slave mutiny slave mutiny took place february lasted weeks fleet slave ships final voyage cut short mutiny cargo people sold dutch officials madagascar company slaves cape colony southern africa mutiny half ship crew lost lives set sail madagascar january heading cape colony days trip ship chief merchant persuaded captain release slaves avoid attrition death disease living conditions working ship entertaining crew mid february ordered clean weapons subsequently seize ship attempt regain freedom crew killed stabbed times survived crew negotiated truce terms undertook spare lives surviving crew members exchange agreed return madagascar released gambling ignorance navigation wounded instead ordered crew head coast southern africa making landfall cape colony assured homeland went ashore intention signal board safe follow shore party soon found confronted militia farmers formed response arrival farmers understood ship flying flags distress crew led assistant managed communicate militia shore means messages bottles persuaded light signal fires board waiting seeing fires cut ship anchor cable allowed ship drift shore ran aground offshore militia shore preparing come ship assistance realised situation hopeless surrendered ship mate assistant tried dutch fired company stripped rank wages slaves tried surviving leaders mutiny named dutch records sent observation died years later survived years ongoing search begun remains voyage acquired transported approximately slaves cape colony southern africa south_africa dutch company abbreviated company initials appeared company materials logo ton square rigged ship dutch type masts built dutch port amsterdam african trade december working coastline madagascar captain crew collecting men women children use slaves cape colony carrying set sail north western coast madagascar january mutiny probably experienced merchant trading madagascar guilty earlier ship avoid loss profit caused captive dying sea convinced command time let work deck disease spreading conditions deck ship surgeon reported suitable board disease spreading crew consequently days ship left madagascar crew released large party confinement men assisting crew women providing entertainment dancing singing set controlling taking care sails described certainly regulations allowing slaves secure areas deck common practice european vessels regulations permit slaves released deck time time careful supervision chief concern slaves jump overboard escape mutiny despite slave mutiny ship mutiny quickly suppressed clearly happen making captain agreement kind release occurred appear according crew member february ordered bring deck african spears swords clean acquired madagascar experienced use weapon believed superior reported laughed issuing order saying sure doubt wisdom having set task went deck meal cleaned weapons ordered return attacked ship crew killing left deck including returned attack began killed fight ship mates albert leaving surviving rank surviving crew climbed rigging including jan assistant withdrew decks stern ship near rudder stated sea time attack taken surprise stabbed times escaped cabin soon climbed window rudder join crew member thrown overboard rigging managed swim ship rope hanging window pulled safety crew climbed rigging threatened fore mast hand grenades reached safety escaped brutal death dead wounded left charge remaining crew deck mutiny began facto leadership men primary leader unknown names recorded man enslaved king elaborate deception presented opportunity mutiny allowing deck handing familiar weapons mutiny organised intended kill europeans board ship return madagascar according planned long time masters ship aim country originally intended sail ship slaves involved later mutiny ship found control ship drifted days betrayal crew members fore mast initially reached agreement crew lives spared condition sailed madagascar truce broke result crew members killed thrown overboard crew short food drink decided attempt regain control took attack wounded led crewmen left shooting went attack party killed deck rest retreated severely wounded later died day crew trapped created small explosion outside gunpowder injured hope submission female held instructed tell surrender crew blow ship responded saying seen fearful effect explosion crew refused surrender demanding returned madagascar agreed captain ordered crew sail ship southernmost point africa assessment little skill navigation unlikely notice deception proved case days sailing sighted land settlement leader suspicious orientation sunrise birds seen match homeland pointed spoke language tell land saw different madagascar dropped anchor ship mile offshore mutiny leader seventy men women set shore ship promised fellow light signal fires beach send boats safe follow dutch farmers spotted ship observing flying flags understood distress signal coming ashore reached farm belonging discovered ship crew local officials ordered local dutch farmers form impromptu militia shot dead imprisoned property close february local official named wrote letter describing events magistrate kilometres north west days later arrived little kilometres north west installed home farmer went property interrogated eighteen male attempt assess situation board march went farm began corresponding cape colony government based city cape_town crew member come ashore subsequently escaped taken sent report person authorities cape_town local farmers small groups authorities cape_town sent party soldiers sergeant assist ships arrive action final stages remained ship following week waiting promised signal fires growing increasingly decided build carry shore effort establish exactly stroke luck crew encountered black shepherd ran away speak believing madagascar returned ship surviving crew members desperate having observed ocean current setting onshore knowing arrangements signal fires wrote messages asking land light fires shore ship believing close home christian country guard ship run aground convinced killed discovered truth board ship crew sealed messages bottles dropped onshore current authorities cape_town sent chief ship carpenter ship pilots sailors overland needed boats onshore buried sand need repair party cape_town arrived march overseeing examination boats handed bottle containing message signed second bottle containing message signed found handed fires lit march messages preserved ship seeing signal fires cut anchor cable allowing drift grounded crew member earlier thrown overboard ship safety swam ship shore brought informed ship told find earlier landing party secretly arranged crew members help available shore signal ship waving head crew member left canoe unit militia immediately surrounded party landed shot dead taken prisoner dead later identified ship crew mutiny overall recorded remaining swam away believed ship drowned attempt enraged crew deception launched attack crew lasted hours crew able defend march ship cape_town completed repairs boats described saw close defeat ship grounded force shore preparing ship assistance persuaded remaining surrender promised allowed punished second canoe manned ship boy went ashore deliver news surrender weather begun deteriorate decided strong bring remaining ashore end rope anchored shore low tide volunteers dutch group shore swam bringing end rope handing crew ship crew helped remaining climb dutch volunteers helped shore carrying children backs dutch built fire warm water fed wagons took cape_town march shipped reached cape colony slaves aftermath authorities salvaged possible beached recovered nearly firearms gunpowder musket balls auctioned cables ropes items ship shore left break grounded october found surviving ship mate guilty sentenced dismissal company lost rank pay docked ordered pay costs case sent home amsterdam having work passage banned cape colony banned life working dismissed considered played role assisting efforts terminate mutiny case represented huge step recognition oppressed people slaves free thinking individuals normal punishment slave attacked master death slaves tried lack sufficient evidence decided remaining mutiny leaders island instructions purpose observation behaviour hope shed light mutiny arisen died december survived years september south_africa heritage day building housing branch renamed old slave lodge commemorating accommodation government owned slaves 17th early 19th centuries started maritime project associated old slave lodge museum find salvage wreck supporting historical archaeological research commissioned funded charge research retrieved plans netherlands help identify wreck numerous ships reputed run aground area museums travelling exhibition finding included updates progress work archaeological research team search continues
Meermin slave mutiny