ST. HELENA 59 



may follow, except you make your escape good from this settle- 

 ment. It is in your power to prevent the impending vengeance 

 which now hangs over your heads, and save the lives of many poor 

 souls which will inevitably fall a sacrifice. 



This seditious paper was written in a feigned hand. 

 Beatson thereupon sent off the Camper down, reinforced 

 High Knoll and Ladder Hill, and placed guard at Plantation, 

 for the artillery were all true, and to be depended on. 



It was settled by the mutineers, that when the troops 

 paraded for relieving guard, the whole of the regiment, in- 

 cluding the main guard, should, after seizing their officers, 

 go to Plantation and seize the Governor. His preparations 

 and knowledge of their intentions necessarily changed their 

 tactics, and the ringleaders, feeling there was no time to 

 lose, proceeded to Longwood to get possession of field-pieces 

 and ammunition. The narrative continues : 



I sent an express to the Lieut. -Governor suggesting the advance 

 of some field pieces to oppose the mutineers if they should move 

 in that direction. The Lieut. -Governor lost no time in taking up 

 an advantageous position with the field-pieces manned by the guard 

 at Longwood : but at the moment the advanced gun was loading 

 the mutineers surrounded him and his party and took them prisoners. 

 It was three-quarters past nine at night when the general alarm fired. 

 By this time some of the volunteer artillery, to whom secret orders 

 had been sent, had arrived, and by midnight Plantation contained 

 a garrison of 130 men, which I considered enough to repel the most 

 formidable attack of mutinous troops. On the ground floor every 

 window and door was guarded by three or four armed men, parties 

 of rifle volunteers lay behind the parapet on the roof, and the rooms 

 on the upper floor were prepared for occupation at the instant the 

 mutineers approached. Mrs. Beatson and my children were placed 

 in security against musketry in one of the upper rooms. After the 

 alarm fired, a judicious movement was made from Jamestown by 

 parties of artillery and infantry to reinforce me, the former under 

 the command of Major Kinnaird, and the latter under Capt. 

 Sampson, two excellent officers who had both been extremely active 

 in bringing back a number of soldiers to a sense of duty. Captain 

 Sampson halted at Red Hill, and Major Kinnaird about twelve at 

 night had passed Plantation House, and took up a commanding 

 position in advance with field pieces. Capt. Barnes' company 

 and some other artillerymen were upon the roads, on which the 

 mutineers must pass in coming from Longwood. Capt. Des- 

 fountain, with three guns and the volunteer artillery, occupied 

 another position in the rear of Major Kinnaird. Although Capt. 

 Sampson had expressed a confidence in his men, yet I could not 

 but entertain the strongest suspicion of the whole of the infantry ; 



