Navigating the Lower Saint Lawrence in the 19th Century.
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Between 11 and 12
o'clock, I went below, for the purpose of getting my quadrant to
take the sun, and was soon followed by Heath; I was standing near
the table, directly below the sky-light, turning over the leaves of
a book; Heath near, but rather behind me; when looking up, I saw
Jordan presenting a pistol down the sky-light, I thought at me; I
startled, and the pistol was discharged; the ball from which grazed
my nose and side of my face, and entered the breast of Heath, who
fell on his knees, and cry'd "Oh my God, I am killed". Heath soon
after crawled on deck. When I recovered from my fright, and first
effects of powder which lodged in my face, I went to my trunk for
my pistols; but I found my trunk had been forced open, and the
pistols taken. I then searched for my cutlass, but could not find
it. I then determined to go on deck; on going up the ladder I met
the prisoner, Edward Jordan, in the act of descending; one of his
feet was on the ladder; he held an axe in his right hand, and a
pistol in his left. I seized his arms, and, begging him for God's
sake to spare my life, shoved him backwards, when he snapped the
pistol; I instantly grasped it by the muzzle, wrested it from him,
and threw it overboard; and called Kelly the mate to my assistance,
but he made me no answer. Benjamin Matthews came hastily aft, he
appeared to be wounded, and fell down. By this time I had taken
the axe from Jordan, and endeavoured to strike him, but he held me
so forcibly as to prevent me. I, however, threw the axe overboard.
I again called Kelly, but his back was towards me, and he in the
attitude of loading a pistol, when Margaret Jordan struck me
several times with a boat-hook handle, observing, "It is Kelly you
want, I'll give you Kelly." Before I went on deck, I distinctly
heard 4 or 5 pistol reports. On coming on deck, I saw Heath lying
dead on the starboard side of the vessel, bleeding very much.
After disentangling myself from Jordan, I went forward; Jordan aft,
for another axe, with which, returning, he struck Matthews three or
four stokes on the back of the head. Finding no chance of my life
if I remained on board, and that I might as well be drowned as
shot, I threw the hatch overboard, jumped after it, and got on;
where I remained about three hours and a half, when I was picked up
an American fishing schooner, in a weak and almost senseless state.
On recovering a little, I told the captain what had happened; then
went on deck, and borrowed a spy glass, with which I saw one or two
sails of vessels a great distance to leeward; I asked the captain
to bear away and see what they were, thinking one might be the
Three Sisters, but he refused; saying that if he went out of his
voyage, and any accident happened to him, the underwriters would
not pay the insurance. I then asked him to keep the shore a-board
and land me at Halifax; he said he would, was he not afraid of
having his men impressed, as on his outward bound passage he had
his pilot taken by the Bream or Mullet schooner. I then told him
he might perhaps be enabled to put me on shore before he passed
Cape Sable; but as the wind was not favourable, we went directly to
Hingham, (Massachusetts) from thence I travelled to Boston, where
I published the circumstances in the newspapers, and had circular
letters, describing the vessel and persons of Kelly, Jordan, his
wife and family, sent to the collectors of the American ports, by
W.S. Skinner, Esquire, acting British Consul. Q. By the Court...Were any persons on board intoxicated, on the forenoon of the 13th September? A. No; they were all sober. Q. Where were the prisoners' children at the commencement and during the disturbance? A. Aft, on the quarter-deck. Q. Where was Margaret Jordan? A. On the quarter-deck. Q. When you went down to the cabin, were all the other persons on board on deck? A. Yes. Q. When had you been to your trunk previous to your going down for the quadrant? A. About ten minutes before; I went to it for a book. Q. After taking the book out, did you again lock the trunk? A. Yes; and went on deck. Q. Were the pistols in the trunk when you opened it? A. They were. Q. Were they loaded? A. Yes. Q. Were the pistols fired yours? A. I do not know. Q. Are you clear and positive that the prisoner, Margaret Jordan, from the time you went into the cabin for your quadrant until you returned, was on deck? A. Yes. Q. On what part of the deck stood Margaret Jordan when you came up from the cabin, had she a boat-hook handle in her hand, and what was she doing? A. She was on the quarter-deck, and had hold of a boat-hook handle. Q. Had either of the prisoners been in the cabin from the time you first went to the trunk, until you went for your quadrant? A. I do not know. Q. Are you positive that when the prisoner, Edward Jordan, snapped the pistol, its contents were intended for you? A. I am positive. Q. Did you receive any material injury from the blows given you by Margaret Jordan, or did they disable you in any respect from defending yourself against her husband? A. No. Q. Had there, previous to the firing of the pistol, been any dispute or quarrel between you and the prisoner, Edward Jordan? A. There had not. Q. Can you give any account how your pistols were taken from the cabin? A. No. Q. Did you hear Matthews say anything, whereby your could understand how he became wounded? |
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| G. R. Bossé©2001-05 | Page 2 | Chapter 1810 |
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