Broadside entitled 'Mutiny & murder aboard the transport Hope'

Transcription

       M U T I N Y & M U R D E R O N B O A R D THE   

T R A N S P O R T H O P E. to ACCOUNT of the

An ACCOUNT of the Dreadful MUTINY that toon place on hoard the Conviek
Transport Hope having on board 291 F emale convicts many of whom belonged
to Edinburgh, Leith Glasgow. &c, &c, &c when most Shocking to relete. IT sean
men,and 39 convets were.killed and   wounded during the fight, as detail d in a
Letter from JAMES MAITLAND, one of the Seamen belonging to LEITH

It is with pain that we here State the brief Particu-
are of the dreadful Mutiny and Murders, on board the
transport Ship HOPE, on her Voyage to Swan River
with 291 female Convicts on board.

The Ship HOPE, Captain James Murray sailed
from Deptford on the 20th-day of March, with 291 fe-
male Convicts on board, and 31 seamen In the Voy-
age the convicts mutinied, and afrer an obstinate fight
17 seamen were murdered, and ,39 convicts, either
Killed or wounded, being one o the most.dreadful in
cidents that has perhaps ever taken place, many of the
convicts belonging to Edmburgh, Leith, Glasgow, &
other parts of Scotland We extract the following
account of this melancholy affair, from a letter that
has been received from james Maitland, one of the
Seamen on Board belonging to Leith.

On.Friday the 19 h April we were proceeding on our voyage
With 291 Female Convic s ou board to their destiuation at Swan
river, tor various periods of transportation. On the afternoon of
Friday part of the conviets were ainng on deck, while Mr Monk-
land, first mate Mr Wat'S boatswain, accompanied by 11 seamen,
went into the hold to see that all was right, and all the prioners
safe (as much discontent was apparent for some days past) we
being neary 1000 miles from Gibraltar. They were proceeding
to call the Roll, when they were. answered ' Here, but not Here
long". Oh MR MONKTON demanding who it was that made
such A reply he was.- answered by Jeers Hisses and and every Kind
of revolt, that he considered it prudent to order th- ALARM BELL
to be rung. This Was the signal hat was agreed on ; in an instant
the party were- assailed with every kind of weapon, that the pris
oners Could procure. The lantern was put our, and the party
fought in the dark ; many of the Sailors rashed imprudently into
the hold while the cry for the arms resounded from stem to stern.
The, Scene at this moment can better be imagined than described
I was stationed near the armoury door; the prisoner's on deck tore:
.down the ships pail[ ], and attacked the crew on all sides. Cap-
tuin MURRAY was in a state of inebriety, and staggered on deck
h was instantly felled, and as he was at a distance from any asis-
tance, he Was struck repeatedly on was on the head, and then lay mingled
among the general havoc, At this moment; our brave seamen
were fighting in small group in all diretction, but they were soon
disarmed, and were either murdered of thrown down the hold
We were then put into the i ons that our new masters lately oc-
cupied. The rush now was for the spirit room, and after pro-
curing a quantity of the beverage, they began to Song, dance and
use all the extrav gance of victors wholly relieved from bondage.
It was such a sight that I never experienced ; the Ship was alow-
ed to drift unheeded in the wid deep with out even a sailor on
deck. Some of the kinder souls, who, perhaps, had experienced
some good treatment at our hands, or feeling for aur unhapy con
dition, came below and. plied us well with rum, so that we were
in a comparative happy state, especially when they
assured us that we should receive nothing bu kind
ness from their hands. In she morning we were all
brought ou deck, and a woman was pointed out to us
as our future commander, at least the business of the
Ship was to be under her sole direction. Things,
were now arrauged, and we were ordered to make the
first land. After sailing for 9 days 'We discovered
land, it was the coast of Barbaty a head, and made
directly to it A council was held, Whether it was
prudent or not to land ; it was unaninouly agreed to run the
Ship on Shore, which was done and we all effected a landing they
acartered. in small groups through the country, but will soon in all
probability be apprehended. The remainder of the Ships company
Pany came to London the brig GALADON,

A, M'MILLAN, PRINTER .Gosford's Close LAWKMARKET.

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