In October 1797 a mutiny broke out in a portion of the British fleet on the South African station. Tidings of the mutiny at Spithead—15th April to 15th May of the same year—had reached Capetown on the 31st of August, but unfortunately no information of the more important outbreak at the Nore—20th May to 15th June,—and of the terribly severe punishment of those who took part in it, had yet been received.
A few changes had recently taken place in the ships on the station, the Ruby, Dordrecht, Tromp, and Princess having gone to England in charge of convoys, and the Echo having been condemned as unseaworthy and put out. of commission. On the other hand, the Raisonable, of sixty-four guns, the Star, of eighteen guns, the Chichester storeship, and the Suffolk tender had arrived to strengthen the fleet. At this time the Stately, Sceptre, Raisonable, Jupiter, Saldanha, Crescent, Sphinx, and Hope were at sea on service, the remainder of the fleet was in port.
On the 2nd of October the crew of the Vindictive in Table Bay showed symptoms of discontent, and on the 7th the crews of the Tremendous, Trusty, Imperieuse, Braave, Rattlesnake, Star, Euphrosyne, Chichester, and Suffolk, all lying in Simon's Bay, rose in general mutiny. On a preconcerted signal a jacket was hung at the end of each ship's jibboom and a round of cheers was given. Some officers, both commissioned and warrant, who were obnoxious to the seamen were put ashore, but Admiral Pringle was detained on board the Tremendous, and was not permitted to send any other than open letters to land.
The mutineers elected delegates to represent their grievances, and issued a manifesto, in which they declared their loyalty to their country and asserted their intention of returning to duty immediately in case an enemy should appear. They would permit neither pillaging, pilfering, riot, nor ill usage of any one. Their only motive, they said, was to obtain redress of their grievances
