as he supposed, out of reach. He mounted the cabin
table, and, almost at a venture, fired through the woodwork in the
direction he supposed the man to be standing. The shot was fatal; the
ball struck him in the mouth, and passed through his brain. Terrified at
the death of their comrades, the remainder were panic-struck, and
instantly ran below. One of the leaders sprung over the taffrail, and
eventually reached the launch. The sailor at the wheel, now seeing the
deck almost cleared, beckoned up the captain, and without an effort, the
vessel was again in their possession. In the confusion, a soldier, who
had been in the boat, and was at this moment with the sailors returning
on deck, was mistaken for one of the mutineers, and shot by the
sergeant. The prisoners were now summoned from their place of
concealment. They begged hard for mercy; and upon condition of their
quietly surrendering, it was promised to them. As the first of them, in
reliance upon this assurance, was gaining the deck, by some unhappy
error, he r