e crews. To the lieutenant's remonstrances, the natives
replied that "Opotee" was not coming back, and they would do as they
chose; while the sailors heard his orders with ill-concealed contempt,
and made but a pretext of obeying them. In the middle of April three
sailors stole a boat from the "Greenwich," and, stocking it well with
ammunition and provisions, deserted, and were never again seen. One
month later, mutiny broke out in its worst form. Lieut. Gamble and his
two midshipmen, being upon the "Seringapatam," were knocked down by
the sailors, gagged, bound, and thrust into the hold. The mutineers
then went ashore, spiked the guns in the fort, and then, hoisting the
British colors over the captured ship, set sail. Lieut. Gamble was
badly wounded in the foot by a pistol-shot fired by one of his guards.
Notwithstanding his wound, he, with the two lieutenants and two loyal
seamen, was turned adrift in an open boat. After long and painful
exertions, they reached the shore, and returned to the bay, where the
"Greenwich" still lay at anchor. The mutineers, thirteen of whom were
Englishmen who had enlisted in the American service, steered boldly
out to sea, and were nevermore heard of. The half-savage Englishman,
Wilson, was supposed to be at the bottom of this uprising, and some
days later a boat's crew from the "Greenwich" went ashore to capture
him. Soon after, Gamble, anxiously watching the shore, saw a struggle
upon the beach, the natives rushing down on all sides, the boat
overturned in the surf, and two white men swimming towards the ship,
making signals of distress. Mr. Clapp, with two men, sprang into a
boat, and put off to the aid of the swimmers, leaving Gamble alone on
the ship. Two large canoes loaded with savages then left the beach,
and swiftly bore down towards the "Essex;" but Gamble, lamed though he
was, seized a lighted brand, and hobbled along the deck of the ship,
firing her guns with such effect that the savages were driven back,
the beach cleared, and Mr. Clapp enabled to save the two struggling
men. When the boat returned to the ship, it was learned that
Midshipman Feltus and five men had been basely murdered by the
savages. There were now left but seven Americans; and of these but two
were well, and fit for duty. Setting the "Greenwich" on fire, this
little band boarded the "Hammond," and made their way to sea. But
between the Sandwich Islands and Honolulu they fell in with the
"Cherub," by whom th