ST. HELENA 101 



report with facetious remarks ; they then took a gig, which 

 had the day previous been hoisted for cleaning, and rowed 

 off to the Luna. They had three carbines, a large amount 

 of ammunition, their kits, supplies of bread, oatmeal, 

 tinned meat, and a map with a straight line drawn from 

 St. Helena to America. 



About three a.m. the Luna was missed by the night 

 watchman, who got a man to help, and they went after her 

 with the intention of bringing her into the moorings, but 

 when within twenty yards they were fired at. Repeated 

 firing went on, one bullet going through the roof of Signal- 

 man Ward's quarters, while others fell so near that Ward 

 and the sergeant of artillery had to keep their heads below 

 the parapet to avoid being shot. As daylight grew stronger 

 the men were seen to be Bombardier Longman and Gunners 

 Bush and Richards. For over two hours messages were 

 passing between the owners of the tank (Messrs. Solomon 

 and Co.), the police magistrate, Captain Bateman of the 

 Royal Artillery, and the sergeant of the police, as to what 

 steps were to be taken to get back the men and tank, but 

 neither civil nor military authorities cared to take the 

 initiative, and nothing was done. An end was put to the 

 affair by the men themselves (finding they were sea-sick 

 and quite unable to sail the tank) getting into the gig which 

 they had fastened astern, and rowing for the shore, where 

 they arrived in harbour and landed, to be taken in charge 

 by the military police. They had 193 rounds of ammunition 

 still in their possession, and they had fired about 100 rounds 

 while in the tank. They were tried by court-martial for 

 leaving their post while on guard, making away with a 

 water-tank and a gig, taking Government carbines and 

 ammunition, also firing round after round at their barracks, 

 every action tending to the presumption that they intended 

 to desert. 



Two were sentenced to two years' hard labour, and the 

 third to eighty-four days' ; but on the day following the 

 Officer Commanding troops remitted half of the first sen- 

 tence, much to the astonishment of the community. 



In the December following the Boys' Brigade was formed 

 by the Rev. Canon Ellis, vicar of St. James' ; this corps is 

 still in existence. 



