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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32012-8.txt b/32012-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9b1a846 --- /dev/null +++ b/32012-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3235 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Narrative of the Shipwreck, Captivity and +Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute, by Horace Holden + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Narrative of the Shipwreck, Captivity and Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute + Who were cast away in the American ship Mentor, on the + Pelew Islands, in the year 1832; and for two years + afterwards were subjected to unheard of sufferings among + the barbarous inhabitants of Lord North's island + +Author: Horace Holden + +Release Date: April 16, 2010 [EBook #32012] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHIPWRECK *** + + + + +Produced by Richard J. Shiffer and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: Every effort has been made to replicate this +text as faithfully as possible, including obsolete and variant spellings +and other inconsistencies. Text that has been changed to correct an +obvious error is noted at the end of this ebook.] + + + + + A NARRATIVE + + OF THE + + SHIPWRECK, + + CAPTIVITY AND SUFFERINGS + + OF + + HORACE HOLDEN AND BENJ. H. NUTE; + + WHO WERE CAST AWAY IN THE + + AMERICAN SHIP MENTOR, + + ON THE + + PELEW ISLANDS, + + IN THE YEAR 1832; + + _AND FOR TWO YEARS AFTERWARDS WERE SUBJECTED TO + UNHEARD OF SUFFERINGS AMONG THE BARBAROUS + INHABITANTS OF_ + + LORD NORTH'S ISLAND. + + + BY HORACE HOLDEN. + + + BOSTON: + RUSSELL, SHATTUCK, AND CO. + 1836. + + + + ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1836, + BY HORACE HOLDEN. + IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS. + + + STEREOTYPED BY + SHEPARD, OLIVER, AND CO. + + + + + TO + + JOHN PICKERING, ESQ. + + Of Boston, + + AND TO + + WILLIAM R. RODMAN, ESQ. + + Of New Bedford, + + To whom the author is under the greatest obligations + for their countenance and assistance, + this little work is gratefully + INSCRIBED + + + + +[Illustration: DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF TATTOOING.] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The islands now known by geographers under the general name of +_Polynesia_, have for some time past attracted the attention of the +scientific and commercial world. Few opportunities, however, occur of +obtaining information respecting any of them except those which are +resorted to for commercial purposes. With a view, therefore, to the +collecting of all the necessary materials for the history of their soil, +climate, productions, and other particulars, especially of such of them +as have not already been visited by the civilized people of Europe and +America, it is desirable to preserve all authentic accounts of them, +even of those which are of inferior importance. + +The following unpretending Narrative contains such an account of one of +them, commonly called _Lord North's Island_, but sometimes known by the +name of _Nevil's Island_ and _Johnston's Island_. It is situated in +about lat. 3° 2-3/4' N., and, according to the most correct +calculations, about long. 131° 4-1/4' E. + +This island has been stated, in geographical works of authority, to be +uninhabited; but Horsburg's India Directory (vol. ii. p. 497, edit. of +1827) correctly says it is inhabited, and that the natives "will +sometimes come off to ships passing near." And it will accordingly be +found, by the present Narrative, that it has a population of between +three and four hundred inhabitants, as nearly as could be estimated by +the American seamen, whose captivity and sufferings are the subject of +this work; the island itself being, according to their judgment also, +about three quarters of a mile long and half a mile in breadth. + +The materials of this Narrative were furnished by Horace Holden, one of +the seamen above mentioned, who, with his companion, Benjamin Nute, was +detained as a captive by the islanders for two years; during which time +he and his companion acquired the language so far as to converse in it +with ease. This afforded them the means of knowing and observing many +things which would escape the mere passing voyager; and whatever +statements are here made, the editor has every reason to believe may be +entirely relied upon. + +In order to complete the little collection of facts in relation to this +people--who may justly be called a new people, as no white man has ever +before been upon their territory--a specimen of their language is added +to the Narrative. This has been made under many disadvantages; but no +small labor has been bestowed upon it, in order to render it of use, so +far as was practicable, in elucidating the affinity of these islanders +to others in that quarter of the world. It is now universally agreed +among the learned, that language affords the surest test of the +affinities of nations; and it is greatly to be desired that more +attention should be bestowed upon this subject by the intelligent +navigators of the United States, and especially by the scientific young +men of our navy, who, under the permission of the government, would have +the most ample means of augmenting the stores of general science, while +at the same time they would confer honor upon their country. + +The editor forbears to add any thing further in relation to the contents +of this little volume. But he cannot dismiss the work without again +expressing the high sense of gratitude felt by the two seamen in +question, to the benevolent individuals of their own country, and +others, who have relieved their sufferings; and this he subjoins in an +extract from a note on that subject by H. Holden:-- + + "In addition to the gentlemen mentioned in the Narrative, we are + under great obligations to Mr. Stephen Oliphant and his son, and + their clerk, of New York, who were residents at Canton when we + arrived there. Mr. Oliphant kindly furnished us with a room, food, + and other necessaries, and gave us our passage from Canton to New + York in his ship called the Morrison, commanded by captain + Lavender, from whom also we experienced every attention. + + "The respected American missionary at Canton, Mr. Edwin Stevens, + rendered us many friendly services; and from the English physician, + who was formerly in the East India Company's service there, but + whose name I do not recollect, we received every attention and + medical aid that could have been bestowed on his nearest friends. + + "We are also much indebted to Mr. Bradford and Mr. Robert E. + Apthorp, both of Boston, for their many acts of kindness. To the + latter gentleman, then a resident at Canton, I cannot sufficiently + express my obligations; he interested himself much in obtaining + money, clothing, and other necessaries for us, to make our + situation comfortable during our stay in Canton and on our passage + home. + + "To the many friends whom we have found since our return to our own + country we can never be sufficiently grateful. Among these I cannot + omit to mention Mr. J. N. Reynolds, author of the interesting + Account of the Voyage of the Potomac, who has taken the most lively + interest in our case, and Mr. Joseph P. Bradley, of Boston, to + whose untiring zeal and benevolence I feel myself to be indebted + more than I am able to express. + + HORACE HOLDEN" + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +Equipment and departure of the ship Mentor from the port of New +Bedford, Massachusetts.--The ship's company.--Arrival at +Fayal.--Passage down the Cape de Verd islands, and round the cape of +Good Hope, to the Indian ocean.--Cruising among the islands, and +arrival at the port of Coupang, in Timor.--A violent storm.--The ship +strikes on a coral reef off the Pelew islands.--Alarm and distressing +situation of the ship's company, and sudden loss of eleven of their +number.--The survivors preserved upon a dry part of the reef + 13 + + +CHAPTER II. + +The situation of the survivors of the ship's company upon the reef +during the night.--A canoe filled with savage natives approaches the +reef; intercourse with them; and description of their persons and +terrific appearance.--Their pilfering of the articles saved, and +plundering of the ship.--Several canoes arrive.--Mr. Nute's resolute +conduct towards the natives.--The ship's company pursue their course, +in their boat, towards an island, on which they land after severe +suffering + 29 + + +CHAPTER III. + +A canoe, with two natives, approaches the island.--Communication +opened with them.--A great number of canoes, filled with armed +natives, suddenly arrive; rough treatment of the captain by one of +the chiefs.--They all arrive at the harbor of the island, which +proved to be one of the Pelew islands.--Description of the island and +its inhabitants.--Consultation of the chiefs respecting the ship's +company.--Result of the consultation + 41 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +An extraordinary and unexpected meeting with a person not a +native.--Happy result of the meeting.--Acquisition of the Pelew +language.--Dissensions between two portions of the natives.--Three of +the ship's company separated and carried to a place remote from +the rest.--Attempt to construct a boat, in order to leave +the island.--The natives agree to release them all for a +compensation.--Solemnities observed by the natives on the +occasion.--Tools used in making the boat; transportation of timber, +&c.--The plan abandoned, and a canoe substituted for the +boat.--Another festival + 55 + + +CHAPTER V. + +The natives become anxious to aid the ship's company in leaving the +island.--Terms on which they agreed to release them.--Departure from +the Pelew islands.--Necessity of returning the same night.--Detention +a month longer; and final departure + 68 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Regret at having undertaken the voyage in boats.--Storm, and damage +in consequence of it.--Loss of the canoe and the provisions on +board.--Danger of perishing from famine.--On the fifteenth day, when +nearly exhausted with fatigue and hunger, they discover a small +island.--Approach of eighteen canoes filled with natives, who make +prisoners of them all.--Cruelty of the natives; and return with their +prisoners to the island.--Reception there.--The prisoners +distributed among the captors + 74 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +The island, to which they were carried, proves to be Lord North's +island, called by the natives _ToŽbee_.--Account of the island and +its inhabitants.--Their manners and customs + 81 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A ship discovered at a small distance from the island.--The natives +prepare to go on board of her.--Captain Barnard and Bartlet Rollins, +after being severely beaten, are allowed to go with the natives in +their canoes, and thus effect their escape; the rest of the Mentor's +people are still forcibly detained on the island.--Their hopes of +being taken on board of the same ship are suddenly blasted.--Their +despondency on that disappointment.--Return of the natives from the +ship; their rage, and quarrels about the division of the articles +procured on board of her.--They threaten to wreak their vengeance on +the Mentor's people that remained with them.--Their cruel treatment +of them.--A storm destroys the cocoa-nut trees and causes a scarcity +of food + 95 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +The natives compel the Mentor's people to be tattooed.--Description +of that painful operation.--They also oblige them to pluck their +beards, &c.--Another vessel passes by the island; and, afterwards, a +third comes in sight and remains for three days; the Mentor's people +are closely guarded at these times.--The melancholy fate of William +Sedon; and the barbarous murder of Peter Andrews.--Attack on H. +Holden, who is protected by one of the natives, and escapes.--B. Nute +and others are protected by the female natives from the fury of the +men.--Death of one of the Pelew chiefs.--Another of the Pelew people +is detected in stealing, and is punished in their manner.--Death of +Milton Hewlet and Charles C. Bouket; leaving now only B. Nute, H. +Holden, and the other Pelew chief, named _Kobak_, who all remained in +a feeble and helpless condition.--Filthy practices of the +natives.--Friendship of the surviving Pelew chief + 101 + + +CHAPTER X. + +The feeble and exhausted condition of the survivors, Nute and +Holden.--The natives consent to release them from labor, but refuse +them food; and they obtain permission to leave the island in the +first vessel, for a compensation to be made to the natives.--They +crawl about from place to place, subsisting upon leaves, and +occasionally begging a little food of the natives, for two +months.--Their sudden joy at hearing of a vessel coming towards the +island.--It proves to be the British barque Britannia, captain Short, +bound to Canton.--They are taken on board the Britannia, November 27, +1834, and treated with the kindest attention.--Their joy and +gratitude at this happy termination of their sufferings.--They +gradually recover their health so far as to take passage for America, +in the ship Morrison, bound for New York, where they arrive May 5, +1835.--Acknowledgments for their kind reception at New York and +Boston + 111 + + + + +NARRATIVE, &c. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Equipment and departure of the ship Mentor from the port of New + Bedford, Massachusetts.--The ship's company.--Arrival at + Fayal.--Passage down the Cape de Verd islands, and round the cape + of Good Hope, to the Indian ocean.--Cruising among the islands, and + arrival at the port of Coupang, in Timor.--A violent storm.--The + ship strikes on a coral reef off the Pelew islands.--Alarm and + distressing situation of the ship's company, and sudden loss of + eleven of their number.--The survivors preserved upon a dry part of + the reef. + + +I was born in the town of Hillsborough, in the state of New Hampshire, +on the 21st of July, 1810. My father's name was Phineas Holden. My +parents were in moderate circumstances, and derived their chief support +from a small farm. From the time to which my earliest recollections +extend, until I was about ten years of age, our little circle, +consisting of our parents, their three sons and two daughters, enjoyed a +large share of the pleasures of a New England home. We were all +accustomed to labor, but our exertions to secure a respectable +maintenance were richly rewarded by each other's approving smiles, and +by that contentment, without which blessings, however great or numerous, +are bestowed upon us in vain. + +But, in early life, and in the midst of our enjoyments, we were called +upon to experience a loss which nothing on earth can supply. My father, +after a painful sickness of long continuance, died, and left us with no +other earthly protector than our affectionate mother; who, had her +ability and means been adequate to our support, or equal to her maternal +fondness and anxiety, would have saved us from every hardship, and +supplied all our reasonable desires. But, having no means of support +except our own industry, we were at that tender age thrown upon the +world, and compelled to provide for ourselves as Providence might best +enable us. I labored at different occupations until the age of +twenty-one; when, finding myself unable, by reason of an impaired +constitution, to do more than provide for myself, and feeling desirous +to contribute my share towards the maintenance of our surviving parent, +I resolved upon making the experiment of a voyage at sea. + +I accordingly left the place of my nativity, sundered the many ties that +bound me to home and friends, and, in July, 1831, entered on board the +ship Mentor, at the port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, for a whaling +voyage to the Indian ocean. The ship was owned by William R. Rodman, +Esquire, an eminent merchant of that place, to whose benevolence, since +my return home, I acknowledge myself to be deeply indebted. We sailed on +the day of my enlistment; and I soon found myself upon the bosom of the +great deep, and at the mercy of an element to which I had been but +little accustomed. + +The whole ship's company of the Mentor consisted of twenty-two; namely, +Edward C. Barnard, captain; Thomas M. Colesworthy, first mate; Peter +O'Connor, second mate; Benjamin F. Haskell, David Jenkins, and Jacob +Fisher, boat-steerers; Peter Andrews, steward; John Mayo, cook; and +Horatio Davis, Bartlet Rollins, William Jones, Thomas Taylor, Lewis +Bergoin, Charles C. Bouket, Calvin Alden, Milton Hulet, William Sedon, +James Meder, James Blackmore, John Baily, Benjamin H. Nute, (my +companion in suffering,) and myself, seamen. + +After leaving port, nothing remarkable occurred during the first part of +our voyage. Having succeeded in obtaining a small quantity of oil, we +touched at Fayal, one of the Azores, or Western islands, to leave the +oil and replenish our stores. We left Fayal on the following day. Our +course was down the Cape de Verd islands; and, without any accident +worth relating, we passed round the cape of Good Hope, through the +straits of Madagascar, and found ourselves in the Indian ocean. + +We continued to cruise among the small islands for some time; but being +unsuccessful in the object of our voyage, it was deemed advisable to +make for Java. We ran the whole length of the island of Java, passing +through the straits of Sandal-Wood Island, to the island of Timor, and +touched at the port of Coupang, where we remained about five days, took +in wood and water, and replenished our small stores. After leaving that +place we attempted to pass through the straits of Timor, with a view of +gaining the Pacific ocean; but owing to adverse winds, and the strong +currents setting against us, we were compelled to abandon the +undertaking; and accordingly altered our course. We intended to have +touched at Ternate, the principal of the Moluccas or Spice islands; but +we passed it, running down the island of Morty, (or Mortay) to its +furthermost point. Seeing no port at which we could stop, we altered our +course, intending to make for some of the Ladrone islands, which we knew +to be in possession of the Spanish. + +I must here observe, that soon after leaving the island of Mortay, +there came on a violent storm, which lasted the whole of three days and +nights. During all this time we were unable to take an observation. This +led to the melancholy disaster, which was the commencement of +misfortunes and sufferings, too great to be adequately conceived of by +any but those who experienced them. The violence of the storm compelled +us to take in all the sails except the top-sail, (which was close +reefed,) foresail, and foretop-mast stay-sail. + +We were sailing in this manner, not apprehending danger, when, about +eleven o'clock at night, on the 21st of May, 1832, just at the time of +relieving the watch, the ship struck with great violence upon what we +afterwards found to be the coral reef extending to the northward and +eastward of the Pelew islands. The ship ran directly upon the rocks, and +struck three times in quick succession, the waves dashing over and +around us with tremendous violence. + +At this awful moment I was in my berth, in the steerage. When the ship +struck the third time, so great was the shock that I was thrown from my +berth against the opposite side of the steerage; but, soon recovering +myself, I rushed upon deck. There all was confusion, horror and dismay. +The ship, immediately after striking the third time, swung round so as +to bring her starboard side to the windward, and was in a moment thrown +upon her beam ends. While in this awful condition, with the waves +continually breaking over us, threatening to overwhelm us in a watery +grave, or dash us in pieces against the rocks, the captain came upon +deck, and inquired of the second mate, "Where are we?" The reply was, "I +don't know, but I think there is land to leeward." There was no time for +deliberation; it seemed that the immediate destruction of the ship was +inevitable. + +In the midst of this confusion I heard the mate give orders for lowering +the larboard quarter boat. His directions were immediately complied +with, and ten of the crew threw themselves into it, thinking it more +safe thus to commit themselves to the mercy of the waves, than to +remain on board with the prospect of a certain and speedy termination of +their existence. But there are reasons which force upon the mind the +painful conviction, that their departure from the ship at that time +proved fatal to them all. As the oars were fastened to the sides of the +boat, some one asked for a knife or hatchet, with which to cut them +loose. The request was complied with; and, quitting their hold upon the +ship, they parted from us, and we never saw them more! + +As some doubts have existed in the minds of those interested in the fate +of our shipmates who took to the boat in the manner just described, it +is deemed advisable here to state my reasons for entertaining the +opinion above expressed. Far would it be from me to desire to extinguish +any well-founded hopes of their having survived; but a knowledge of the +following facts renders it too certain, that they must all have +perished, soon after their departure from the ship. The next morning the +remains of a boat in every respect similar to that in which they +embarked, were distinctly seen on the rocks, at the distance of about +fifty yards from the ship, bottom up, and with her sides stove in. The +water being clear and shallow, we could see that she was held there by a +harpoon and lance, which constituted a part of the fishing implements, +or crafts, in the boat when she left. These were apparently stuck into +the crevices of the coral rock (of which the whole reef is composed) +either by accident or design; and the presumption is, that she became +fast in that place, and that the waves swept that portion of our +companions in suffering into a watery grave. But this, though a +melancholy subject of reflection, is not without some circumstances of +consolation; for, admitting that they thus met their fate, they were +saved from that extremity of suffering which some of the ship's crew +were destined to experience. Were such a death, or the pains of +captivity endured by my associates and myself, to be the only +alternatives, I have doubted whether I should not prefer the former. To +be far from kindred and friends, among a people but one grade above the +most ferocious beasts, sick at heart, and deprived of necessary food, +stripped of our clothing, and subjected to unheard-of severities,--to +endure all this, was to purchase a continuance of life at a dear rate. + +Soon after the departure of the first boat, the captain, thinking it +impossible for the ship to hold together till morning, ordered his own +boat to be let down. This could be effected only by the united exertions +of the whole of the remaining part of the crew. Some of the men, and +myself among the rest, had resolved upon remaining on the ship to the +last; and, considering it impossible for a boat to live, we earnestly +expostulated with the captain, for the purpose of persuading him not to +hazard the experiment. But he seemed to think it best to make it, and +with great earnestness entreated the men to assist him in lowering his +boat. As this was a time when but little attention could be paid to the +distinctions usually kept up on board, I suggested that it might be well +to cut away the masts, believing that this would relieve the ship, and +cause her to lie easier upon the rock. This was the more necessary on +account of her position being such as to render it next to impossible to +let down the boat. The proposal was acceded to; and, seizing an axe, I +assisted in cutting away the masts and rigging. This, to some extent, +had the desired effect; and we were enabled, at length, by great +exertion, to lower the boat. The captain, Charles C. Bouket, William +Sedon, and William Jones, immediately placed themselves in it, and +commenced preparing to leave us. In compliance with his request, a rope +was fastened round the waist of the captain, so that should the boat be +destroyed, as there was reason to apprehend she would be, there might be +some chance of rescuing him from the waves. They were furnished with the +necessary nautical instruments, log-book, a bag of clothing, a small +quantity of bread in a tin tureen, and a keg of water. The boat was at +this time suspended by her falls, and, with a view of letting themselves +down, the captain stood in the stern, and Bouket in the forward part of +the boat, both having hold of the falls. Sedon still held on by the +boat's lashing. Jones had nothing in his hands. At this conjuncture, a +tremendous sea broke into the boat, and dashed it in pieces;--so entire +was the destruction, that not a fragment was afterwards seen. Jones was +soon after seen floating in the water apparently dead. Sedon, in +consequence of having hold of the boat's fastenings, saved himself by +climbing into the ship. Bouket, being an expert swimmer, on finding +himself in the sea, swam round to the leeward side of the ship, caught +hold of some part of the rigging, and thus escaped. The captain was +drifted away to the distance of nearly one hundred and fifty yards. It +was with the utmost difficulty that we retained our hold on the rope +which had been fastened to him; but at length we succeeded in drawing +him in. On hearing his cries for assistance, forgetting our own danger, +we redoubled our exertions, and soon drew him on board. He was much +exhausted, but fortunately had received no fatal injury. + +After the failure of this attempt, and having in so short a time lost +one half our number, it was agreed upon, after due consultation to +remain upon the wreck till daylight should reveal to us more fully our +situation. In this state of suspense and suffering, we clung to the +rigging, and with much difficulty kept ourselves from being washed away. +Our situation and prospects during that awful night were such, that no +ray of hope was permitted to penetrate the dreary prospect around us; +our thoughts and feelings, wrought up to the highest degree of +excitement by the horrors of our situation, continually visited the +homes we had quitted,--probably forever,--and offered up prayers for the +dear friends we had left behind. Every succeeding wave that dashed over +us threatened to sweep us into an untried eternity; and while we +impatiently awaited approaching day, we committed our spirits to Him who +alone could control the raging elements. + +At daybreak, we discovered that a part of the reef, apparently about +three miles off to the leeward, was dry; and this, though but of small +consequence, afforded us some comfort. In a short time we discovered +land at the distance of twenty or thirty miles, in an eastwardly +direction. This, though we were ignorant of the character of the +inhabitants--if indeed it should turn out to be the residence of human +beings--presented to our minds the possibility of escape; and without +any delay we prepared, as well as we could, to abandon the vessel. There +remained but one boat, and that was in a poor condition for conveying +us, eleven in number, so great a distance. But, as no choice was left +us, the boat was soon prepared; and when the sun was about two hours +high, we had completed our arrangements. We took into the boat one small +chest of bread, some water, a quantity of wearing apparel, a canister of +gunpowder, one musket, a brace of pistols, three cutlasses, and a +tinder-box. In this frail bark, and with these poor means of subsistence +and defence, with little to rely upon but the mercy of Providence, we +took leave of the ship; not without feelings of deep sorrow, and with +small hopes of improving our forlorn condition. + +On leaving the ship we steered directly for the reef above mentioned, +and without much difficulty landed and drew up our boat. This proved to +be, as we had previously conjectured, a part of the reef upon which we +had been wrecked; and we soon ascertained that the portion of the rock +above water was but about sixteen rods long, and quite narrow, but +sufficiently large to afford us a secure footing for the little time we +had to stay upon it. It was our first, and almost our only object, to +remain here until we could render our arrangements more perfect, and +either put to sea with less hazard, or make our passage to the land, +which was still distinctly visible. As yet but little time had been +afforded us for calm reflection; and it was now a question of serious +importance, whether it would be most prudent to encounter the billows in +the crazy boat which was our chief dependence, upon the open sea, with +our scanty means of subsistence, or to throw ourselves into the hands, +and upon the mercy of whatever race of beings might chance to inhabit +the island. In favor of the former plan it was suggested that we might +be seen, and taken up by some vessel cruising in those seas, and thus +saved from captivity or death among a barbarous people; and, on the +other hand, it was maintained, that a chance among the savages of those +islands would be preferable to the risk of going to sea in a boat which +was in all respects unseaworthy, and with only a few pounds of bread, +and but little water, for our subsistence. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + The situation of the survivors of the ship's company upon the reef + during the night.--A canoe filled with savage natives approaches + the reef; intercourse with them; and description of their persons + and terrific appearance.--Their pilfering of the articles saved, + and plundering of the ship.--Several canoes arrive.--Mr. Nute's + resolute conduct towards the natives.--The ship's company pursue + their course, in their boat, towards an island, on which they land + after severe suffering. + + +Happily, by the goodness of the allwise Disposer of events, the +unfortunate can avail themselves of a thousand sources of comfort, +which, by those in prosperous circumstances, are either overlooked or +neglected. We were upon a barren rock, in the midst of a waste of +waters, far from kindred and friends, and the abodes of civilized man; +the ship which had been our home, and on board of which we had embarked +with high hopes, lay within sight, a useless wreck; still we were +enabled to enjoy a moment of relief, if not of actual pleasure, derived +from an event, which, though trifling in itself, is worthy of being +recorded. + +We succeeded in taking an eel, a few crabs, and a small quantity of +snails. Having our fire-works with us, we collected a sufficient number +of sticks, with a few pieces of drift-wood which had lodged upon the +rock, to make a fire; with this we cooked our fish and snails; and, with +a small allowance of bread, we made what we then thought a sumptuous +repast! After we had finished our meal, we began to prepare for the +night. We erected a tent with some of our clothes and pieces of canvas, +at a little distance from the boat; and, when night came on, a part of +our number kept watch, and the rest soon lost all consciousness of their +misfortunes in sleep. About midnight those who had watched took their +turn at resting; and in the morning we found ourselves considerably +refreshed; though an increased activity of our minds served only to +bring home a more vivid picture of the horrors of the previous night, +and of our present condition. + +Providence, it would seem, had ordained that we should not long remain +undetermined as to the course to be adopted; for before sunrise we +discovered a canoe within a short distance of us, containing twenty-two +of the inhabitants of the neighboring island. They approached to within +pistol-shot of where we stood, and there lay on their oars for some +time, looking at us, and manifesting no small degree of fear. Thinking +it best to be on friendly terms with them, we attached a shirt to one of +our oars, and hoisted it as a token of a wish, on our part, to regard +and treat them as friends. This had the desired effect; and they +immediately rowed up to the rock. Manifesting great pleasure, they left +their canoe and rushed towards the place where the principal part of our +boat's crew were standing, bringing with them cocoa-nuts, and a small +quantity of bread made of the cocoa-nut boiled in a liquor extracted +from the trunk of the tree. At that time, I was standing near the tent, +at a little distance from my companions, and was an anxious spectator of +the scene. Their appearance excited my astonishment, and I was filled +with horror by the sight of beings apparently human, and yet almost +destitute of the ordinary marks of humanity. They were entirely naked. +Each one was armed with a spear and tomahawk; some had battle-axes. They +were fantastically tattooed on different parts of their bodies. Their +hair, naturally coarse and black, like that of the Indians of America, +was very long, and hung loosely over their shoulders, giving them a +singular and frightful appearance. Their teeth were entirely black; +rendered so, as we afterwards found, by chewing what they call +"_abooak_."[1] The reader can judge of our feelings on finding ourselves +in the hands of beings of this description. Our confidence in the +honesty of our visiters did not improve on further acquaintance. + +No sooner had they landed, than they commenced their depredations upon +the few articles, which at that time constituted all our earthly riches. +The nautical instruments, the musket, and a part of our clothing, they +immediately appropriated to their own benefit. Fortunately a part of our +clothing, the powder, and the cutlasses we had succeeded in concealing +in a crevice of the rock. Taking with them their booty, they +precipitately got into their canoe, and, beckoning to us, evidently with +a view of inducing us to follow them, they steered directly for the +wreck. Their first appearance, and this strong manifestation of their +thievish disposition, so far from inclining us to cultivate their +acquaintance any further, had given us an irresistible inclination to +avoid them. Our minds were not long in coming to the conclusion, that an +open sea, with Heaven to protect us, would be far preferable to a chance +among beings like those. Accordingly, with the least possible delay, we +launched our boat, and putting into it such things of value as we had +saved, once more, surrounded by new difficulties and dangers, committed +ourselves to the mercy of the waves. + +The island before mentioned being now distinctly visible, we steered in +a direction towards it; though we found it necessary to go a somewhat +circuitous course, in order to avoid the reef. By the time we had +succeeded in getting into deep water, the natives had been to the ship, +and were returning with the five muskets which we had left on board. +They soon passed us with great rapidity, and evidently with the +intention of escaping with their booty unharmed. The cause of their +precipitancy will soon be explained. + +Just at this time there came in sight a number of canoes, perhaps +thirty, filled with natives, who seemed no less intent upon plunder than +those with whom we had already formed a disagreeable acquaintance. Their +language was to us entirely unintelligible, but we could gather from +their somewhat significant gestures, that they most of all desired to +possess themselves of fire-arms. They beckoned to us to go with them, +and seemed quite anxious to avail themselves of our assistance; but we +were not less so to escape; and with the hope of being able to do so, +we continued to row towards the island. Some of them remained near us, +while the rest made for the ship. At length, all, except those in one +canoe, left us, and joined their companions. These seemed particularly +fond of our company, partly on account, as we afterwards learned, of +their suspecting that we had something of value concealed about us, and +partly for the purpose of making us their prisoners, and in that way +gaining some advantage over the others. After a while they offered, with +an appearance of friendship, to render us some assistance by towing our +boat; and after some deliberation we concluded to throw them a line. +This greatly facilitated our progress, as their canoe, being made very +light, skimmed over the water with incredible swiftness. No sooner was +this arrangement completed than a chief, and one other of the natives, +left their canoe and took their station with us; the chief with a +somewhat offensive familiarity seating himself in the stern of the boat, +near the captain. We were not long in doubt concerning the motive which +had led them to this act of condescension. Our bread was contained in a +small chest, which had been placed in the bottom of the boat; this +seemed to have excited their curiosity to the highest pitch, as they +kept their eyes almost constantly upon it, and endeavored to persuade +the captain to give them a chance to examine its contents. He declined +gratifying them, thinking it better to keep their anxiety alive, rather +than to expose to them the comparative worthlessness of the little that +remained with us, of either the comforts or necessaries of life. + +Probably owing to this show of resistance on our part, when we had +approached to within five or six miles of the island, at a signal given +by the chief, the sail of their canoe was suddenly dropped; and, seizing +our powder canister, he jumped overboard and swam to the canoe. His +companion, following the example of the thievish chief, seized a bundle +of clothing and was making off with it; whereupon Mr. Nute, who had not +yet become entirely reconciled to the fashion of going without clothes, +like our new acquaintances, and conceiving that it might be well to +insist upon having the rights of property respected, caught hold of the +bundle and retained it. Upon this they immediately hauled us alongside, +and seized upon our oars; here again we had occasion to offer some +resistance to their supposed right to plunder us, and we succeeded in +keeping possession of these; the only remaining means of saving +ourselves from premature death and a watery grave. + +They had by this time become so exasperated, that we considered it +altogether desirable to get ourselves out of the reach of their war +clubs, spears, and battle-axes; and we took measures accordingly. We +were still held fast to their canoe, and so completely within their +reach that it required not a little courage to make any attempt to leave +them; but Mr. Nute, whose resolution had been wrought up by the previous +contest, took a knife and deliberately cut the line. Our intention was +to throw ourselves astern, and then, by tacking directly about, and +steering in the wind's eye, to escape from them, or at least to give +them, for a time, some better employment than that of robbing their poor +and suffering victims. This we succeeded in accomplishing; not however +without the expense of much toil, and some blows, which they dealt out +at parting, with so much severity, that we shall not soon lose the +recollection of their barbarous conduct towards us. Mr. Nute, by his +intrepidity, seemed to have rendered himself an object of their +particular dislike; they beat him unmercifully, for his resolution in +retaining the bundle of clothes, and sundering the only cord that bound +us to our tormentors. + +Having but three oars, our progress was by no means as rapid as we could +have desired; but perceiving that in going against the wind we had the +advantage of our pursuers, and knowing that our only safety was in +flight, we exerted our utmost strength, and soon had the satisfaction of +leaving them at a safe distance from us. They seemed determined not to +part with us, and continued to pursue us till about four o'clock, P. M. +It was with the greatest difficulty that we kept clear of them; at times +it seemed impossible; and in this situation we could fully realize the +force of the scriptural sentiment, "all that a man hath he will give for +his life." Finding them too near us, and evidently intent upon taking +vengeance for the crime we had committed in attempting to escape, though +our wardrobe had been reduced to a few necessary articles of clothing, +we resorted to the expedient of parting even with these, by casting one +thing at a time upon the water, rightly judging that they might be +detained in picking them up, and hoping by this management to keep our +distance from them. + +After they left us, we continued our course, which was directly into the +open sea, until about sunset, when we discovered land ahead, apparently +at the distance of forty miles. We continued to row on till about three +o'clock in the morning, when we found that we were in shoal water, and +near breakers. We contrived to throw the bight of a rope over a point +of rock which was about eight feet under water, and we there remained +until daylight. We then let go our hold, and pulled for land. At about +four o'clock in the afternoon we succeeded in landing on a small island +distant from the main land about half a mile, and drew our boat upon the +beach. By this time our strength had become much exhausted, and we were +suffering beyond description from the want of water. Our first efforts +were made to find some means for quenching our thirst; and, to our +inexpressible joy, we soon found a spring, which, in that extremity of +our sufferings, was of more value than a mine of gold. Poor Sedon was +left lying in the boat in a state of complete prostration. We carried +him some water, and he soon revived. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] In Keate's Account of the Pelew Islands this word is written +_pook_.--_Edit._ + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + A canoe, with two natives, approaches the island.--Communication + opened with them.--A great number of canoes, filled with armed + natives, suddenly arrive; rough treatment of the captain by one of + the chiefs.--They all arrive at the harbor of the island, which + proved to be one of the Pelew islands.--Description of the island + and its inhabitants.--Consultation of the chiefs respecting the + ship's company.--Result of the consultation. + + +Having satisfied our most pressing wants, we next set ourselves at work +to obtain food. We had with us a part of the bread brought from the +wreck, and the preparation given us by the natives composed of the +cocoa-nut pulverized and mixed with the sweet liquor extracted from the +tree. Putting these together into a bucket-full of water, we made out +the materials for a supper, which, though not of a kind to suit the +delicate palate, was devoured with thankfulness and a good relish. +Feeling refreshed and invigorated by our meal, we gathered ourselves +into a group on the beach, and passed our moments of relaxation in +conversing upon the melancholy vicissitudes through which we had passed, +and the gloomy prospect which was at that unpromising moment spread out +before us. Should we find it possible to procure the means of +subsistence, it was thought best to remain where we were for a day or +two, not knowing what reception we should meet with, were we to throw +ourselves into the hands of the inhabitants of the main island, and +feeling an unconquerable reluctance to come in contact with beings +scarce less ferocious than beasts of prey. But fortune having commenced +making us the sport of painful incidents, soon subjected us to another +annoyance. + +A canoe containing two living beings, in the form of men, in a state of +nakedness, was seen, from where we sat, putting off from a point of land +which projected into the sea a small distance below us. They had +evidently discovered us, and were approaching the spot where we were, +for the purpose of making themselves acquainted with us and our +condition. When within hailing distance they stopped, and seemed afraid +to come nearer. Thinking it best to be on friendly terms with them, we +beckoned to have them approach. This seemed to please them; and, to +manifest a friendly disposition, they held up a fish. To show them that +we were inclined to reciprocate any acts of kindness, to the extent of +our ability, we held up a crab which we had caught. Upon this they +immediately came near to where we stood. We presented to each one a +jackknife, and indicated by signs, that they were at liberty to take any +thing we had. They appeared highly gratified, and their conduct was +inoffensive. In a short time they returned to their canoe, and made +signs to us to follow them; we thought best to do so, and accordingly +soon placed our effects in the boat, and followed them towards a sort of +harbor at no great distance. In consequence of the lightness of their +canoe and their dexterity in managing it, they were soon ahead of us, +and, turning round a point of land, they were speedily withdrawn from +our view. + +In a few minutes they returned, accompanied by a large number of +canoes--the water seemed to be literally covered by this miniature +fleet. The natives were all armed, much like those with whom we first +became acquainted. + +This instantaneous movement was occasioned, as we afterwards learned, by +an alarm given by the two natives who had visited us on the small +island. Intelligence of the fact, that a boat's crew of strange looking +beings, as we doubtless appeared to them, had landed upon their +territory, was given by sounding a shell. This aroused the multitude, +and caused them to come out, to satisfy their curiosity, and assist in +conducting us safely and speedily to a place of security. A large war +canoe made directly towards us; and, on coming alongside, the head chief +sprung into our boat, seized the captain by the shoulder, and struck him +several times with a war-club; in the mean while giving him to +understand, that it was his will and pleasure to have us row, with all +convenient despatch, to the place whence they had issued. He then +commenced swinging his club over our heads with great apparent ferocity, +for the purpose, as it seemed, of awing us into submission; occasionally +striking some of our number. After pretty thoroughly convincing us that +in this case our only course was submission, he began to strip us of our +clothing. While this was going on, his associates in arms and mischief +kept their canoe close alongside, and, standing up, held their spears in +a position to enable them to pierce us through in an instant, if there +had been any occasion for so doing. + +We were soon in their miserable harbor; and, it being low water, we were +compelled to leave our boat, and wade to the tableland through the mud. +Our appearance, as the reader will naturally conclude, was not very +creditable to the land which gave us birth; but since our destitute and +miserable condition was not our choice, we could do no less than be +thankful that it was no worse; and, making the best of it, we suffered +ourselves to be ushered into the presence of the dignitaries of the +island, in the way they thought most proper. We were conducted to a +platform, on a rise of land at a little distance from the harbor, on +which were seated those who had power to dispose of us as they pleased. +This platform was twelve or fifteen feet square, and was situated +between two long buildings, called "_pyes_." These, as we afterwards +learned, were used by the chiefs as places of carousal, and as a sort of +harem for their women. They were constructed in a rude manner, of bamboo +sticks, and covered with leaves. They were sixty or seventy feet in +length, and about twenty-four in width. + +That something like a correct conception of this scene may be formed by +the reader, it may be well to give, in this place, a brief account of +the appearance, manners, and customs of the natives of this island. This +was the island known to navigators as Baubelthouap, the largest of the +group of the Pelew islands. It lies not far from the eighth degree of +north latitude, is about one hundred and twenty miles in length, and +contains probably not far from two thousand inhabitants.[2] + +The men were entirely naked. They always go armed, in the way before +described, and carry with them a small basket, containing generally the +whole amount of their movable property. The women wear no other clothing +than a sort of apron (fastened to the waist by a curiously wrought +girdle) extending nearly to the knees, and left open at the sides. The +material of these garments (if such they can be called) is the bark of a +tree called by them "_karamal_." This tree grows from thirty to forty +feet high, and is two or three feet in circumference. The hair of both +males and females is worn long; it is coarse and stiff, and of a color +resembling that of the natives of North America. They make free use of +the oil extracted from the cocoa-nut; with this they anoint their +bodies, considering it the extreme of gentility to have the skin +entirely saturated with it. Their arms, and sometimes the lower parts of +the body and legs, are ingeniously tattooed. Their complexion is a light +copper. Their eyes have a very singular appearance, being of a reddish +color. Their noses were somewhat flat, but not so flat as those of the +Africans; nor are their lips so thick. They are excessively fond of +trinkets. It would cause a fashionable lady of America to smile, to +observe the pains taken by those simple daughters of nature to set off +their persons. In their ears they wear a sort of ornament made of a +peculiar kind of grass, which they work into a tassel; this is painted +and richly perfumed. In their noses they wear a stem of the _kabooa_ +leaf, which answers the double purpose of an ornament and a smelling +bottle; and their arms, in addition to being tattooed in the manner +above mentioned, are adorned with a profusion of shells. Our fair +readers may judge how much we were amused, on finding that the +copper-colored females of the island cut up our old shoes into +substitutes for jewelry, and seemed highly delighted with wearing the +shreds suspended from their ears. + +Our further acquaintance with this extraordinary people confirmed us in +the opinion, that the ceremony of marriage is unpractised and unknown +among them. The chiefs appropriate to themselves as many females as they +please, and in the selection they exercise this despotism over the +affections without regard to any other laws than those of caprice. +Reserving a more particular account of their manners, customs and mode +of living for another place, I content myself with observing at this +time, that the people of these islands, generally speaking, are in the +rudest state imaginable. It is true that some sense of propriety, and +some regard to the decencies of life, were observable; nor did they +appear entirely destitute of those feelings which do honor to our +nature, and which we should hardly expect to find in a people so rude +and barbarous. + +Such were the beings among whom Providence had cast our lot; and to +think of remaining with them to the end of life, or for any great length +of time, was like the contemplation of imprisonment for life in the +gloomy cells of a dungeon. + +From the rudely constructed wharf near the spot where we left our boat, +we were conducted into the presence of a number of the chiefs, who were +seated upon the platform above mentioned. The natives eagerly pressed +forward to obtain a sight of us. That curiosity peculiar to the better +portion of our race was, on this occasion, manifested by the females of +the island. They clustered around us, and, placing their hands upon our +flesh, seemed greatly to wonder that it should differ so much from their +own. The fashion of wearing a skin so white as ours, seemed to them, no +doubt, to be an offence against the taste and refinement of their +portion of the world. To go at large without being tattooed, was to +carry with us the palpable proofs of our vulgarity; and, to our sorrow, +we were afterwards compelled to conform to the custom of the barbarians +in this respect, and shall carry with us to the grave the marks of their +well-meant, though cruel operation upon our bodies. + +Judging from appearances, our case had become a concern of great +importance. The chiefs seemed to have had under discussion the question, +whether we were to be treated as enemies, and subjected to the process +of beheading upon the block of the executioner, (which was there in +readiness before our eyes) or regarded as friends, and welcomed to their +rude hospitalities. Unable as we were to understand a word of their +language, or to say any thing by way of explanation or defence, the +reader will conceive, better than we could describe, our painful +situation. For a time we considered our case as hopeless. The women, who +seemed to have taken an interest in our welfare, after observing, for a +time, what was going on among the chiefs, began to utter their cries and +lamentations, as if greatly distressed on our account. Their grief had +the appearance of being sincere; they wept, and in a variety of ways +expressed emotions of deep and heart-felt solicitude. Whether this was +their manner of interceding in our behalf, to avert some impending +calamity, or was expressive of their regret on account of our doom +having been already sealed, it was impossible for us to determine. Nor +did we ever know the amount of our obligations to those female strangers +for the interest taken in our welfare. A termination was put to our +suspense, however, in the course of an hour. + +At the close of the consultation, a large bowl was brought to us, filled +with sweetened water, and richly ornamented with shells, so arranged as +to form a sort of hieroglyphical characters. We drank of the contents of +the bowl, in compliance with their request, from a richly wrought cup +made of a cocoa-nut shell. This act of hospitality was regarded as a +favorable indication of a friendly disposition on their part towards us; +and our hopes were afterwards confirmed; for no sooner had we finished +drinking, than the natives prepared to conduct us away. We afterwards +learned, that a messenger had been despatched to a neighboring town, or +settlement, to consult their prophetess in regard to the proper manner +of disposing of us; and that she had directed them to send us to her. Of +this important personage a more particular account will be given +hereafter; suffice it, for the present, to say, that the respect paid to +her by the natives of the island was of the most profound character, and +her authority over them was almost unlimited. + +We were conducted, through an inconsiderable place, to the town where +the prophetess resided. In this place there were several +dwelling-houses, scattered about without regard to order; and, besides +the dwelling of the prophetess, two of their long buildings, or "pyes," +gave it not a little importance in the estimation of these rude and +uncultivated beings. We were halted in front of one of the "pyes," and +directly opposite the house of the prophetess. Here, again, we were +reminded of the fact, that we were in the presence of our superiors, as +to power, by the platform on which were placed our judges, the chiefs, +and the block standing near them, for the purpose of execution. + +We were soon surrounded by a vast crowd of the natives, eager to see us, +and to learn something of the nature of beings so different from +themselves. + +A short time after our arrival, a quantity of food was brought from the +house of the prophetess, and placed in the centre of the platform. This +consisted of a hog's head, boiled in sea-water, highly seasoned with +cayenne and aromatic herbs, a plentiful supply of yams, and a large bowl +of sweetened water. This meal was abundant and delicious; and we partook +of it with an excellent relish. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] This island is not always laid down by name on our common maps, nor +mentioned in geographical works. In the best _charts_ it is called +_Baubelthouap_. In the chart prefixed to the fifth volume of _Burney's +Chronological History of the Voyages and Discoveries in the South Sea_, +it is called "Panloq or Babelthoup." In the map accompanying the late +edition of Malte Brun's Geography, (in 4to) it is carelessly printed +_Banbeltbonap_.--_Edit._ + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + An extraordinary and unexpected meeting with a person not a + native.--Happy result of the meeting.--Acquisition of the Pelew + language.--Dissensions between two portions of the natives.--Three + of the ship's company separated and carried to a place remote from + the rest.--Attempt to construct a boat, in order to leave the + island.--The natives agree to release them all for a + compensation.--Solemnities observed by the natives on the + occasion.--Tools used in making the boat; transportation of timber, + &c.--The plan abandoned, and a canoe substituted for the + boat.--Another festival. + + +An interesting incident now occurred. Just at the time when the servant +of the prophetess brought out the materials for our repast, we observed, +at a little distance, a singular looking being approaching us. His +appearance was that of a man of sixty. His hair was long and gray, +unlike that of the natives. His legs, arms, and breast were tattooed. +His step was quick and firm; his motions indicating that he felt himself +a person of not a little importance. His teeth were entirely gone, and +his mouth was black with the use of "kabooa." Judge of our emotions on +hearing this strange being address us in broken English! His first +exclamation was--"My God, you are Englishmen!" He immediately said, "You +are safe now;" but he gave us to understand, that it was next to a +miracle that we had escaped being killed on the water. + +This person was by birth an Englishman, and had been on the island about +twenty-nine years. He told us that he had been a hatter by trade, and +that his name was Charles Washington. He had been a private in the +British naval service, on board the Lion man-of-war. Cruising in those +seas, he had, while on duty, been guilty of some trifling offence; and, +apprehending that he should be severely punished for it, had left the +ship, and taken up his residence upon the island. He seemed to be +contented with his situation, and had no desire to return to his native +country. He had attained to great celebrity, and was the sixth chief +among them. His authority seemed great, and he exercised it with +exemplary discretion. + +Observing the provisions before us, he told us that they were for our +use, and desired us to partake of whatever we preferred. Seeing that we +were likely to be somewhat annoyed by the crowd of young persons who had +collected around us, he swung his battle-axe over their heads, and +giving them to understand that we belonged to _him_, immediately caused +them to disperse. + +Arrangements were soon made for our accommodation. A part of one of the +"pyes" was appropriated to our use, and we were furnished with mats, and +other things for our comfort and convenience. Here we remained for about +a month, and were regularly supplied by the natives with a sufficiency +of provisions of various kinds, such as hogs, goats, fish, yams, +cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, preserved almonds, and occasionally with sweet +potatoes. + +A change seemed now to have come over us. We were, it is true, amongst a +rude and barbarous people, cut off from all intercourse with the rest of +the world, and deprived of many things which we had been accustomed to +regard as essential to our happiness; but even then we found many +reasons for being grateful to the Disposer of events. Our actual wants +were supplied; and the natives soon evinced a disposition to consider us +friends, and treat us as such. To the latest day of our lives we shall +remember some of them with heartfelt respect and affection; and, most of +all, regret our inability to requite them for the favors which they +voluntarily bestowed upon us. Especially should we rejoice to revisit +that lonely spot of earth, and carry with us, to those children of +nature, the means of civilization, and the blessings of Christian faith +and Christian morality. And should the government of enlightened America +ever see proper to extend to them some proof of its regard, it would +afford us unspeakable pleasure to have it in our power to communicate to +them the exalted principles, which might incline this highly favored +nation to the performance of so noble a deed. + +Finding it important to be able to converse with the natives, we +improved every opportunity to become acquainted with their language. +Having but little to occupy our attention, it was not long before we had +acquired a tolerable knowledge of it; and we found our situation much +more pleasant as we became familiar with it. Our great object was, as +the reader will naturally suppose, to contrive some way of escape. Our +only means of accomplishing this was by friendly and amicable +negotiation, and to make them understand our wishes, and convince them +that it would be for their interest to aid us in returning to our native +land, were essential to our success. + +We had not long been with them before we became acquainted with the +fact, that upon the opposite end of the island there was another tribe, +and that the two divisions of the inhabitants were not on the most +friendly terms with each other. Intelligence had in some way been +communicated to those who lived remote from the spot where fortune had +thrown us, that we were desirous of leaving the island; and, probably +with a view of gaining some advantage, they sent to us a message, +informing us of their willingness to assist in constructing a boat +sufficiently large to convey us across the water. The persons +commissioned to make this proposal, and to persuade us to go to them, +were two Englishmen, who, as we afterwards learned, had been on the +island for several years, and were left there by English vessels. The +particulars of their history we were unable to obtain. + +An offer of that kind, coming as it did from their enemies, and being in +itself calculated to offend the pride of those into whose hands we had +fallen, greatly excited their feelings of animosity; and, in consequence +of our having manifested some desire to satisfy our own minds on the +subject, we were closely watched. On the whole, however, we had no +reason to regret this state of things; for on finding that their +neighbors were disposed to assist us, a spirit of emulation was aroused +among them, and for a time we had some hopes that the excited energies +of this tiny nation would lead to the performance of some exploit, +which, in the end, might place at our disposal the means of +deliverance. + +Our maintenance had by this time become so great a tax upon their +resources, that it was found expedient to cause some of our number to be +removed to a settlement about a mile distant. Mr. Nute, Mr. Rollins, and +myself were accordingly selected, and under a strong escort taken to the +place. This did not please us, as we preferred remaining with our +companions; but either expostulation or resistance would have involved +us in worse difficulties, and we submitted. In our new situation we were +well supplied with provisions, and kindly treated. We were allowed to +visit our friends at the other town, and spent our time as agreeably as +could be expected under the circumstances. + +Previously to this, some steps had been taken towards constructing a +sort of boat or vessel to convey us home. Finding the natives disposed +to part with us, for a stipulated consideration, and to render us any +assistance in their power, we left no means unemployed to induce them +to exert themselves to the utmost; and, to their credit be it said, it +was more owing to their inability than to their want of inclination that +we were not entirely successful. An account of their proceedings cannot +fail of being interesting. + +After much deliberation, and many consultations upon the momentous +subject, it was agreed to commence operations. Their prophetess had been +duly consulted, and the assistance of their divinity had been implored +with great formality. Before they ventured upon the undertaking, it was +deemed advisable to hold a festival. An event of so much importance +could not be suffered to transpire without being duly solemnized. +Tradition furnished no account of any thing equal to this attempt! +Accordingly large quantities of provisions were brought from various +parts of the island, and an immense concourse of men, women, and +children, attended the feast. On our part we had little confidence in +the success of the plan; but, be that as it might, we were far from +being displeased with their efforts to carry it into execution, and +shared with them the festivities of the occasion, with not a little +pleasure. + +This part of the business having been duly attended to, the time had +come for united and vigorous action; and accordingly the whole male +population of that region repaired to the woods, to procure timber. In +the mean time the females, animated by a spirit of emulation, betook +themselves to the task of making mats, to serve as sails to our vessel, +when it should be completed. In fine, the whole resources of the +country, of every kind, were taxed to the last extremity, to accomplish +the work. + +Considering the means they had for carrying the plan into execution, it +is surprising that they accomplished as much as they did. The best tools +we had were a few old inch chisels, which served as substitutes for the +broad-axe, in manufacturing trees into planks, and afterwards fitting +them to their places. There were a few spikes on the island, but we had +neither auger nor gimlet. + +When news had been received that the timber was ready in the woods, +orders were given to have it brought together. Seldom had we witnessed a +more novel scene than that presented by the natives when they brought +from the forests the rudely prepared materials for the boat. They were +seen coming in from all quarters with loads of timber on their +shoulders, of every size and shape that could be conceived of, and +causing the hills and vales to resound with their shouts. + +In due time the work of putting together the materials commenced. We +succeeded in laying a sort of keel, and at length contrived to erect a +kind of frame, which, though it might not be regarded as a first-rate +specimen of naval architecture, nevertheless looked somewhat like the +beginning of a water-craft. But when we came to the more difficult part +of the business, that of putting on the planks, we found that not only +our skill, but that of the whole nation, was completely baffled. We were +compelled to abandon the undertaking; and despaired of ever being able +to succeed in building any thing of the kind. + +During all this time the natives were sanguine in the belief that they +should succeed, and repeatedly assured us that they could accomplish the +work. Their sorrow and mortification, on being obliged to give it up, +were great; for they seemed to realize, that now they must have fallen +in our estimation, and thought that we should be anxious to avail +ourselves of the assistance of their enemies, who, as they well knew, +were extremely anxious to get us into their hands. The captain did not +attempt to conceal his wish to go to the other part of the island. This +greatly increased their dissatisfaction; and their murmurs became +frequent and loud. After considerable expostulation, they proposed to +make a _canoe_ sufficiently large to convey us away; and, having some +confidence in the practicability of the plan, we consented to wait and +assist them in their endeavors to supply us with this substitute for the +more respectable craft we had contemplated building. After duly +consulting the old prophetess, the principal chiefs were assembled, and +having agreed to take for the purpose the largest bread-fruit tree on +the island, the people were called upon to meet at the spot where it +stood, and assist in cutting it down. + +Matters of so great importance required deliberation in the operation of +planning out the work,--but the accomplishment of an undertaking like +that of felling so large a tree, with tools even less adapted to the +business than the teeth of a beaver, was one that took several days. At +length the herculean task was performed, and the tree fell! But judge of +our feelings on finding that the trunk, which we had hoped to render so +useful in conveying us to some place from which we could obtain a +passage to our native land, had, in falling, become so split as to be +good for nothing! It seemed to us that a cruel fate had ordained, that +no labor of our hands should prosper. Another tree was selected, and +with that we were more successful. We then commenced digging it out, and +bringing it to a proper shape. The old chisels were now put in +requisition; and, in twenty-eight days from the time we began, we had +succeeded in bringing that part of our labor to a close. Of the other +tree we made two wide planks, which we fastened to the upper edges of +the canoe, thereby adding very considerably to its capacity. Two months +more were consumed in fitting up our canoe with sails, and getting it +ready for sea. + +Having proceeded thus far, it was deemed proper by the natives to have +another festival; and, as our labors, in this instance, had been +attended with better success, extraordinary preparations were made for a +feast that should do honor to the occasion. An immense quantity of fish +had been obtained; the females brought large quantities of bread-fruit, +cocoa-nuts, and yams; and the toil of months was forgotten in the +universal joy which then prevailed. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + The natives become anxious to aid the ship's company in leaving the + island.--Terms on which they agreed to release them.--Departure + from the Pelew islands.--Necessity of returning the same + night.--Detention a month longer; and final departure. + + +By this time the natives had become nearly as anxious to part with us as +we had ever been to leave them; and being mutually desirous to be rid of +each other's company, we lost no time in preparing for our departure. +Our object now was to get into the open sea, with the hope of falling in +with some vessel on its passage to China or elsewhere, and thus be able, +after a while, to find a conveyance to America. Provisions were +furnished us by the natives; but we greatly needed a compass, and with +much difficulty obtained one. Captain Wilson, who had been shipwrecked +there many years before, left his compass with one of the chiefs, whom +we finally succeeded in inducing to part with it. It had become much +impaired by time and improper usage, but served as a tolerable guide.[3] + +It is proper here to state the particulars of our agreement with the +natives of this island. They had, as before related, furnished us with +the means of subsistence, and with comfortable lodgings; and, for the +purpose of enabling us to return home, had been at great expense in +fitting up a craft, such as they thought would answer to convey us +wherever we pleased to go. According to their notions, we were persons +of sufficient consequence in the estimation of our countrymen, to +fulfil any engagement we might make with them, and to the extent to +which, in our necessity, we were compelled to go, in order to obtain the +object which we had in view, should the government consider itself +bound; and it would be no less an act of justice than of humanity, to +secure the friendship and confidence of these islanders; so that, should +others unfortunately fall into their hands, their lives and property +might be respected. It is also important, that those who engage in +commercial pursuits should have every protection extended to them. It +would cost the government but a mere trifle to secure an amicable +understanding with these islanders; and it is but reasonable to hope +that no time will be lost in making the attempt. + +Situated as we were, we did not feel ourselves at liberty to expostulate +against the obvious unreasonableness of their demands. We were, in +truth, indebted to them for our maintenance while among them, and for +the assistance they rendered us in fitting up our craft; and, as a +suitable requital for these favors, and to remunerate them for their +hospitality, we solemnly assured them, that, should fortune so far +prosper us, as to enable us once more to reach our native country, we +would send to them two hundred muskets, ten casks of powder, with a +corresponding quantity of balls and flints. Besides this, we gave them +assurances of having several articles of ornament, such as beads, belts, +combs, and trinkets of various kinds. + +On the 27th of October, 1832, we set sail, having the boat in which we +had escaped from the ship, and which we had repaired as well as we were +able, and the canoe which had been constructed by the natives especially +for our use. It was agreed, that three of our number, viz. Davis, Meder, +and Alden, should remain on the island as hostages, and that three of +the natives (two chiefs, and one of the common class) should accompany +us, to see that the agreement made with them should be faithfully +executed. Fearing that the natives residing on the other part of the +island might come upon us and prevent our going, we took our departure +in the night. We soon found that our boats leaked so badly that it would +be next to madness to proceed, and we returned in the course of the +night. Our unexpected return gave great offence; but we insisted that to +go to sea in that condition would be certain destruction. They at length +consented to assist in repairing the canoe and boat, and to suffer us to +remain long enough to complete our arrangements more to our mind. + +We were detained by these operations about a month, and then again took +our leave of the spot where we had remained so long against our will; +though we would not conceal the fact, that the rude kindness of the +natives had so entirely overbalanced their faults, that, on parting with +them, we experienced emotions of regret, and were quite overpowered with +a sense of our obligations to them for the many favors which they had +bestowed upon us. They had regarded and treated us as beings of a higher +order than themselves; and our conduct had inspired them with a +veneration and confidence almost unbounded. As a proof of this, three +of their number were committed to our care, and were entirely willing to +place themselves at our disposal. + +Seven of our number now took the canoe, viz., Bouket, Sedon, Andrews, +Hulet, and the three natives. Captain Barnard, Rollins, Nute, and myself +preferred the ship's boat. We were accompanied on our passage the first +day by a large number of the natives. At night, as we had then succeeded +in getting beyond the reef, they left us, and we continued our course. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[3] The Englishman before mentioned, Charles Washington, told us that +this compass was left there about _thirty_ years before, which was the +time when captain _James_ Wilson, of the ship Duff, was there. But from +circumstances it appeared that he was mistaken as to the time, and that +it was one which had belonged to captain _Henry_ Wilson, who was +shipwrecked there in the Antelope, in 1783, and of whose voyage and +disasters a most interesting and well-known account was published by Mr. +Keate. Its preservation for about fifty years is certainly +remarkable.--_Edit._ + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Regret at having undertaken the voyage in boats.--Storm, and damage + in consequence of it.--Loss of the canoe and the provisions on + board.--Danger of perishing from famine.--On the fifteenth day, + when nearly exhausted with fatigue and hunger, they discover a + small island.--Approach of eighteen canoes filled with natives, who + make prisoners of them all.--Cruelty of the natives; and return + with their prisoners to the island.--Reception there.--The + prisoners distributed among the captors. + + +We had not proceeded far before we had reasons for regretting, that we +had entered upon the perilous undertaking of navigating the waters of +that region in boats so poorly adapted to the purposes we had in view. +There came on a violent storm of rain, the wind blowing hard, and the +waves threatening to swallow us each moment of the night. To our dismay, +the rudder of the canoe, owing to the imperfect manner in which it had +been constructed, was unshipped, and for a time the destruction of those +on board seemed inevitable. Fortunately we continued to keep company. +By great exertion we made out to replace the rudder in the morning, and +then proceeded. In the course of the day the rudder was again unshipped; +but, with less difficulty than before, we succeeded in fastening it to +its place with ropes, so that it answered tolerably well as a substitute +for a better one. Happy would it have been for us, if this had been the +worst of the disasters of our voyage. Our mast next went by the board; +and during the whole of the next night, we lay drifting at the mercy of +the winds and waves. In the mean time the canoe sprung a leak, and we +found it impossible to bail out the water as fast as it came in. In this +extremity we lost no time in shifting all our lading into one end of the +canoe; and by tearing up our old clothes, and stuffing them into the +crack, we at length stopped the leak. In this sad plight we continued +on, meeting with no very serious accident till the fifth day from the +time of leaving the island; when, just at the setting of the sun, owing +to some mismanagement, a light puff of wind capsized the canoe! +Fortunately no one was drowned. All but three swam to our boat; those +who remained continued through the night to cling to the canoe. With +great difficulty we kept our boat from being stove in pieces by coming +in contact with the canoe. During all this time it rained very hard, and +never had we experienced a more dismal night. In the morning we tried to +get the canoe right side up; but finding that impossible, we concluded +to abandon it entirely. We took from it a few cocoa-nuts, and, as our +last resort, all took refuge in the boat. We saved the compass, and did +not so much regret the loss of the canoe, as it had cost us already an +incalculable amount of anxiety, toil, and suffering. + +But new difficulties now stared us in the face. Most of our provisions +had been lost by the upsetting of the canoe, and we had but a very small +quantity of water. It was therefore deemed expedient to divide among us +the means of subsistence remaining. We had four cocoa-nuts for each +person, and a few pieces over, which were distributed equally. At this +time no objects were seen, except a few sea birds. We continued in this +condition for nine days and nights, with actual starvation before us, as +the most probable end of our anxieties and sufferings. We were about +settling down into a state of confirmed despair, when, to our +inexpressible joy, we discovered land apparently about ten miles off. We +exerted all our remaining strength to reach it. When within six miles we +saw, approaching us, a fleet of eighteen canoes, filled with the natives +of the small island we were approaching. + +At first the small canoes came near us, for the purpose of ascertaining +who and what we were. The appearance of these natives was such as to +excite at once our astonishment and disgust. Like the inhabitants of the +island we had left, they were entirely naked; and, as our subsequent +experience proved, they were infinitely more barbarous and cruel. Very +soon the large canoes came up, when the wretches commenced their +outrages. They attacked us with brutal ferocity, knocking us overboard +with their clubs, in the mean time making the most frightful grimaces, +and yelling like so many incarnate devils. They fell upon our boat and +immediately destroyed it, breaking it into splinters, and taking the +fragments into their canoes. While this was going on we were swimming +from one canoe to another, entreating them by signs to spare our lives +and permit us to get into their canoes. This they for a long time +refused, beating us most unmercifully, whenever we caught hold of any +thing to save ourselves from sinking. + +After they had demolished our boat, and kept us in that condition for +some time, they allowed us to get on board. They then compelled us to +row towards the land. They stripped us of all our clothing immediately +after we were taken in; and the reader may form some idea of our +distress in this condition, under a burning sun, from the fact, that +before night our shoulders were blistered, by being thus exposed to the +heat. + +On approaching land we discovered no habitation; but after going round a +point of the island, we saw near the beach a row of small and badly +constructed huts. We were compelled to jump from the canoes into the +water and wade to the shore. By this time the beach was lined with women +and children, who caused the air to resound with the most horrid yells +and screams. Their gestures and violent contortions of countenance +resembled the frantic ravings of Bedlamites. + +The reception we met with on land was no more agreeable than that upon +the water. Judging from the treatment we had received from the females +of the island which we had left, it was hoped that the gentler sex would +extend to us some proof of their commiseration; but in this we were +sadly disappointed. If possible, they were more cruel than their inhuman +lords and masters. We were soon separated from each other, and dragged +about from place to place; our brutal captors, in the mean time, +contending with each other to see who should have us as his property. +Frequent contests of this kind occurred; in one of which, during the +first day, I was knocked down. The question of ownership was at length +settled, and we were retained by those into whose hands we had at first +fallen. Some of us were taken to their house of worship, called by them +Verre-Yarris--literally, God's house, where they went through with some +of their religious ceremonies, and we received a few mouthfuls of food, +which was the first we had tasted through the day. + +It was my good fortune to be retained by one who, compared with the +other natives, was humane. His name was _Pahrahbooah_; the female head +of the family was called Nahkit; and they had four children. I went by +the name of _TeeŽmit_; and Benjamin Nute by the name of _Rollo_. The +captain was also fortunate in falling into the hands of a friend of my +master, who treated him with comparative kindness. He was valued the +more highly also on account of being a large, fleshy man--they judging +of these things by the size and appearance. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + The island, to which they were carried, proves to be Lord North's + island, called by the natives _ToŽbee_.--Account of the island and + its inhabitants.--Their manners and customs. + + +It may now be proper in this place to give some account of the place +where our unhappy lot was cast, and of its rude and miserable +inhabitants. It will be impossible to convey a correct idea of their +ignorance, poverty, and degradation; but some conception may be formed, +by imagining what the condition of beings must necessarily be, when +wholly separated from the rest of their species, stripped of all the +refinements of life, and deprived of all means and opportunities for +improvement. + +We were now upon the small piece of land called by the natives _ToŽbee_, +but known to navigators by the name of _Lord North's Island_, situated +between the third and fourth degrees of north latitude, and in longitude +one hundred and thirty-one degrees twenty minutes east. It is also +known by the name of _Nevil's Island_ and _Johnston's Island_; and it +has been hitherto considered by navigators and others as uninhabited. +This is not surprising; as we were told by the natives, that no white +man had ever visited the place; though it seemed, from the pieces of +iron in their possession, and from other circumstances, that they had +had some communication with the Spaniards and Portuguese in that quarter +of the world.[4] Like many other islands in those seas, this is +surrounded by a coral reef, which is from an eighth to one half of a +mile wide; but outside of the reef the water is apparently fathomless, +the water being as blue as it is in the middle of the ocean; and the +largest vessels may in many places approach within a quarter of a mile +of the beach. The whole island rises so little above the level of the +sea, that the swell often rolls up to a considerable distance inland. +It is about three quarters of a mile in length, and not far from half a +mile in width. There were upon it three villages, situated on the +shores, and containing, in all, between three and four hundred souls, at +the time when we were taken there; but the number was considerably +diminished by famine and disease before we left. + +The inhabitants are in a state of entire barbarism and ignorance. The +men wear a sort of girdle or belt made of the bark of a tree. This is +girded round the loins so as to leave one end to hang loose behind, the +other is brought forward and fastened to the belt in front. This is +their only clothing. The females, after arriving at the age of +womanhood, wear an apron made of the leaves of a plant, by them called +_kurremung_, split into fine strips and plaited. This extends from the +loins nearly to the knees. Some few wear rings upon their wrists made of +white shells, and some had this kind of ornament made of turtle-shell. +In their ears, which are always bored, they sometimes wear a leaf; and +round their necks a necklace made of the shell of the cocoa-nut, and a +small white shell, called _keem_ shell. The children go entirely naked. +The complexion of these islanders is a light copper color; much lighter +than the Malays, or the Pelew islanders; which last, however, they +resemble in the breadth of their faces, high cheek bones, and broad +flattened noses. They do not color their teeth, by chewing any thing, as +many of those islanders do; but their teeth are so strong that they can +husk a cocoa-nut with them instantly. + +Their principal food is the cocoa-nut. They occasionally succeed in +procuring fish, though the supply obtained during our residence there +was exceedingly small. Their fish-hooks are made of turtle-shell, and +not well contrived for the purpose; but we could not induce them to use +our hooks, till they had heated them and altered their form so that they +would not hold the fish. They did this, because they said that Yarris +(God) would be angry with them, if they used our hooks without preparing +them according to their fashion. Sometimes they are so fortunate as to +obtain a sea-turtle; five only were taken during the two years we were +there. The turtle, I may add, has something of a sacred character with +them. They also raise small quantities of a vegetable somewhat +resembling the yam; but while we were with them they were unsuccessful +in cultivating it. These constitute the slender means of their support; +and they are thus barely kept from actual death by famine, but on the +very verge of starvation. When any one of them begins to fail, for want +of food, so that his death is pretty certain, they inhumanly turn him +off from among them, to starve to death. + +Their religion is such as might be expected among a people in their +condition. Their place of worship is a rudely constructed building, or +hut, about fifty feet long and thirty wide. In the centre, suspended +from the roof, is a sort of altar, into which they suppose their deity +comes to hold converse with the priest. Rudely carved images are placed +in different parts of the building, and are supposed to personate their +divinity. As nearly as could be ascertained by us, they supposed that +the object of their worship was of like passions with themselves, +capricious and revengeful. During the time we were with them, they +attributed to his displeasure their want of success in taking fish as +they had done in former times, and the unfruitfulness of their +bread-fruit and cocoa trees. + +Their religious ceremonies are singular. In the commencement the priest +walks round the altar and takes from it a mat devoted to the purpose, +which is laid upon the ground. He then seats himself upon it, and begins +to hoot, in the mean time throwing himself into a variety of attitudes, +for the purpose of calling down the divinity into the altar. At +intervals the congregation sing, but immediately stop when the priest +breaks out in his devotions. By the side of the altar is always placed a +large bowl, and six cocoa-nuts. After the incantation is gone through, +and the divinity is supposed to be present, the bowl is turned up, and +four of the nuts are broken and put in it, two being reserved for the +exclusive use of a priest by them called also "_yarris_." As soon as the +nuts are broken, one of the company begins to shout, and, rushing to the +centre, seizes the bowl, and drinks of the milk of the nut, generally +spilling a considerable part of it upon the ground. After this a few +pieces are thrown to the images, and the remainder are eaten by the +priests. This closes the ceremony; after which they indulge in any +recreations that chance to please them best. + +While we were on the island several earthquakes happened, and some of +them pretty severe. On those occasions the natives were much terrified; +they would not let their children speak a word; and they said among +themselves--_zahbeeŽtoo Yarris_, _ToŽbee yettahŽmen_, that is, Yarris +(God) is coming and To'bee (the name of the island) will sink. They were +also very much alarmed at thunder and lightning; and used to say at such +times, _Yarris teeŽtree_, God is talking. I do not know how they would +be affected by an eclipse, as none happened, that I noticed, while we +remained there. + +I will here mention some other things in respect to their customs and +usages, as they now occur to me. + +Their implements of war are spears and clubs; they have no bows and +arrows. Their spears are made of the wood of the cocoa-nut trees; the +points of them are set with rows of sharks' teeth; and, being at the +same time very heavy and from ten to twenty feet long, are formidable +weapons. + +Their canoes are made of logs which drift to their island from other +places, there being no trees on it large enough for that purpose; they +are hollowed out with great labor, and are of very clumsy workmanship; +to prevent their oversetting, they are fitted up with outriggers, like +those of the Pelew islanders. A sketch of one is given in the +accompanying engraving. + +They kindle their fires, as they informed me, by rubbing two pieces of +wood together, as is common in the islands of the Pacific ocean; and +they cook their turtle or other meat, (when they are so fortunate as to +have any,) as well as their vegetables, by covering them with heated +stones. I should state, however, that during the whole time we staid +among them, fire was always preserved in some part of the island, so +that there was no necessity for kindling it in the manner here +mentioned. + +Like other savage people, they reckon time by moons; I could not learn +that they ever reckoned by any other period, except, indeed, when +speaking of two or three days. + +They take pride in their hair, and are particularly careful about it, +washing and cleansing it almost every day. They do not color it, +however, as the natives of some islands are said to do; but they moisten +it with the juice pressed out from the cocoa-nut, which gives it a very +glossy appearance; and it is frequently so long as to reach down to +their waist. + +Their mode of salutation is, to clasp each other in their arms, and +touch their noses together, as is practised in many other islands. + +We found no musical instruments of any kind among them. They sometimes, +on particular occasions, would sing or bawl out something like a rude +tune; but we could not understand it. We frequently tried to teach them +to whistle, and their awkward attempts to do it amused us; but they +never were able to learn how it was done. + +In their names, I could not find that they had any thing like a family +name, but only a single one, (corresponding to our christian names,) as +is the case, I believe, throughout the islands of the Pacific. I could +not learn, that the names were significant either of animals or other +objects, as the Indian names of America are, and I never found any two +persons of the same name. The names of the members of the family with +which I lived were as follows:-- + +PahrahbooŽah, the father of the family. + +Nah'kit, the mother. + +BuhwurŽtimar, the eldest child, a son, ten or twelve years old. + +KobawŽut, the second, a daughter. + +KobahnooŽuk, the third, a daughter. + +WahŽrebo, the fourth, a son. + +The children do not address their parents by any word corresponding to +father or mother, papa or mamma, but by their names. Their parents treat +them on the footing of equality; they are generally well behaved, and +are never punished, except occasionally when impatient for their food. + +Their language appears to be different from those of the other islands +in that quarter; we found that the three natives of the Pelew islands, +that accompanied us, could not understand any thing they said; though I +observed afterwards, occasionally, a resemblance in two or three words. +The reader will, however, be enabled to judge for himself, by means of a +short vocabulary of common words which will be found at the end of this +narrative. I may add, that the Pelew chiefs had never heard of Lord +North's island; but they are acquainted with the _Caroline_ islands. + +A detail of all that befell us would serve only to give pain to the +benevolent, or at most to show how much human beings can endure. I shall +attempt but little more than to describe the sufferings of a day; +observing once for all, that for the term of two long years we +experienced the same privations, and were subjected to the same brutal +treatment; life, during all that time, being no better than the constant +succession of the most acute sufferings. + +This island, unlike the Pelews, is one of the most horrible and wretched +on the face of the globe. The only product of its soil worth mentioning +is the cocoa-tree; and those are of so dwarfish and miserable a growth +as to bear but very few nuts. These few, however, constitute the food of +the inhabitants, with the exception of a species of fish caught +occasionally near the shore. The only animals or creeping things known +on the island are lizards and mice, and, during our stay there, scarcely +a solitary sea-fowl was known to have alighted on the island, and but +few fish were taken by the natives. + +The character of the inhabitants much resembles that of the island +itself. Cowardly and servile, yet most barbarous and cruel, they +combine, in their habits, tempers, and dispositions, the most +disgusting and loathsome features that disgrace humanity. And, what may +be regarded as remarkable, the female portion of the inhabitants +outstrip the men in cruelty and savage depravity; so much so, that we +were frequently indebted to the tender mercies of the men for escapes +from death at the hands of the women. The indolence of the natives, +which not even the fear of starvation itself can rouse to exertion, +prevents their undertaking the least toil, although a little labor, well +applied, might be made to render them infinitely more comfortable.[5] + +Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that, notwithstanding +they are in this miserable condition, with no prospect of its ever being +improved, they are of the opinion that they are highly favored. This can +be accounted for in no other way than by the fact, that they are +entirely ignorant of all that lies beyond the narrow limits of their +observation. They know nothing of any other portion of the globe, than +the mere speck of barren land upon which by some accident they were +thrown, and where they remain, to drag out a wretched existence. Their +traditions do not extend further back than to about a hundred years; +and, to their simple minds, it seems like a splendid effort of mind to +be able to relate, with tolerable accuracy, the time-hallowed stories +told them by their parents. Whether they could in any way be improved by +instruction, is a question which it would be difficult to answer. They +seem to be doomed to remain, as one of the last links in the chain that +connects our race with the mere animal part of the creation. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[4] They occasionally wore a kind of broad hat, called by them _shappo_, +and sometimes _shambaráro_; which are evidently derived from the +Portuguese _chapeo_ (or possibly the French _chapeau_) and the Spanish +_sombrero_.--_Edit._ + +[5] Some of these remarks are taken from the New York Sun of May 30, +1835; for which paper the substance of them was furnished by Mr. Nute +and myself. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + A ship discovered at a small distance from the island.--The natives + prepare to go on board of her.--Captain Barnard and Bartlet + Rollins, after being severely beaten, are allowed to go with the + natives in their canoes, and thus effect their escape; the rest of + the Mentor's people are still forcibly detained on the + island.--Their hopes of being taken on board of the same ship are + suddenly blasted.--Their despondency on that + disappointment.--Return of the natives from the ship; their rage, + and quarrels about the division of the articles procured on board + of her.--They threaten to wreak their vengeance on the Mentor's + people that remained with them.--Their cruel treatment of them.--A + storm destroys the cocoa-nut trees and causes a scarcity of food. + + +We were captured and taken to the island December 6, 1832; and on the +third day of February, 1833, two months wanting three days, captain +Barnard and Bartlet Rollins effected their escape. Compared with the +remainder of our captivity, our privations and sufferings up to that +time were less severe. But at no time did we have sufficient food to +satisfy the cravings of hunger! The very crumbs that fall from an +ordinary table would have been to us a luxury; the swine of America are +better fed than we were, on the most fortunate day of our residence upon +that island. + +It was on the day above mentioned that a ship was discovered a short +distance from the island, and the natives immediately collected, and +prepared to go to it, in order to obtain iron, or some other articles of +value. Hope once more visited us. To escape was, of course, our strong +desire and intention. Accordingly, when the canoes put off we attempted +to go. Our savage masters interposed their authority, and by menaces and +blows prevented us. Many of us were severely beaten, and all but two +were detained by the brutal force of the savages. At length captain +Barnard and Rollins, after being severely beaten, were allowed to +accompany the natives to the ship, and succeeded in effecting their +escape. Trusting to the humanity of the captain and crew, we for some +time confidently expected, that they would contrive some way of enabling +us to join them. They were in sight about three hours; at one time they +were so near that we could distinctly see the hands on board; but judge +of our feelings when we saw the vessel pursuing her course! Our +expectations were all blasted in a moment, and our minds, which had been +gladdened by the hope of once more enjoying the society of civilized +beings, of once more reaching the shores of our beloved country, sunk +back into a state of despair; we wept like children. + +The natives, when they returned from the vessel, brought with them a +small quantity of iron hoops, and a few articles of some little value, +but they were highly dissatisfied with the amount received, and greatly +enraged. The division of the property caused much difficulty, and they +quarrelled about it for several days. Those of us who remained, though +innocent, were the greatest sufferers. They held us accountable for the +conduct of those who had left, and vented the malignity of their +unfeeling hearts upon us. We were given to understand, that now our doom +was fixed; that we should remain with them, and die the victims of our +tormentors! Alas! it was but too true, that such was to be the fate of +all but two of our number! We were destined to see one after another of +our fellow-sufferers sink under the constantly increasing severity of +the burdens imposed upon them, and perish either from actual starvation, +or by the blows of the savages. + +After the departure of the captain and Rollins, we were treated with +much greater severity than we had been before. Generally we were aroused +from our broken slumbers about sunrise, and compelled to go to work; we +were usually employed in cultivating a species of vegetable somewhat +resembling the yam, and called by them "_koreï_." This root is raised in +beds of mud, which are prepared by digging out the sand, and filling the +place with mould. The whole of this labor was performed with the hands. +We were compelled day after day to stand in the mud from morning till +night, and to turn up the mud with our hands. Frequently we were +required to do this without receiving a morsel of food till about noon, +and sometimes we were left without any thing to eat till night. At best +we could get no more than a small piece of cocoa-nut, hardly a common +sized mouthful, at a time, and if, either from exhaustion or any other +cause, we neglected to perform the required amount of labor, our +pittance of food was withheld altogether. + +From this plain and unexaggerated account it will be seen, that our +condition at best was bad enough; but a misfortune befell us which +rendered it still worse. About four months from the time of our landing +on that dreary spot, there was a violent storm, which came very near +sweeping away the whole of the means of support which remained for the +miserable inhabitants. The wind blew down many of the best cocoa trees, +and materially injured the fruit on such as were left standing. Besides +this, the low places in which they raised the root, by them called +"_korei_," were mostly filled with sand, and famine stared us all in the +face. + +They attributed this misfortune to the anger of their god, and did not +fail to use such means as they thought best calculated to appease him; +and the calamity greatly added to our sufferings. Besides subjecting us +to still more severe deprivations, we were compelled (though hardly able +to drag our limbs from place to place) to labor in repairing the damage +done by the storm. We were employed for months in carrying in our arms +and on our shoulders pieces of the coral rock, in order to form a sort +of seawall to prevent the waves from washing away the trees; and this +drudgery, considering that we were naked, under a burning sun, and +reduced to nothing but skin and bones, was too severe to admit of any +thing like an adequate description. Our flesh, or, to speak more +properly, our skin--for flesh we had none--was frequently so torn by the +sharp corners of the rock, and scorched by the sun, as to resemble more +that of the rhinoceros than of human beings. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + The natives compel the Mentor's people to be tattooed.--Description + of that painful operation.--They also oblige them to pluck their + beards, &c.--Another vessel passes by the island; and, afterwards, + a third comes in sight and remains for three days; the Mentor's + people are closely guarded at these times.--The melancholy fate of + William Sedon; and the barbarous murder of Peter Andrews.--Attack + on H. Holden, who is protected by one of the natives, and + escapes.--B. Nute and others are protected by the female natives + from the fury of the men.--Death of one of the Pelew + chiefs.--Another of the Pelew people is detected in stealing, and + is punished in their manner.--Death of Milton Hewlet and Charles C. + Bouket; leaving now only B. Nute, H. Holden, and the other Pelew + chief, named _Kobak_, who all remained in a feeble and helpless + condition.--Filthy practices of the natives.--Friendship of the + surviving Pelew chief. + + +A new trial now awaited us. The barbarous beings among whom our lot had +been cast, deemed it important that we should be _tattooed_, and we were +compelled to submit to the distressing operation. We expostulated +against it--we entreated--we begged to be spared this additional +affliction; but our entreaties were of no use. Those savages were not +to be moved, and we were compelled to submit; and that the reader may +form some idea of the painful process, I will here give a brief account +of it. + +We were in the first place securely bound down to the ground, and there +held fast by our tormentors. They then proceeded to draw with a sharp +stick the figures designed to be imprinted on the skin. This done, the +skin was thickly punctured with a little instrument made of sharpened +fish bones, and somewhat resembling a carpenter's adz in miniature, but +having teeth, instead of a smooth, sharp edge. This instrument was held +within an inch or two of the flesh, and struck into it rapidly with a +piece of wood, applied to it in such a manner as to cause it to rebound +at every stroke. In this way our breasts and arms were prepared; and +subsequently the ink, which was made of a vegetable found on the island +called by them the "_savvan_," was applied. The operation caused such an +inflammation of our bodies, that only a portion could be done at one +time; and as soon as the inflammation abated another portion was done, +as fast as we could bear it, till our bodies were covered. It was +effectually done; for to this day the figures remain as distinct as they +were when first imprinted, and the marks will be carried by us to the +grave. They were exceedingly anxious to perform the operation upon our +faces; but this we would not submit to, telling them that sooner than +have it done we would die in resisting them. Among themselves, the +oldest people had the greatest quantity of tattooing, and the younger +class less. + +Besides the operation of _tattooing_, they compelled us to pluck the +hair from different parts of the body, and to pluck our beards about +every ten days, which was extremely painful; and at every successive +operation the beard grew out harder and stiffer. + +About seventeen days after the captain and Rollins left, we saw a vessel +to the windward; but the natives did not attempt to visit it. Five +months afterwards another came in sight, and remained for three days +near the island. At one time we could distinctly see the men on board; +but we were kept on shore and closely guarded. Several canoes visited +the ship, and brought back a few pieces of iron, fish-hooks, glass +bottles, &c. We tried, but in vain, to escape. It seemed to us, that we +were doomed to remain on that dreary spot, to wear out our remaining +strength in hopeless bondage, and to submit to the control of brutal +masters, whose tender mercies were cruelties. Death, in any form, would +have been a relief, and often did we see moments when it would have been +welcomed as the best of friends! To some of our companions it did come, +though dreadful in the manner, yet as a not unwelcome alternative. + +About a year after we first arrived at the island, William Sedon became +so reduced as to deprive us of all hopes of his recovery. He looked like +a skeleton; and, at last, was so entirely exhausted by hunger, as to be +unable to walk, or even to rise from the ground. He continued, however, +to crawl from place to place, until all his remaining strength was +nearly gone, when the inhuman monsters placed him in an old canoe, and +sent him adrift on the ocean! Gladly would his unhappy shipmates have +extended to him the last sad offices of friendship; that poor +consolation was denied both him and us! My heart bleeds at the +recollection of our separation and his melancholy fate--when we saw him +anxiously turn his languid eyes towards those who were doomed still to +linger on the borders of the grave! Our sighs were breathed almost in +silence, and our tears were shed in vain! + +It may be observed here, that it is not their custom to deposit the +bodies of any of their dead in the earth, except very young children. +The bodies of grown people, after death, are laid in a canoe and +committed to the ocean. + +It was soon our lot to part with another of our companions, Peter +Andrews. He was accused by the natives of some trifling offence, and put +to death. The savages knocked him down with their clubs, and then +despatched him in the most cruel and most shocking manner. I was at this +time at a distance from the place where he was killed. My master was +absent; and upon my hearing a noise in the direction of the place where +the foul business was transacted, and suspecting that all was not right, +I started to see what was going on. I was near the beach when I saw a +number of the savages coming towards the spot where I stood, dragging +along the lifeless and mangled body of our comrade! One of them +approached me behind, and knocked me down with his club. The body of +Andrews was thrown into the sea, and it seemed to be their determination +to destroy the whole of us. I warded off the blows aimed at me as well +as I could, and recovering myself, ran towards the hut of my master. He +had not yet returned; but, fortunately, an old man, who had previously +shown some regard for me, and who was the particular friend of my +master, happened at that moment to be passing; and seizing the man who +had pursued me, held him fast. I escaped and ran into the hut, and +crawled up through an aperture in the floor into the chamber under the +roof. I seized an old box and covered up the hole through which I had +ascended; but this was not sufficient to detain, for any great length of +time, the wretches who were thirsting for my blood. They soon succeeded +in displacing the box, and one of them seized me; but just as he was +pulling me from my place of refuge, my master returned with several of +his friends, and rescued me from the clutches of my enemies. + +In the mean time Nute and the rest of our companions were at the +"_Tahboo_," a place of public resort, where, for the only time, the +females rendered our people any assistance. They concealed the men under +some mats, and kept them there till the fury of the natives had in a +measure subsided. + +We were next called upon to part with one of the Pelew _chiefs_ who had +come with us. He died of absolute starvation, and, according to custom, +was committed to the waves in an old canoe. In a short time after this, +the Pelew private (who had also come with us) was detected in the crime +of taking a few cocoa-nuts without leave; for which offence he had his +hands tied behind him, and was put into a canoe and sent adrift; which +was their usual method of punishment for offences of different kinds. + +About a year and seven months from the commencement of our captivity +Milton Hewlet died, and, like the others, was, according to the custom +of the natives, committed to the ocean. A short time afterwards Charles +C. Bouket, having become so reduced by his sufferings as to be unable to +help himself, was (horrible to relate!) placed in a canoe, while still +alive, and committed to the mercy of the ocean. Thus did one after +another of our companions sink under the weight of their sufferings, and +perish without any alleviation of their wretchedness. Nute and myself, +with our friend _Kobac_, the other Pelew chief, were all that remained; +and we were constantly expecting that the next hour would end our +existence. + +The idea of death, however, had now become familiar; and often did we +desire the release from suffering which that alone could afford. +Nothing, as it now appears to us, but the kind interposition of +Providence, could have continued our lives, and have given us the power +of endurance to hold out so long as we did. We were frequently so +reduced as to be unable to walk, and were forced to drag ourselves on +our hands and knees to some place where we could lie down under the +shade of a bush, and take rest. But the small comfort to be obtained in +this way was greatly lessened by the annoyance of musquetoes, which +could attack us with impunity in our helpless and feeble condition. +Besides this, our flesh had so fallen away, that on lying down, our +bones would actually pierce through the skin, giving us the most severe +pain. After we were tattooed, the parts operated upon were, for a long +time, running sores; and when exposed to the sun, the pain was +excruciating. + +It has been already said, that the natives were indolent, filthy and +degraded, but the half has not been told; and some things which we +witnessed cannot be related. The intercourse of the sexes was +unrestrained by any law; and the decencies of life were almost entirely +neglected. Instead of taking pains to keep clean, they seemed to be not +unwilling to have their heads overrun with vermin; and however +incredible it may seem, it is a disgusting truth, that they are +accustomed to eat them; and particular care seems to be taken to keep +those loathsome animals in the heads of the children. But I forbear any +further particulars. + +I have already said, that only two of the crew of the Mentor, namely, +Nute and myself, remained alive, with the exception of captain Barnard +and Rollins, who had fortunately escaped. The Pelew chief had become +strongly attached to us, and we take pleasure in stating the fact, that +his faithfulness and affection had greatly endeared him to us. He seemed +more like a brother than a barbarian; and most gladly would we have +saved him from those sufferings which, no doubt, before this time, have +terminated his life. Alas! it was not in our power to administer to his +relief; and when we last saw him he was but just alive. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + The feeble and exhausted condition of the survivors, Nute and + Holden.--The natives consent to release them from labor, but refuse + them food; and they obtain permission to leave the island in the + first vessel, for a compensation to be made to the natives.--They + crawl about from place to place, subsisting upon leaves, and + occasionally begging a little food of the natives, for two + months.--Their sudden joy at hearing of a vessel coming towards the + island.--It proves to be the British barque Britannia, captain + Short, bound to Canton.--They are taken on board the Britannia, + November 27, 1834, and treated with the kindest attention.--Their + joy and gratitude at this happy termination of their + sufferings.--They gradually recover their health so far as to take + passage for America, in the ship Morrison, bound for New York, + where they arrive May 5, 1835.--Acknowledgments for their kind + reception at New York and Boston. + + +Having thus briefly related the story of our captivity and sufferings, +it only remains to give an account of our escape from this barbarous +people. We continued to survive the horrible sufferings to which we were +constantly subjected, and to serve our tyrannical masters, in despite of +our agonies of body and mind, till the beginning of the autumn of 1834; +at which time we had become so emaciated, feeble, and sickly, that we +found it impossible any longer even to attempt to labor. By this time we +had acquired a sufficient knowledge of their tongue to converse fluently +with the natives, and we informed our masters, that our feeble condition +rendered it impossible for us to attempt to do any thing more. We also +reasoned the matter with them, telling them that death was our +inevitable doom, unless we were allowed to relax our labor; that if we +died we could be of no service to them, but if allowed a respite, and we +lived, and could be put on board a vessel, they should be liberally +rewarded. + +With much difficulty we at length persuaded our masters to allow us to +quit labor, and obtained from them a promise to be put on board the +first vessel that should come to the island. But, at the same time, they +informed us, that if we ceased to work, they should cease to furnish the +miserable allowance of cocoa-nut on which we had before subsisted, and +that we must either labor or starve. We deemed death as welcome in one +shape as in another, and relinquished our labors and our pittance of +food together. + +We were thus literally turned out to die! We crawled from place to +place, subsisting upon leaves, and now and then begging of the natives a +morsel of cocoa-nut. In this way we contrived to live for about two +months, when the joyful intelligence was brought to us that a vessel was +in sight, and was coming near the island! Hope once more revisited our +despairing hearts, and seemed to inspire us with renewed strength and +animation. + +[Illustration: ESCAPE TO THE BRITANNIA.] + +After taxing our exhausted powers to the utmost, we persuaded the +natives to prepare for visiting the vessel; and throwing our emaciated +bodies into their canoes, we made for the ship with all possible +despatch. The vessel proved to be the British barque Britannia, captain +Short, bound to Canton. Our reception on board is faithfully described +in the following certificate given by captain Short, the original of +which is still in my possession: + + "LINTIN, 29th December, 1834. + + "This is to certify, that on the 27th day of November, 1834, off + the small island commonly called Lord North's by the English, + situated in latitude 3° 3' north, and longitude 131° 20' east, on + board the British barque Britannia, bound to Canton river, we + observed about ten or eleven canoes, containing upwards of one + hundred men, approaching the vessel, in a calm, or nearly so, with + the intention of coming alongside. But having the small complement + of thirteen men, it was considered most prudent to keep them off, + which was effected by firing a few six pound shots in a contrary + direction from the boats, some of which were then within + pistol-shot. At the same time hearing cries in our own language, + begging to be taken on board, the boat was despatched away to know + the cause. The boat returned to the ship, and reported an American + on board one of them. She was then sent back, having strict + orders to act with caution, and the man got from the canoe into the + sea, and was taken up by the ship's boat, and brought on board. He + then stated in what manner he came there, and said he had another + of his countrymen in another canoe. I said if we could get some of + the boats dispersed, that every assistance should be rendered for + the liberty of the other man. Accordingly they did so, all but + three. The ship's boat was then despatched in search, and soon + found the other man. He was brought on board, but in a most + deplorable condition with fever, from the effects of a miserable + subsistence. These two poor fellows were quite naked, under a + burning sun. They appeared to bear all the marks of their long + servitude, and I should suppose two or three days would have been + the end of the last man taken on board, but from this act of + Providence. It appears that these men were wrecked in the ship + Mentor, on the Pelew islands, and were proceeding with their + commander to some Dutch settlement, in one of the Pelew island + canoes, when they got to the afore-mentioned island, and were + detained by the natives; and that captain Edward C. Barnard had got + on board some ship, and reached Canton river shortly after their + detention at the island; which has been confirmed by the different + masters now at the port of Lintin. + + "The statement given in to me by the two men runs thus:--That they + were wrecked May 21st, 1832, on the Pelew islands, and detained on + Lord North's island 6th December, 1832. The two men's names are + Benjamin H. Nute and Horace Holden. I should thank any ship master + now in port, acquainted with the circumstance, to confirm it by his + signature, in order to make some provision for those men, should + they require it. But from the disposition and liberality of those + American gentlemen coming forward, that are already acquainted with + the circumstance, perhaps it will be unnecessary. At the same time + I shall be very willing to draw up any form, or in any other way + that I may forward their views, according to the opinion of their + American friends. I should hope that every vessel passing in the + direction of the afore-mentioned island, passing any of their + boats, will give them a trifle. I gave them what articles those two + men thought most beneficial, and should have held a closer + communication with them had I been better manned and armed. + + HENRY SHORT, Barque Britannia." + +Never shall we find words to express our joy at once more finding +ourselves in the company of civilized men! Nor can we be too grateful to +captain Short, and his officers and crew, for their kind attentions +during our passage to Lintin. Every thing in their power was done to +restore our health and strength, and to render us comfortable. On +arriving at Lintin we found ourselves sufficiently recovered to be able +to pass up the river to Canton. We remained there, at the factories, +under medical treatment, until the ship Morrison, of New York, was ready +to sail; when we took passage in her for our native country, and arrived +in New York on the 5th day of May, 1835. + +In New York we found many kind friends, who took a lively interest in +our behalf. We would particularly acknowledge a debt of gratitude which +we owe to Mr. John Munson, who opened his hospitable dwelling for our +reception, and with whom we tarried for several weeks. Assisted by the +humane and philanthropic citizens of New York, we have been enabled to +reach Boston. Here Providence has raised us up warm friends, through +whose assistance we have been rendered as comfortable as could under any +circumstances have been expected. + +In compliance with the solicitations of many respectable gentlemen, the +foregoing narrative is submitted to the public, with the hope that it +may not be entirely uninteresting, and not without use. Every statement +may be relied upon as strictly true; and it is believed, that, simple +and unadorned as is our story, it may serve to afford some information +of a little spot hitherto supposed to be uninhabited, and to present to +view of the curious and intelligent some knowledge of a portion of our +race among whom no white man has ever before lived. + +To captain Barnard the author of the statements in this narrative is +under great obligations for his uniformly kind treatment previous to the +loss of the Mentor, and during the whole time we were together. We have +no reason to doubt, that he did all in his power to obtain our release +from captivity at the time when he was himself so fortunate as to +escape; and not the least blame is to be imputed to him on account of +the disasters that befell us. + +Of the twenty-two persons who composed the ship's company of the Mentor +when she sailed from New Bedford, only _four_ have returned. It has been +reported, that one of the three who was left at the Pelew islands +escaped a few months since. If such be the case only two remain there; +and it is hoped that some measures will soon be adopted, either by the +government or by humane individuals, to rescue them from their painful +and distressing situation. + +I cannot close this narrative without expressing the most heart-felt +gratitude to that kind Providence which has sustained us under trials +and sufferings the most severe, and returned us to our homes and +friends. And may those who have been to us friends indeed, find an ample +reward for their generosity, in the consciousness of having been +influenced by those sentiments and feelings which best adorn and dignify +the human character! + + BOSTON, NOVEMBER, 1835. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE OF LORD NORTH'S ISLAND. + + +The language of the inhabitants of Lord North's island appears to be a +new and hitherto unknown dialect of the Polynesian family of languages. +According to the preceding Narrative, it was wholly unintelligible to +the _Pelew_ chiefs who accompanied the crew of the Mentor when they were +made captives. To judge by the _numerals_, and a few other words, which +have been collected by travellers, it has a near affinity to the +dialects of the neighboring _Caroline_ islands. + +In the selection of words for the following vocabulary, we have +principally followed the list of English words in Keate's Account of the +Pelew Islands, but have added several from the Empress Catherine's +Vocabulary; distinguishing by SMALL CAPITALS all the words which +correspond to those in that Vocabulary. Some short dialogues are +subjoined to the vocabulary. + +The orthography adopted is that of the _English_ language; it being the +most useful to such of our navigators as may chance to visit Lord +North's island or those in its vicinity. It is only necessary to state +particularly, that _ay_ is to be pronounced like _aye_, or _ah-ee_; _g_, +always hard, as in _go_; _ng_, in the middle of a word, as it is at the +end; as, for example, in the English word _hanger_, and not as in the +word anger, (ang-ger;) and _zh_ is to be pronounced like _s_ in +_pleasure_, or the French _j_. + +It is proper to remark, that the words of the language here given, not +having been furnished by _natives_ of the island, are to be received +rather as approximations than as perfectly exact specimens of the +language; but the comparisons made with kindred dialects lead us to +believe, that they are as exact as are usually obtained from similar +sources. Two years' residence in the island strongly impressed the +language in the memory of the unfortunate captives. + + And, mah. + + Arm. (_See_ Hand.) + + BACK, tukkalekŽ. + + BAD, tuhmahŽ. + + Bamboo, sheel, _or_ shil.[6] + + BEARD, koosum. (_See_ Hair.) + + BELLY, mishŽee-um. + + Belt, (worn by the men,) tapŽpah. + + Big, yennup. + + Bird, karŽrum. + + BLACK, wayzerŽris, (wah-ee-zerris.) + + Boat, prow, (prah-oo.) + + BONE, cheel. + + BOY. (_See_ Man.) + + Brass, mullebahŽdee. + + Breast (of a female,) toot.[7] + + Brother, bizŽzheem, _or_ bizŽzhim. + + Canoe, (_the same as_ Boat.) + + CHILD, (_of two or three years old_,) lahŽbo. + + Clouds, kotcho. + + Cocoa-nut, (_when ripe_,) kahrahŽpah; (_when very young_,) soob; + (_when the husk is so hard as to require breaking with a stone_,) + chou, _or_ chah-oo. + + Cold, makkrazmŽ. + + Come, (_verb, the same as to go_,) moŽrahbeeto. + + Copper, (_the same as_ Brass.) + + Cord, (small line) kreel. + + Darkness, klo-wayzerŽris. + + DAY, yahro, (_the same as_ Sun.) + + DEAD, pooŽruk. + + Dirt, yuhburŽ. + + Drink, (_verb_,) limŽmah. + + DUST. (_See_ Dirt.) + + Eat, mukŽkah. + + FATHER, wurŽteemum; (_used also for_ Friend.) + + FINGERS, kayŽmuk, (_the same as_ Hand.) + + FIRE, yah, _or_ yahf. + + Fish, eeŽkah. + + Fish-hook, kah-oo eekah. + + Fishing net, shibboŽ. + + Fly, (_the insect_,) lahng. + + Foot, petchemŽ; (_applied to the_ foot, leg, _and_ thigh.) + + Friend. (_See_ Father.) + + GIRL, pahŽchik vay-eeŽvee; (_literally_, a little woman.) + + Go. (_See_ Come.) + + GOOD, yissung. + + GOD, yarris. (_They had images of twelve gods._) + + GRASS, wawŽree. + + HAIR, (_of the head_,) chim. (_See_ Beard.) + + HAND, kayŽmuk. (_See_ Fingers.) + + HEAD, mitchŽeemum. + + HERE, atidŽdee, _or_ ettidŽdee. + + HOUSE. (_See_ Hut.) + + Hungry, surmahŽ. + + Hut, _or_ house, yim. + + I, (myself,) nang. + + Iron, pahng-ul; _also_ pishoo. + + Iron hoop, cheeŽpah; (i. e. _pieces of iron hoops, of which they + make knives, &c._) + + Kill, (_verb_,) mahŽtee. + + Large. (_See_ Big.) + + Laugh, (_verb_,) meeŽmee. + + LEAF, (_of a cocoa-nut tree_,) trillah. + + Leg. (_See_ Foot.) + + LIGHTNING, visseegŽ. + + Little. (_See_ Small.) + + Lizard, peelelŽ. + + MAN, mahŽree, _or_ mah. + + Many, peeŽpee. + + MILK, toot. (_See_ Breast.) + + My, mine; e. g. _my cocoa-nut_, kahrahŽpah ah nang. + + Moon, mukŽkum. + + Mother, mishŽerum. + + Mouse. (_See_ Rat.) + + Musquetoe, lahm. + + Near to, yah petehŽto, _or_ petetto. + + Night, neeboŽ; (_also_ by night.) + + No, taw, _or_ tah-oo. + + Numerals. (_See the list at the end of this vocabulary._) + + Oar. (_See_ Paddle.) + + Old, (i. e. from twenty years upwards,) mahzooŽ-ee; very old, + mahzoo-ee ah va; _also_, butchee butch chim, _literally_, the hair + is white. + + Paddle, vettel. + + People, peeŽpee ah mahŽree; _literally_, many men. + + Rain, (it rains,) oot; it does not rain, taw oot. + + Rat, tumŽmeeum. + + Reef (of rocks,) ahrahŽ-oo. + + Rope, tahŽree. (_See_ Cord.) + + Sand, (or shoal in the sea,) pee. _This word means simply the + sand._ + + Sea, (salt water,) taht. + + Shark, po. + + Ship, wawŽwee. + + Short, yuhmoatŽ, _or_ yah moatŽ. + + Sick, makkahŽkes; I am not sick, nang tay makkahŽkes. + + Sister, meeŽang-um. + + Sleep, musŽsee, _or_ mummah teedŽee. + + Small, pahŽchik; very small, (as a grain of sand,) + pahchik-gitchee-gee. + + Son, (or daughter,) lahŽbo. (_See_ Child.) + + Stars, vish. + + STONE, vahs. + + Storm, peeŽpee oot; i. e. much rain. + + Strong, (in good health,) yuhkaylŽ. + + Sun, yahŽro. + + TahbooŽ, _the religious interdiction called_ tahboo, _which is + common in the islands of the Pacific ocean, and which is also used + in Lord North's island._ + + Talk, (_verb_,) teeŽtree; e. g. teeŽtree Inglish, talk English; + teeŽtree ToŽbee, talk ToŽbee, or the language of the island. + + Tattoo, (_verb_,) verŽree-verŽ-ree. + + There, a-turŽnah. + + Thou, _or_ you, gur. + + Thunder, pah; pah zah teeŽtree, it thunders; _literally_, the + thunder speaks. _When it thunders, they say_, Yarris teeŽtree, God + is speaking. + + To-morrow, wawŽrah-zooŽrah. + + Tree. (_See_ Wood.) + + Turtle, wahŽree. + + WATER, (fresh,) tahŽroo. + + ----, (salt,) taht. + + Whale, kahs. + + What; (what is that,) mahtahŽmen ah menno. + + WHITE, butchŽee butch. + + Why, bah. + + WIND, yang. + + Woman, vay-eeŽvee; a young woman, werŽree-wedg vay-eeŽvee. + + Wood, (trees,) tummutchŽee; taburŽrah eekŽah, the stem _or_ trunk. + + Yellow, arrangŽ. + + Yes, eeŽlah. + + Yesterday, rollo; yesterday night, rollo neeboŽ. + + You, _or_ thou, gur. + + +NUMERALS + + One, yaht + Two, guhlooŽ + Three, yah + Four, vahn + Five, neem + Six, yah-woarŽ + Seven, yah-veeshŽ + Eight, yah-wahŽ + Nine, yah-tooŽ + Ten, yah-saikŽ (sake) + Eleven, sa-kum ah sooŽ + Twelve, sa-kum ah goo-oŽ + Thirteen, sa-kum ah sa-rooŽ + Fourteen, sa-kum ah vahŽoo + Fifteen, sa-kum ah leemoŽ + Sixteen, sa-kum ah wahrooŽ + Seventeen, sa-kum ah weeshooŽ + Eighteen, sa-kum ah wahrewŽ + Nineteen, sa-kum ah tee-oŽ + Twenty, sa-kum ah gloo-oŽ + + Ten, saik + Twenty, goowaikŽ + Thirty, sa-reekŽ + Forty, vah-eekŽ + Fifty, leemaik (leemake) + Sixty, woar-eekŽ + Seventy, vesheekŽ + Eighty, wahreckŽ + Ninety, tew-weekŽ + Hundred, surbung; &c.[8] + +The inhabitants of Lord North's island seldom count above a hundred; but +when they wish to express a larger number they do it by a repetition of +the syllable _saik_, (ten,) in this manner:--sakum ah saik, ah saik, ah +saik, &c. + +In counting cocoa-nuts, they use the following numerals:-- + + One, soo + Two, goo-oŽ + Three, sa-rooŽ + Four, vahŽo + Five, leemoŽ + Six, woarroo + Seven, veeshooŽ + Eight, tee-oo + Nine, wahrewŽ + Ten, saik + +In counting fish they have still a different set of numbers:-- + + Seemul eekah, one fish + Gwimmul eekah, two fishes + Sreemul eekah, three fishes + Vahmul eekah, four fishes + Neemul eekah, five fishes + WawŽremul eekah, six fishes + Vish-ee ahmul eekah, seven fishes + WarŽremul eekah, eight fishes + Too-eeŽmul eekah, nine fishes + Saik eekah, ten fishes + + +DIALOGUES IN THE LANGUAGE OF LORD NORTH'S ISLAND. + + TeeŽmit, tay too atteeŽdee, nang verŽree-verŽree gur; mahŽree + ToŽbee tay verŽree-verŽree man Inglish moŽree pooruk; zahbeeŽto + Yarris yettahŽmen man Inglish. + + Horace, come here, for I am going to tattoo you; if ToŽbee man + does not tattoo Englishman he will die; Yarris (God) will come + and Englishman will go immediately out of sight; i. e. be + destroyed. + +They perform the process of tattooing by means of a little instrument, +made either of a thin, flat fish-bone, or of the wing bone of a large +sea-bird. The blade of the instrument (as it may be called) is about an +inch long; it is fixed upon a little handle, about four inches in +length, and the whole instrument may be compared to a carpenter's adz, +in miniature; except that the edge, instead of being straight, and +smooth for cutting, is made into teeth for puncturing the skin. This +little instrument is held in the left hand, with the edge or teeth +directly over the place to be punctured, and successive blows are then +struck upon it, with a small stick of iron-wood, resembling a drumstick, +and of about two pounds' weight, until the coloring matter is +sufficiently pricked into the skin.[9] + +Before commencing the operation they mix the coloring liquid (before +described, page 102) in a cocoa-nut shell. They then compel you to lie +down upon the ground in such a position that the part of the body which +is to be tattooed shall lie uppermost. After this, with a slender, +flexible stick dipped in the liquid, they mark out upon the body the +figures that are to be imprinted in the skin; then they dip the teeth of +the tattooing instrument in the liquid, and by successive strokes, as +above mentioned, prick it into the skin, till it is completed to their +taste. During the operation you are surrounded by men, women, and +children, all singing a kind of chorus or song adapted to the occasion; +and if any complaint escapes you, from the severe treatment of the +operators, (of whom there are generally two,) the whole company strikes +up a louder strain, apparently as if rejoicing. The spirited wood cut +accompanying this volume gives a very correct representation of this +important ceremony. + + * * * * * + +After captain Barnard and Rollins escaped from the island, the natives +would often ask of Holden and Nute where they thought _Peeter Inglish_ +(their name for the captain) was;[10] they were answered, that he was on +his passage to England. They would then say,-- + + Ah! Peeter Inglish taw borobeeto Inglish; Peeter Inglish yepeeŽlif + tang ah nee mahŽree ah ToŽbee ah pahng-ul; Peeter Inglish moŽree + pooŽruk woar ah taht; Peeter Inglish teeŽtree teeŽtree mahŽree + ToŽbee peeŽpee peeŽpee ah pahng-ul, peeŽpee ah legoŽ, peeŽpee ah + mullebahŽdee; shaik, man Inglish yepeeŽlif tuhmahŽ; mahŽree ah + ToŽbee zah so zah teeŽtree Yarris, waurwa ah Inglish cher prow tay + beeto woar Inglish. + + Ah! the captain will never get to England; the captain was a + thief; he had not given ToŽbee man any iron, and he would die + at sea; the captain talked, and talked with ToŽbee men, (that + they should have) much iron, great many clothes, and much + brass; for shame! Englishmen (are) all thieves and bad men; + ToŽbee men (are) very angry; (we) will speak to God, and he + will make the ship founder at sea, and the captain never will + arrive in England. + +Whenever Holden or Nute expressed a wish to go to England, the natives +would say to them,-- + + Gur zah beeto Inglish bah? Taw ah mukŽkah woar Inglish; gur zah + beeto Inglish, gur moŽree pooŽruk; mahŽree Inglish mukŽkah ketchŽee + etchŽee, omah ah yahpuk gur mumŽmee teeŽdee ah ToŽbee, yevvers + mahŽree ToŽbee yissung ah mukkah. + + What do you (wish to) go to England for? There is nothing to + eat in England; if you go to England you will die; Englishmen + eat rats and snails and filth; if you stay in ToŽbee you will + live; ToŽbee men have very good (food) to eat. + + +_Dialogue between Horace Holden and his master Pahrahbooah._ + + _H._ Pahrahbooah, gur zah wosheeto ah nang woar ah prow, nang zah + beeto Inglish; nang zah mumŽmah teeŽdee ah ToŽbee zah pooruk, taw + ah mukŽkah woar ToŽbee; woar Inglish peeŽpee ah mukŽkah, peeŽpee, + peeŽpee; gur zah wosheeto ah nang woar ah prow nang zah lee ah gur + peeŽpee ah pahng-ul, peeŽpee ah legoŽ, peeŽpee ah mullebahŽdee; gur + tay wosheeto ah nang zah pooŽruk woar ah ToŽbee, gur taw ah pishoo. + + _H._ Pahrahbooah, if you will put me on board of a ship I will + go to England; if I remain at ToŽbee (Lord North's) I shall + die, for there is nothing to eat on ToŽbee; in England, much + food, much, much; and if you will put me on board of a ship, I + will give you much iron, many clothes, and much brass; if you + do not put me (on board) I shall die on ToŽbee, and you (will + get) no iron. + + _P._ Hah, nang tay wosheeto ah gur; gur teeŽtree tuhmah; gur tang + ah nee nang ah pahng-ul; Peeter Inglish yepeeŽlif, gur yepeeŽlif, + mahŽree ah Inglish yepeeŽlif, senah-messenŽ; tuhmah man Inglish; + gur mummah teeŽdee woar ToŽbee, zah pooruk ah ToŽbee. + + _P._ Ah! I will not let you go; you talk bad; you will not + give me any iron; Peeter Inglish is a thief, you are a thief, + all Englishmen (are) thieves and liars; Englishmen (are) bad + men; you (are) to stay on ToŽbee, to die on ToŽbee. + + +_Another Dialogue between the same persons._ + + _P._ TeeŽmit, gur zah beeto Inglish gur zahnee mahŽree ToŽbee ah + pahng-ul, yennup wayŽsa teberëeŽkah yennup ah tepoŽee ah wausŽsa, + ah legoŽ, kah-oo eekah, zis ah pishooŽ ah teet ah tuvŽvatif, ah + mullebahŽdee, zah beeto ToŽbee zah lee wurŽteemum ah gur? + + _P._ Horace, if you go to England will you give the men of + ToŽbee iron of a large size, as big as a stick of wood, and + big axes, and knives, and cloth, and fish-hooks, an anvil and + hammer, and needles, a trunk, and brass, and then come back to + ToŽbee and give them to your father? + + _H._ EeŽlah, nang zah beeto Inglish nang zahnee mahree ToŽbee ah + pahng-ul yennup, ah tepoŽ-ee, ah wausŽsa, ah legoŽ, kah-oo eekah, + zis ah pishooŽ, ah teet, ah tuvŽvatif, ah mullebahŽdee, zah beeto + ToŽbee, zah lee wurŽteemum ah nang. + + _H._ Yes, I will go to England, and I will give to the men of + ToŽbee iron of a large size, and big axes, and knives, and + cloth, and fish-hooks, an anvil, and needles, and trunks, and + brass, and then come back to ToŽbee and give them to my + father. + + _P._ Gur zah beeto Inglish gur dee mumŽmah teeŽdee woar Inglish, + taw borobeeŽto ToŽbee, gur zah yuh-woon; tuhmah taw muhpeer klo + dung-ah-rang-us. + + _P._ If you go to England you will stop (sleep) there, and not + return to ToŽbee; this (will be) bad and not friendly, and you + will be a bad man. + + _H._ Nang zah beeto Inglish, nang dak mumŽmah teedee woar Inglish, + nang zah beeto ToŽbee. + + _H._ If I go to England I will not stop (sleep) there, but + return to ToŽbee immediately. + + _P._ Gur too-ay-goŽrah beeto Inglish, gur moŽree pooruk woar ah + taht, gur tay beeto ToŽbee. + + _P._ You do not know the way to England; you will die (or be + lost) at sea, and not come to ToŽbee. + + _H._ Hah! nang yegoŽrah beeto Inglish, taw moŽree pooruk woar ah + taht. + + _H._ Aye, I do know the way to England; I shall not die (or be + lost) at sea. + + _P._ Gur ahnee ah prow woar Inglish, peeŽpee ah pahng-ul, ah legoŽ, + kahrahpah, ah vay-eeŽvee peeŽpee, ah mahree peeŽpee, ah lahŽbo? + + _P._ Have you got ships in England, and a great deal of iron, + and cloths and cocoa-nuts, and many men, women, and children? + + _H._ Eelah, nang yuhwoŽ ah prow woar Inglish, peeŽpee ah pahng-ul, + ah legoŽ, kahrahpah ah vay-eeŽvee, peeŽpee ah mahŽree, peeŽpee ah + lahŽbo. + + _H._ Yes, I have got ships in England, much iron, and cloths, + and cocoa-nuts, and women, and a great many men and children. + + _P._ Gur mukkah woar Inglish peeŽpee? + + _P._ Do you eat in England a plenty? + + _H._ Eelah, nang mukkah woar Inglish peeŽpee. + + _H._ Yes, in England I eat a plenty, (or much.) + + _P._ TeeŽmit, gur zah beeto Inglish wosheeŽto ah pahng-ul wosheeŽto + ah legoŽ, ah mullebahŽdee, ah tepo-ee, ah kah-oo eekah, moŽree + ToŽbee zah lee mahŽree ToŽbee, gur muhpeer, gur yissung ah mahŽree, + muhpeer muhpeer. + + _P._ Horace, if you go to England, and fetch us iron, and + cloths, and brass, and axes, and fish-hooks, to ToŽbee, and + give them to ToŽbee men, you (will be) our friend, a very + good man, a very great friend; (_literally_, a friend, a + friend.) + + _H._ Eelah, nang zah beeto Inglish, nang wosheeto ah pahng-ul, + wosheeto ah legoŽ, ah mullebahŽdee, ah tepo-ee, ah kah-oo eekah, + woar ToŽbee zah lee mahŽree ToŽbee. + + _H._ Yes, (if) I go to England I will fetch you iron, and + fetch cloths and brass, and axes and fish-hooks, to ToŽbee, + and give them to the people of ToŽbee. + + _P._ TeeŽmit, gur zah beeto Inglish gur tay beeto ToŽbee, mahŽree + ToŽbee zah teeŽtree Yarris, gur moree pooruk. + + _P._ Horace, if you go to England and do not come back to + ToŽbee, the men of ToŽbee will talk to God and you will die. + + _H._ Nang zah beeto Inglish, nang de mummah teeŽdee, ah turt zah + beeto ToŽbee. + + _H._ I will go to England and stop a short time, (i. e. sleep + there,) and shall return to ToŽbee. + + _P._ TeeŽmit, gur zah beeto venne Yarris, gur tay beeto, gur moŽree + pooruk. + + _P._ Horace, if you do not go to YarrisŽ house, (i. e. the + place of worship,) you will die. + + _H._ Tur pay; nang zah beeto. + + _H._ Wait a minute; I will go. + + Verrah mahtah gur? + + What is your name? + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[6] No bamboo grows on Lord North's island, but it frequently drifts +ashore, and the natives make knives of it. + +[7] Used also by the Pelew Islanders. + +[8] _Numerals of the Caroline Islands, from the Missionary Voyage to the +Southern Pacific Ocean, 4to, London, 1799._ + + One, iota + Two, rua + Three, toloo + Four, tia + Five, leema + Six, honoo + Seven, fizoo + Eight, wartow, + Nine, shievo + Ten, segga + +[9] Tattooing instruments may be seen in the valuable East India museum, +at Salem; and perhaps in some of the museums in Boston. + +[10] What the import of this name _Peeter_ was, we are unable to +determine. They gave the same appellation to a character of great +celebrity in their history, whose entire name was _Peeter Kart_; and +who, according to their traditions, came from the island of Ternate, +many years ago, and gave them their religion and such simple arts as +they possessed. They said he was of a copper color, like themselves. + + * * * * * + +[Transcriber's Notes: + +The transcriber made these changes to the text to correct obvious +errors: + + 1. The author was inconsistent in his use of accents with some of the + words in the language of Lord North's island. This inconsistency + remains as originally published. + 2. Some of the last words of the native's dialogue was moved to + the previous page for readibility. This occured on the following + pages: + 130 text moved to page 129 + 131 text moved to page 130 + 133 text moved to page 132 + 3. The illustration "Escape to Britannia" has been moved from between + page 114 and 115 to page 113. + +End of Transcriber's Notes] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Narrative of the Shipwreck, +Captivity and Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute, by Horace Holden + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHIPWRECK *** + +***** This file should be named 32012-8.txt or 32012-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/0/1/32012/ + +Produced by Richard J. 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H. 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H. Nute, by Horace Holden + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Narrative of the Shipwreck, Captivity and Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute + Who were cast away in the American ship Mentor, on the + Pelew Islands, in the year 1832; and for two years + afterwards were subjected to unheard of sufferings among + the barbarous inhabitants of Lord North's island + +Author: Horace Holden + +Release Date: April 16, 2010 [EBook #32012] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHIPWRECK *** + + + + +Produced by Richard J. Shiffer and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="trans-note"> +<p class="heading">Transcriber's Note</p> +<p>Every effort has been made to replicate this text as +faithfully as possible, including obsolete and variant spellings and other +inconsistencies. Text that has been changed to correct an obvious error +is noted at the <a href="#END">end</a> of this ebook.</p> +</div> + + +<h1>A NARRATIVE</h1> +<h5>OF THE</h5> +<h2 class="spacious">SHIPWRECK,</h2> +<h3 class="spacious">CAPTIVITY AND SUFFERINGS</h3> +<h5>OF</h5> +<h3>HORACE HOLDEN AND BENJ. H. NUTE;</h3> +<h5>WHO WERE CAST AWAY IN THE</h5> +<h2>AMERICAN SHIP MENTOR,</h2> +<h5>ON THE</h5> +<h2 class="spacious">PELEW ISLANDS,</h2> +<h3>IN THE YEAR 1832;</h3> + +<h4><i>AND FOR TWO YEARS AFTERWARDS WERE SUBJECTED TO<br /> +UNHEARD OF SUFFERINGS AMONG THE BARBAROUS<br /> +INHABITANTS OF</i></h4> + +<h3>LORD NORTH'S ISLAND.</h3> + +<p><br /></p> + +<hr class="tiny tight" /> + +<h3>BY HORACE HOLDEN.</h3> + +<hr class="tiny tight" /> + +<p><br /></p> + +<h3>BOSTON:<br /> +<small>RUSSELL, SHATTUCK, AND CO.<br /> +1836.</small></h3> + +<p><br /></p> + +<hr class="tight" /> + +<h3 class="sc">entered according to act of congress, in the year 1836,<br /> +By HORACE HOLDEN.<br /> +in the clerk's office of the district court of massachusetts.</h3> + +<hr class="tight" /> + +<p><br /></p> + +<h5>STEREOTYPED BY<br /> + SHEPARD, OLIVER, AND CO.</h5> + +<hr /> + +<h4>TO</h4> + +<h3>JOHN PICKERING, ESQ.</h3> + +<h4>Of Boston,</h4> + +<h5>AND TO</h5> + +<h3>WILLIAM R. RODMAN, ESQ.</h3> + +<h4>Of New Bedford,</h4> + +<p class="center">To whom the author is under the greatest<br /> +obligations for their countenance and assistance,<br /> +this little work is gratefully<br /> +<span class="spacious">INSCRIBED</span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i002.png" width="500" height="303" alt="DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF TATTOOING." title="" /> +<span class="caption">DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF TATTOOING.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>The islands now known by geographers under the general name of +<i>Polynesia</i>, have for some time past attracted the attention of the +scientific and commercial world. Few opportunities, however, occur of +obtaining information respecting any of them except those which are +resorted to for commercial purposes. With a view, therefore, to the +collecting of all the necessary materials for the history of their soil, +climate, productions, and other particulars, especially of such of them +as have not already been visited by the civilized people of Europe and +America, it is desirable to preserve all authentic accounts of them, +even of those which are of inferior importance.</p> + +<p>The following unpretending Narrative contains such an account of one of +them, commonly called <i>Lord North's Island</i>, but sometimes known by the +name of <i>Nevil's Island</i> and <i>Johnston's Island</i>. It is situated in +about lat. 3° 2¾' N., and, according to the most correct +calculations, about long. 131° 4¼' E.</p> + +<p>This island has been stated, in geographical works of authority, to be +uninhabited; but Horsburg's India Directory (vol. ii. p. 497, edit. of +1827) correctly says it is inhabited, and that the natives "will +sometimes come off to ships passing near." And it will accordingly be +found, by the present Narrative, that it has a population of between +three and four hundred inhabitants, as nearly as could be estimated by +the American seamen, whose captivity and sufferings are the subject of +this work; the island itself being, according to their judgment also, +about three quarters of a mile long and half a mile in breadth.</p> + +<p>The materials of this Narrative were furnished by Horace Holden, one of +the seamen above mentioned, who, with his companion, Benjamin Nute, was +detained as a captive by the islanders for two years; during which time +he and his companion acquired the language so far as to converse in it +with ease. This afforded them the means of knowing and observing many +things which would escape the mere passing voyager; and whatever +statements are here made, the editor has every reason to believe may be +entirely relied upon.</p> + +<p>In order to complete the little collection of facts in relation to this +people—who may justly be called a new people, as no white man has ever +before been upon their territory—a specimen of their language is added +to the Narrative. This has been made under many disadvantages; but no +small labor has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span> been bestowed upon it, in order to render it of use, so +far as was practicable, in elucidating the affinity of these islanders +to others in that quarter of the world. It is now universally agreed +among the learned, that language affords the surest test of the +affinities of nations; and it is greatly to be desired that more +attention should be bestowed upon this subject by the intelligent +navigators of the United States, and especially by the scientific young +men of our navy, who, under the permission of the government, would have +the most ample means of augmenting the stores of general science, while +at the same time they would confer honor upon their country.</p> + +<p>The editor forbears to add any thing further in relation to the contents +of this little volume. But he cannot dismiss the work without again +expressing the high sense of gratitude felt by the two seamen in +question, to the benevolent individuals of their own country, and +others, who have relieved their sufferings; and this he subjoins in an +extract from a note on that subject by H. Holden:—</p> + +<blockquote><p>"In addition to the gentlemen mentioned in the Narrative, we are +under great obligations to Mr. Stephen Oliphant and his son, and +their clerk, of New York, who were residents at Canton when we +arrived there. Mr. Oliphant kindly furnished us with a room, food, +and other necessaries, and gave us our passage from Canton to New +York in his ship called the Morrison, commanded by captain +Lavender, from whom also we experienced every attention.</p> + +<p>"The respected American missionary at Canton, Mr. Edwin Stevens, +rendered us many friendly services; and from the English physician, +who was formerly in the East India Company's service there, but +whose name I do not recollect, we received every attention and +medical aid that could have been bestowed on his nearest friends.</p> + +<p>"We are also much indebted to Mr. Bradford and Mr. Robert E. +Apthorp, both of Boston, for their many acts of kindness. To the +latter gentleman, then a resident at Canton, I cannot sufficiently +express my obligations; he interested himself much in obtaining +money, clothing, and other necessaries for us, to make our +situation comfortable during our stay in Canton and on our passage +home.</p> + +<p>"To the many friends whom we have found since our return to our own +country we can never be sufficiently grateful. Among these I cannot +omit to mention Mr. J. N. Reynolds, author of the interesting +Account of the Voyage of the Potomac, who has taken the most lively +interest in our case, and Mr. Joseph P. Bradley, of Boston, to +whose untiring zeal and benevolence I feel myself to be indebted +more than I am able to express.</p> + +<p class="author">HORACE HOLDEN"</p> +</blockquote> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> +<hr class="short" /> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + +<p>Equipment and departure of the ship Mentor from the port of New Bedford, +Massachusetts.—The ship's company.—Arrival at Fayal.—Passage down the +Cape de Verd islands, and round the cape of Good Hope, to the Indian +ocean.—Cruising among the islands, and arrival at the port of Coupang, +in Timor.—A violent storm.—The ship strikes on a coral reef off the +Pelew islands.—Alarm and distressing situation of the ship's company, +and sudden loss of eleven of their number.—The survivors preserved upon +a dry part of the reef<span class="ralign">13</span></p> +</div> + + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + + +<p>The situation of the survivors of the ship's company upon the reef +during the night.—A canoe filled with savage natives approaches the +reef; intercourse with them; and description of their persons and +terrific appearance.—Their pilfering of the articles saved, and +plundering of the ship.—Several canoes arrive.—Mr. Nute's resolute +conduct towards the natives.—The ship's company pursue their course, in +their boat, towards an island, on which they land after severe suffering +<span class="ralign">29</span></p> +</div> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + + +<p>A canoe, with two natives, approaches the island.—Communication opened +with them.—A great number of canoes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</a></span> filled with armed natives, +suddenly arrive; rough treatment of the captain by one of the +chiefs.—They all arrive at the harbor of the island, which proved to be +one of the Pelew islands.—Description of the island and its +inhabitants.—Consultation of the chiefs respecting the ship's +company.—Result of the consultation<span class="ralign">41</span></p> +</div> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + + +<p>An extraordinary and unexpected meeting with a person not a +native.—Happy result of the meeting.—Acquisition of the Pelew +language.—Dissensions between two portions of the natives.—Three of +the ship's company separated and carried to a place remote from the +rest.—Attempt to construct a boat, in order to leave the island.—The +natives agree to release them all for a compensation.—Solemnities +observed by the natives on the occasion.—Tools used in making the boat; +transportation of timber, &c.—The plan abandoned, and a canoe +substituted for the boat.—Another festival<span class="ralign">55</span></p> +</div> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + + +<p>The natives become anxious to aid the ship's company in leaving the +island.—Terms on which they agreed to release them.—Departure from the +Pelew islands.—Necessity of returning the same night.—Detention a +month longer; and final departure<span class="ralign">68</span></p> +</div> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + +<p>Regret at having undertaken the voyage in boats.—Storm, and damage in +consequence of it.—Loss of the canoe and the provisions on +board.—Danger of perishing from famine.—On the fifteenth day, when +nearly exhausted with fatigue and hunger, they discover a small +island.—Approach of eighteen canoes filled with natives, who make +prisoners of them all.—Cruelty of the natives; and return with their +prisoners<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</a></span> to the island.—Reception there.—The prisoners distributed +among the captors<span class="ralign">74</span></p> +</div> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + +<p>The island, to which they were carried, proves to be Lord North's +island, called by the natives <i>ToŽbee</i>.—Account of the island and its +inhabitants.—Their manners and customs<span class="ralign">81</span></p> +</div> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + +<p>A ship discovered at a small distance from the island.—The natives +prepare to go on board of her.—Captain Barnard and Bartlet Rollins, +after being severely beaten, are allowed to go with the natives in their +canoes, and thus effect their escape; the rest of the Mentor's people +are still forcibly detained on the island.—Their hopes of being taken +on board of the same ship are suddenly blasted.—Their despondency on +that disappointment.—Return of the natives from the ship; their rage, +and quarrels about the division of the articles procured on board of +her.—They threaten to wreak their vengeance on the Mentor's people that +remained with them.—Their cruel treatment of them.—A storm destroys +the cocoa-nut trees and causes a scarcity of food<span class="ralign">95</span></p> +</div> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + +<p>The natives compel the Mentor's people to be tattooed.—Description of +that painful operation.—They also oblige them to pluck their beards, +&c.—Another vessel passes by the island; and, afterwards, a third comes +in sight and remains for three days; the Mentor's people are closely +guarded at these times.—The melancholy fate of William Sedon; and the +barbarous murder of Peter Andrews.—Attack on H. Holden, who is +protected by one of the natives, and escapes.—B. Nute and others are +protected by the female natives from the fury of the men.—Death of one +of the Pelew chiefs.—Another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</a></span> of the Pelew people is detected in +stealing, and is punished in their manner.—Death of Milton Hewlet and +Charles C. Bouket; leaving now only B. Nute, H. Holden, and the other +Pelew chief, named <i>Kobak</i>, who all remained in a feeble and helpless +condition.—Filthy practices of the natives.—Friendship of the +surviving Pelew chief<span class="ralign">101</span></p> +</div> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></p> +<div class="chapter-summary"> + +<p>The feeble and exhausted condition of the survivors, Nute and +Holden.—The natives consent to release them from labor, but refuse them +food; and they obtain permission to leave the island in the first +vessel, for a compensation to be made to the natives.—They crawl about +from place to place, subsisting upon leaves, and occasionally begging a +little food of the natives, for two months.—Their sudden joy at hearing +of a vessel coming towards the island.—It proves to be the British +barque Britannia, captain Short, bound to Canton.—They are taken on +board the Britannia, November 27, 1834, and treated with the kindest +attention.—Their joy and gratitude at this happy termination of their +sufferings.—They gradually recover their health so far as to take +passage for America, in the ship Morrison, bound for New York, where +they arrive May 5, 1835.—Acknowledgments for their kind reception at +New York and Boston<span class="ralign">111</span></p> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="NARRATIVE_c" id="NARRATIVE_c"></a>NARRATIVE, &c.</h2> + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>Equipment and departure of the ship Mentor from the port of New +Bedford, Massachusetts.—The ship's company.—Arrival at +Fayal.—Passage down the Cape de Verd islands, and round the cape +of Good Hope, to the Indian ocean.—Cruising among the islands, and +arrival at the port of Coupang, in Timor.—A violent storm.—The +ship strikes on a coral reef off the Pelew islands.—Alarm and +distressing situation of the ship's company, and sudden loss of +eleven of their number.—The survivors preserved upon a dry part of +the reef.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">I was</span> born in the town of Hillsborough, in the state of New Hampshire, +on the 21st of July, 1810. My father's name was Phineas Holden. My +parents were in moderate circumstances, and derived their chief support +from a small farm. From the time to which my earliest recollections +extend, until I was about ten years of age, our little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> circle, +consisting of our parents, their three sons and two daughters, enjoyed a +large share of the pleasures of a New England home. We were all +accustomed to labor, but our exertions to secure a respectable +maintenance were richly rewarded by each other's approving smiles, and +by that contentment, without which blessings, however great or numerous, +are bestowed upon us in vain.</p> + +<p>But, in early life, and in the midst of our enjoyments, we were called +upon to experience a loss which nothing on earth can supply. My father, +after a painful sickness of long continuance, died, and left us with no +other earthly protector than our affectionate mother; who, had her +ability and means been adequate to our support, or equal to her maternal +fondness and anxiety, would have saved us from every hardship, and +supplied all our reasonable desires. But, having no means of support +except our own industry, we were at that tender age thrown upon the +world, and compelled to provide for ourselves as Providence might best +enable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> us. I labored at different occupations until the age of +twenty-one; when, finding myself unable, by reason of an impaired +constitution, to do more than provide for myself, and feeling desirous +to contribute my share towards the maintenance of our surviving parent, +I resolved upon making the experiment of a voyage at sea.</p> + +<p>I accordingly left the place of my nativity, sundered the many ties that +bound me to home and friends, and, in July, 1831, entered on board the +ship Mentor, at the port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, for a whaling +voyage to the Indian ocean. The ship was owned by William R. Rodman, +Esquire, an eminent merchant of that place, to whose benevolence, since +my return home, I acknowledge myself to be deeply indebted. We sailed on +the day of my enlistment; and I soon found myself upon the bosom of the +great deep, and at the mercy of an element to which I had been but +little accustomed.</p> + +<p>The whole ship's company of the Mentor consisted of twenty-two; namely, +Edward<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> C. Barnard, captain; Thomas M. Colesworthy, first mate; Peter +O'Connor, second mate; Benjamin F. Haskell, David Jenkins, and Jacob +Fisher, boat-steerers; Peter Andrews, steward; John Mayo, cook; and +Horatio Davis, Bartlet Rollins, William Jones, Thomas Taylor, Lewis +Bergoin, Charles C. Bouket, Calvin Alden, Milton Hulet, William Sedon, +James Meder, James Blackmore, John Baily, Benjamin H. Nute, (my +companion in suffering,) and myself, seamen.</p> + +<p>After leaving port, nothing remarkable occurred during the first part of +our voyage. Having succeeded in obtaining a small quantity of oil, we +touched at Fayal, one of the Azores, or Western islands, to leave the +oil and replenish our stores. We left Fayal on the following day. Our +course was down the Cape de Verd islands; and, without any accident +worth relating, we passed round the cape of Good Hope, through the +straits of Madagascar, and found ourselves in the Indian ocean.</p> + +<p>We continued to cruise among the small<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> islands for some time; but being +unsuccessful in the object of our voyage, it was deemed advisable to +make for Java. We ran the whole length of the island of Java, passing +through the straits of Sandal-Wood Island, to the island of Timor, and +touched at the port of Coupang, where we remained about five days, took +in wood and water, and replenished our small stores. After leaving that +place we attempted to pass through the straits of Timor, with a view of +gaining the Pacific ocean; but owing to adverse winds, and the strong +currents setting against us, we were compelled to abandon the +undertaking; and accordingly altered our course. We intended to have +touched at Ternate, the principal of the Moluccas or Spice islands; but +we passed it, running down the island of Morty, (or Mortay) to its +furthermost point. Seeing no port at which we could stop, we altered our +course, intending to make for some of the Ladrone islands, which we knew +to be in possession of the Spanish.</p> + +<p>I must here observe, that soon after leaving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> the island of Mortay, +there came on a violent storm, which lasted the whole of three days and +nights. During all this time we were unable to take an observation. This +led to the melancholy disaster, which was the commencement of +misfortunes and sufferings, too great to be adequately conceived of by +any but those who experienced them. The violence of the storm compelled +us to take in all the sails except the top-sail, (which was close +reefed,) foresail, and foretop-mast stay-sail.</p> + +<p>We were sailing in this manner, not apprehending danger, when, about +eleven o'clock at night, on the 21st of May, 1832, just at the time of +relieving the watch, the ship struck with great violence upon what we +afterwards found to be the coral reef extending to the northward and +eastward of the Pelew islands. The ship ran directly upon the rocks, and +struck three times in quick succession, the waves dashing over and +around us with tremendous violence.</p> + +<p>At this awful moment I was in my berth, in the steerage. When the ship +struck the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> third time, so great was the shock that I was thrown from my +berth against the opposite side of the steerage; but, soon recovering +myself, I rushed upon deck. There all was confusion, horror and dismay. +The ship, immediately after striking the third time, swung round so as +to bring her starboard side to the windward, and was in a moment thrown +upon her beam ends. While in this awful condition, with the waves +continually breaking over us, threatening to overwhelm us in a watery +grave, or dash us in pieces against the rocks, the captain came upon +deck, and inquired of the second mate, "Where are we?" The reply was, "I +don't know, but I think there is land to leeward." There was no time for +deliberation; it seemed that the immediate destruction of the ship was +inevitable.</p> + +<p>In the midst of this confusion I heard the mate give orders for lowering +the larboard quarter boat. His directions were immediately complied +with, and ten of the crew threw themselves into it, thinking it more +safe thus to commit themselves to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> mercy of the waves, than to +remain on board with the prospect of a certain and speedy termination of +their existence. But there are reasons which force upon the mind the +painful conviction, that their departure from the ship at that time +proved fatal to them all. As the oars were fastened to the sides of the +boat, some one asked for a knife or hatchet, with which to cut them +loose. The request was complied with; and, quitting their hold upon the +ship, they parted from us, and we never saw them more!</p> + +<p>As some doubts have existed in the minds of those interested in the fate +of our shipmates who took to the boat in the manner just described, it +is deemed advisable here to state my reasons for entertaining the +opinion above expressed. Far would it be from me to desire to extinguish +any well-founded hopes of their having survived; but a knowledge of the +following facts renders it too certain, that they must all have +perished, soon after their departure from the ship. The next morning the +remains of a boat in every respect similar to that in which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +embarked, were distinctly seen on the rocks, at the distance of about +fifty yards from the ship, bottom up, and with her sides stove in. The +water being clear and shallow, we could see that she was held there by a +harpoon and lance, which constituted a part of the fishing implements, +or crafts, in the boat when she left. These were apparently stuck into +the crevices of the coral rock (of which the whole reef is composed) +either by accident or design; and the presumption is, that she became +fast in that place, and that the waves swept that portion of our +companions in suffering into a watery grave. But this, though a +melancholy subject of reflection, is not without some circumstances of +consolation; for, admitting that they thus met their fate, they were +saved from that extremity of suffering which some of the ship's crew +were destined to experience. Were such a death, or the pains of +captivity endured by my associates and myself, to be the only +alternatives, I have doubted whether I should not prefer the former. To +be far from kindred and friends, among a people<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> but one grade above the +most ferocious beasts, sick at heart, and deprived of necessary food, +stripped of our clothing, and subjected to unheard-of severities,—to +endure all this, was to purchase a continuance of life at a dear rate.</p> + +<p>Soon after the departure of the first boat, the captain, thinking it +impossible for the ship to hold together till morning, ordered his own +boat to be let down. This could be effected only by the united exertions +of the whole of the remaining part of the crew. Some of the men, and +myself among the rest, had resolved upon remaining on the ship to the +last; and, considering it impossible for a boat to live, we earnestly +expostulated with the captain, for the purpose of persuading him not to +hazard the experiment. But he seemed to think it best to make it, and +with great earnestness entreated the men to assist him in lowering his +boat. As this was a time when but little attention could be paid to the +distinctions usually kept up on board, I suggested that it might be well +to cut away the masts, believing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> that this would relieve the ship, and +cause her to lie easier upon the rock. This was the more necessary on +account of her position being such as to render it next to impossible to +let down the boat. The proposal was acceded to; and, seizing an axe, I +assisted in cutting away the masts and rigging. This, to some extent, +had the desired effect; and we were enabled, at length, by great +exertion, to lower the boat. The captain, Charles C. Bouket, William +Sedon, and William Jones, immediately placed themselves in it, and +commenced preparing to leave us. In compliance with his request, a rope +was fastened round the waist of the captain, so that should the boat be +destroyed, as there was reason to apprehend she would be, there might be +some chance of rescuing him from the waves. They were furnished with the +necessary nautical instruments, log-book, a bag of clothing, a small +quantity of bread in a tin tureen, and a keg of water. The boat was at +this time suspended by her falls, and, with a view of letting themselves +down, the captain stood<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> in the stern, and Bouket in the forward part of +the boat, both having hold of the falls. Sedon still held on by the +boat's lashing. Jones had nothing in his hands. At this conjuncture, a +tremendous sea broke into the boat, and dashed it in pieces;—so entire +was the destruction, that not a fragment was afterwards seen. Jones was +soon after seen floating in the water apparently dead. Sedon, in +consequence of having hold of the boat's fastenings, saved himself by +climbing into the ship. Bouket, being an expert swimmer, on finding +himself in the sea, swam round to the leeward side of the ship, caught +hold of some part of the rigging, and thus escaped. The captain was +drifted away to the distance of nearly one hundred and fifty yards. It +was with the utmost difficulty that we retained our hold on the rope +which had been fastened to him; but at length we succeeded in drawing +him in. On hearing his cries for assistance, forgetting our own danger, +we redoubled our exertions, and soon drew him on board. He was much +exhausted, but fortunately had received no fatal injury.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> + +<p>After the failure of this attempt, and having in so short a time lost +one half our number, it was agreed upon, after due consultation to +remain upon the wreck till daylight should reveal to us more fully our +situation. In this state of suspense and suffering, we clung to the +rigging, and with much difficulty kept ourselves from being washed away. +Our situation and prospects during that awful night were such, that no +ray of hope was permitted to penetrate the dreary prospect around us; +our thoughts and feelings, wrought up to the highest degree of +excitement by the horrors of our situation, continually visited the +homes we had quitted,—probably forever,—and offered up prayers for the +dear friends we had left behind. Every succeeding wave that dashed over +us threatened to sweep us into an untried eternity; and while we +impatiently awaited approaching day, we committed our spirits to Him who +alone could control the raging elements.</p> + +<p>At daybreak, we discovered that a part of the reef, apparently about +three miles off<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> to the leeward, was dry; and this, though but of small +consequence, afforded us some comfort. In a short time we discovered +land at the distance of twenty or thirty miles, in an eastwardly +direction. This, though we were ignorant of the character of the +inhabitants—if indeed it should turn out to be the residence of human +beings—presented to our minds the possibility of escape; and without +any delay we prepared, as well as we could, to abandon the vessel. There +remained but one boat, and that was in a poor condition for conveying +us, eleven in number, so great a distance. But, as no choice was left +us, the boat was soon prepared; and when the sun was about two hours +high, we had completed our arrangements. We took into the boat one small +chest of bread, some water, a quantity of wearing apparel, a canister of +gunpowder, one musket, a brace of pistols, three cutlasses, and a +tinder-box. In this frail bark, and with these poor means of subsistence +and defence, with little to rely upon but the mercy of Providence, we +took leave of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> ship; not without feelings of deep sorrow, and with +small hopes of improving our forlorn condition.</p> + +<p>On leaving the ship we steered directly for the reef above mentioned, +and without much difficulty landed and drew up our boat. This proved to +be, as we had previously conjectured, a part of the reef upon which we +had been wrecked; and we soon ascertained that the portion of the rock +above water was but about sixteen rods long, and quite narrow, but +sufficiently large to afford us a secure footing for the little time we +had to stay upon it. It was our first, and almost our only object, to +remain here until we could render our arrangements more perfect, and +either put to sea with less hazard, or make our passage to the land, +which was still distinctly visible. As yet but little time had been +afforded us for calm reflection; and it was now a question of serious +importance, whether it would be most prudent to encounter the billows in +the crazy boat which was our chief dependence, upon the open sea, with +our scanty means of subsistence,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> or to throw ourselves into the hands, +and upon the mercy of whatever race of beings might chance to inhabit +the island. In favor of the former plan it was suggested that we might +be seen, and taken up by some vessel cruising in those seas, and thus +saved from captivity or death among a barbarous people; and, on the +other hand, it was maintained, that a chance among the savages of those +islands would be preferable to the risk of going to sea in a boat which +was in all respects unseaworthy, and with only a few pounds of bread, +and but little water, for our subsistence.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>The situation of the survivors of the ship's company upon the reef +during the night.—A canoe filled with savage natives approaches +the reef; intercourse with them; and description of their persons +and terrific appearance.—Their pilfering of the articles saved, +and plundering of the ship.—Several canoes arrive.—Mr. Nute's +resolute conduct towards the natives.—The ship's company pursue +their course, in their boat, towards an island, on which they land +after severe suffering.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">Happily</span>, by the goodness of the allwise Disposer of events, the +unfortunate can avail themselves of a thousand sources of comfort, +which, by those in prosperous circumstances, are either overlooked or +neglected. We were upon a barren rock, in the midst of a waste of +waters, far from kindred and friends, and the abodes of civilized man; +the ship which had been our home, and on board of which we had embarked +with high hopes, lay within sight, a useless wreck; still we were +enabled to enjoy a moment of relief, if not of actual pleasure, derived +from an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> event, which, though trifling in itself, is worthy of being +recorded.</p> + +<p>We succeeded in taking an eel, a few crabs, and a small quantity of +snails. Having our fire-works with us, we collected a sufficient number +of sticks, with a few pieces of drift-wood which had lodged upon the +rock, to make a fire; with this we cooked our fish and snails; and, with +a small allowance of bread, we made what we then thought a sumptuous +repast! After we had finished our meal, we began to prepare for the +night. We erected a tent with some of our clothes and pieces of canvas, +at a little distance from the boat; and, when night came on, a part of +our number kept watch, and the rest soon lost all consciousness of their +misfortunes in sleep. About midnight those who had watched took their +turn at resting; and in the morning we found ourselves considerably +refreshed; though an increased activity of our minds served only to +bring home a more vivid picture of the horrors of the previous night, +and of our present condition.</p> + +<p>Providence, it would seem, had ordained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> that we should not long remain +undetermined as to the course to be adopted; for before sunrise we +discovered a canoe within a short distance of us, containing twenty-two +of the inhabitants of the neighboring island. They approached to within +pistol-shot of where we stood, and there lay on their oars for some +time, looking at us, and manifesting no small degree of fear. Thinking +it best to be on friendly terms with them, we attached a shirt to one of +our oars, and hoisted it as a token of a wish, on our part, to regard +and treat them as friends. This had the desired effect; and they +immediately rowed up to the rock. Manifesting great pleasure, they left +their canoe and rushed towards the place where the principal part of our +boat's crew were standing, bringing with them cocoa-nuts, and a small +quantity of bread made of the cocoa-nut boiled in a liquor extracted +from the trunk of the tree. At that time, I was standing near the tent, +at a little distance from my companions, and was an anxious spectator of +the scene. Their appearance excited my astonishment,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> and I was filled +with horror by the sight of beings apparently human, and yet almost +destitute of the ordinary marks of humanity. They were entirely naked. +Each one was armed with a spear and tomahawk; some had battle-axes. They +were fantastically tattooed on different parts of their bodies. Their +hair, naturally coarse and black, like that of the Indians of America, +was very long, and hung loosely over their shoulders, giving them a +singular and frightful appearance. Their teeth were entirely black; +rendered so, as we afterwards found, by chewing what they call +"<i>abooak</i>."<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> The reader can judge of our feelings on finding ourselves +in the hands of beings of this description. Our confidence in the +honesty of our visiters did not improve on further acquaintance.</p> + +<p>No sooner had they landed, than they commenced their depredations upon +the few articles, which at that time constituted all our earthly riches. +The nautical instruments,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> the musket, and a part of our clothing, they +immediately appropriated to their own benefit. Fortunately a part of our +clothing, the powder, and the cutlasses we had succeeded in concealing +in a crevice of the rock. Taking with them their booty, they +precipitately got into their canoe, and, beckoning to us, evidently with +a view of inducing us to follow them, they steered directly for the +wreck. Their first appearance, and this strong manifestation of their +thievish disposition, so far from inclining us to cultivate their +acquaintance any further, had given us an irresistible inclination to +avoid them. Our minds were not long in coming to the conclusion, that an +open sea, with Heaven to protect us, would be far preferable to a chance +among beings like those. Accordingly, with the least possible delay, we +launched our boat, and putting into it such things of value as we had +saved, once more, surrounded by new difficulties and dangers, committed +ourselves to the mercy of the waves.</p> + +<p>The island before mentioned being now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> distinctly visible, we steered in +a direction towards it; though we found it necessary to go a somewhat +circuitous course, in order to avoid the reef. By the time we had +succeeded in getting into deep water, the natives had been to the ship, +and were returning with the five muskets which we had left on board. +They soon passed us with great rapidity, and evidently with the +intention of escaping with their booty unharmed. The cause of their +precipitancy will soon be explained.</p> + +<p>Just at this time there came in sight a number of canoes, perhaps +thirty, filled with natives, who seemed no less intent upon plunder than +those with whom we had already formed a disagreeable acquaintance. Their +language was to us entirely unintelligible, but we could gather from +their somewhat significant gestures, that they most of all desired to +possess themselves of fire-arms. They beckoned to us to go with them, +and seemed quite anxious to avail themselves of our assistance; but we +were not less so to escape; and with the hope of being able to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> do so, +we continued to row towards the island. Some of them remained near us, +while the rest made for the ship. At length, all, except those in one +canoe, left us, and joined their companions. These seemed particularly +fond of our company, partly on account, as we afterwards learned, of +their suspecting that we had something of value concealed about us, and +partly for the purpose of making us their prisoners, and in that way +gaining some advantage over the others. After a while they offered, with +an appearance of friendship, to render us some assistance by towing our +boat; and after some deliberation we concluded to throw them a line. +This greatly facilitated our progress, as their canoe, being made very +light, skimmed over the water with incredible swiftness. No sooner was +this arrangement completed than a chief, and one other of the natives, +left their canoe and took their station with us; the chief with a +somewhat offensive familiarity seating himself in the stern of the boat, +near the captain. We were not long in doubt concerning the motive<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> which +had led them to this act of condescension. Our bread was contained in a +small chest, which had been placed in the bottom of the boat; this +seemed to have excited their curiosity to the highest pitch, as they +kept their eyes almost constantly upon it, and endeavored to persuade +the captain to give them a chance to examine its contents. He declined +gratifying them, thinking it better to keep their anxiety alive, rather +than to expose to them the comparative worthlessness of the little that +remained with us, of either the comforts or necessaries of life.</p> + +<p>Probably owing to this show of resistance on our part, when we had +approached to within five or six miles of the island, at a signal given +by the chief, the sail of their canoe was suddenly dropped; and, seizing +our powder canister, he jumped overboard and swam to the canoe. His +companion, following the example of the thievish chief, seized a bundle +of clothing and was making off with it; whereupon Mr. Nute, who had not +yet become entirely reconciled to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> fashion of going without clothes, +like our new acquaintances, and conceiving that it might be well to +insist upon having the rights of property respected, caught hold of the +bundle and retained it. Upon this they immediately hauled us alongside, +and seized upon our oars; here again we had occasion to offer some +resistance to their supposed right to plunder us, and we succeeded in +keeping possession of these; the only remaining means of saving +ourselves from premature death and a watery grave.</p> + +<p>They had by this time become so exasperated, that we considered it +altogether desirable to get ourselves out of the reach of their war +clubs, spears, and battle-axes; and we took measures accordingly. We +were still held fast to their canoe, and so completely within their +reach that it required not a little courage to make any attempt to leave +them; but Mr. Nute, whose resolution had been wrought up by the previous +contest, took a knife and deliberately cut the line. Our intention was +to throw ourselves astern, and then, by tacking directly about,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> and +steering in the wind's eye, to escape from them, or at least to give +them, for a time, some better employment than that of robbing their poor +and suffering victims. This we succeeded in accomplishing; not however +without the expense of much toil, and some blows, which they dealt out +at parting, with so much severity, that we shall not soon lose the +recollection of their barbarous conduct towards us. Mr. Nute, by his +intrepidity, seemed to have rendered himself an object of their +particular dislike; they beat him unmercifully, for his resolution in +retaining the bundle of clothes, and sundering the only cord that bound +us to our tormentors.</p> + +<p>Having but three oars, our progress was by no means as rapid as we could +have desired; but perceiving that in going against the wind we had the +advantage of our pursuers, and knowing that our only safety was in +flight, we exerted our utmost strength, and soon had the satisfaction of +leaving them at a safe distance from us. They seemed determined not to +part with us,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> and continued to pursue us till about four o'clock, P. M. +It was with the greatest difficulty that we kept clear of them; at times +it seemed impossible; and in this situation we could fully realize the +force of the scriptural sentiment, "all that a man hath he will give for +his life." Finding them too near us, and evidently intent upon taking +vengeance for the crime we had committed in attempting to escape, though +our wardrobe had been reduced to a few necessary articles of clothing, +we resorted to the expedient of parting even with these, by casting one +thing at a time upon the water, rightly judging that they might be +detained in picking them up, and hoping by this management to keep our +distance from them.</p> + +<p>After they left us, we continued our course, which was directly into the +open sea, until about sunset, when we discovered land ahead, apparently +at the distance of forty miles. We continued to row on till about three +o'clock in the morning, when we found that we were in shoal water, and +near breakers. We contrived to throw the bight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> of a rope over a point +of rock which was about eight feet under water, and we there remained +until daylight. We then let go our hold, and pulled for land. At about +four o'clock in the afternoon we succeeded in landing on a small island +distant from the main land about half a mile, and drew our boat upon the +beach. By this time our strength had become much exhausted, and we were +suffering beyond description from the want of water. Our first efforts +were made to find some means for quenching our thirst; and, to our +inexpressible joy, we soon found a spring, which, in that extremity of +our sufferings, was of more value than a mine of gold. Poor Sedon was +left lying in the boat in a state of complete prostration. We carried +him some water, and he soon revived.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> In Keate's Account of the Pelew Islands this word is +written <i>pook</i>.—<i>Edit.</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p></div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>A canoe, with two natives, approaches the island.—Communication +opened with them.—A great number of canoes, filled with armed +natives, suddenly arrive; rough treatment of the captain by one of +the chiefs.—They all arrive at the harbor of the island, which +proved to be one of the Pelew islands.—Description of the island +and its inhabitants.—Consultation of the chiefs respecting the +ship's company.—Result of the consultation.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">Having</span> satisfied our most pressing wants, we next set ourselves at work +to obtain food. We had with us a part of the bread brought from the +wreck, and the preparation given us by the natives composed of the +cocoa-nut pulverized and mixed with the sweet liquor extracted from the +tree. Putting these together into a bucket-full of water, we made out +the materials for a supper, which, though not of a kind to suit the +delicate palate, was devoured with thankfulness and a good relish. +Feeling refreshed and invigorated by our meal, we gathered ourselves +into a group on the beach, and passed our moments<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> of relaxation in +conversing upon the melancholy vicissitudes through which we had passed, +and the gloomy prospect which was at that unpromising moment spread out +before us. Should we find it possible to procure the means of +subsistence, it was thought best to remain where we were for a day or +two, not knowing what reception we should meet with, were we to throw +ourselves into the hands of the inhabitants of the main island, and +feeling an unconquerable reluctance to come in contact with beings +scarce less ferocious than beasts of prey. But fortune having commenced +making us the sport of painful incidents, soon subjected us to another +annoyance.</p> + +<p>A canoe containing two living beings, in the form of men, in a state of +nakedness, was seen, from where we sat, putting off from a point of land +which projected into the sea a small distance below us. They had +evidently discovered us, and were approaching the spot where we were, +for the purpose of making themselves acquainted with us and our +condition. When within hailing distance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> they stopped, and seemed afraid +to come nearer. Thinking it best to be on friendly terms with them, we +beckoned to have them approach. This seemed to please them; and, to +manifest a friendly disposition, they held up a fish. To show them that +we were inclined to reciprocate any acts of kindness, to the extent of +our ability, we held up a crab which we had caught. Upon this they +immediately came near to where we stood. We presented to each one a +jackknife, and indicated by signs, that they were at liberty to take any +thing we had. They appeared highly gratified, and their conduct was +inoffensive. In a short time they returned to their canoe, and made +signs to us to follow them; we thought best to do so, and accordingly +soon placed our effects in the boat, and followed them towards a sort of +harbor at no great distance. In consequence of the lightness of their +canoe and their dexterity in managing it, they were soon ahead of us, +and, turning round a point of land, they were speedily withdrawn from +our view.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> + +<p>In a few minutes they returned, accompanied by a large number of +canoes—the water seemed to be literally covered by this miniature +fleet. The natives were all armed, much like those with whom we first +became acquainted.</p> + +<p>This instantaneous movement was occasioned, as we afterwards learned, by +an alarm given by the two natives who had visited us on the small +island. Intelligence of the fact, that a boat's crew of strange looking +beings, as we doubtless appeared to them, had landed upon their +territory, was given by sounding a shell. This aroused the multitude, +and caused them to come out, to satisfy their curiosity, and assist in +conducting us safely and speedily to a place of security. A large war +canoe made directly towards us; and, on coming alongside, the head chief +sprung into our boat, seized the captain by the shoulder, and struck him +several times with a war-club; in the mean while giving him to +understand, that it was his will and pleasure to have us row, with all +convenient despatch, to the place whence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> they had issued. He then +commenced swinging his club over our heads with great apparent ferocity, +for the purpose, as it seemed, of awing us into submission; occasionally +striking some of our number. After pretty thoroughly convincing us that +in this case our only course was submission, he began to strip us of our +clothing. While this was going on, his associates in arms and mischief +kept their canoe close alongside, and, standing up, held their spears in +a position to enable them to pierce us through in an instant, if there +had been any occasion for so doing.</p> + +<p>We were soon in their miserable harbor; and, it being low water, we were +compelled to leave our boat, and wade to the tableland through the mud. +Our appearance, as the reader will naturally conclude, was not very +creditable to the land which gave us birth; but since our destitute and +miserable condition was not our choice, we could do no less than be +thankful that it was no worse; and, making the best of it, we suffered +ourselves to be ushered into the presence of the dignitaries of the +island, in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> way they thought most proper. We were conducted to a +platform, on a rise of land at a little distance from the harbor, on +which were seated those who had power to dispose of us as they pleased. +This platform was twelve or fifteen feet square, and was situated +between two long buildings, called "<i>pyes</i>." These, as we afterwards +learned, were used by the chiefs as places of carousal, and as a sort of +harem for their women. They were constructed in a rude manner, of bamboo +sticks, and covered with leaves. They were sixty or seventy feet in +length, and about twenty-four in width.</p> + +<p>That something like a correct conception of this scene may be formed by +the reader, it may be well to give, in this place, a brief account of +the appearance, manners, and customs of the natives of this island. This +was the island known to navigators as Baubelthouap, the largest of the +group of the Pelew islands. It lies not far from the eighth degree of +north latitude, is about one hundred and twenty miles in length, and +contains<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> probably not far from two thousand inhabitants.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>The men were entirely naked. They always go armed, in the way before +described, and carry with them a small basket, containing generally the +whole amount of their movable property. The women wear no other clothing +than a sort of apron (fastened to the waist by a curiously wrought +girdle) extending nearly to the knees, and left open at the sides. The +material of these garments (if such they can be called) is the bark of a +tree called by them "<i>karamal</i>." This tree grows from thirty to forty +feet high, and is two or three feet in circumference. The hair of both +males and females is worn long; it is coarse and stiff, and of a color +resembling that of the natives of North<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> America. They make free use of +the oil extracted from the cocoa-nut; with this they anoint their +bodies, considering it the extreme of gentility to have the skin +entirely saturated with it. Their arms, and sometimes the lower parts of +the body and legs, are ingeniously tattooed. Their complexion is a light +copper. Their eyes have a very singular appearance, being of a reddish +color. Their noses were somewhat flat, but not so flat as those of the +Africans; nor are their lips so thick. They are excessively fond of +trinkets. It would cause a fashionable lady of America to smile, to +observe the pains taken by those simple daughters of nature to set off +their persons. In their ears they wear a sort of ornament made of a +peculiar kind of grass, which they work into a tassel; this is painted +and richly perfumed. In their noses they wear a stem of the <i>kabooa</i> +leaf, which answers the double purpose of an ornament and a smelling +bottle; and their arms, in addition to being tattooed in the manner +above mentioned, are adorned with a profusion of shells. Our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> fair +readers may judge how much we were amused, on finding that the +copper-colored females of the island cut up our old shoes into +substitutes for jewelry, and seemed highly delighted with wearing the +shreds suspended from their ears.</p> + +<p>Our further acquaintance with this extraordinary people confirmed us in +the opinion, that the ceremony of marriage is unpractised and unknown +among them. The chiefs appropriate to themselves as many females as they +please, and in the selection they exercise this despotism over the +affections without regard to any other laws than those of caprice. +Reserving a more particular account of their manners, customs and mode +of living for another place, I content myself with observing at this +time, that the people of these islands, generally speaking, are in the +rudest state imaginable. It is true that some sense of propriety, and +some regard to the decencies of life, were observable; nor did they +appear entirely destitute of those feelings which do honor to our +nature,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> and which we should hardly expect to find in a people so rude +and barbarous.</p> + +<p>Such were the beings among whom Providence had cast our lot; and to +think of remaining with them to the end of life, or for any great length +of time, was like the contemplation of imprisonment for life in the +gloomy cells of a dungeon.</p> + +<p>From the rudely constructed wharf near the spot where we left our boat, +we were conducted into the presence of a number of the chiefs, who were +seated upon the platform above mentioned. The natives eagerly pressed +forward to obtain a sight of us. That curiosity peculiar to the better +portion of our race was, on this occasion, manifested by the females of +the island. They clustered around us, and, placing their hands upon our +flesh, seemed greatly to wonder that it should differ so much from their +own. The fashion of wearing a skin so white as ours, seemed to them, no +doubt, to be an offence against the taste and refinement of their +portion of the world. To go at large without being tattooed, was to +carry with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> us the palpable proofs of our vulgarity; and, to our sorrow, +we were afterwards compelled to conform to the custom of the barbarians +in this respect, and shall carry with us to the grave the marks of their +well-meant, though cruel operation upon our bodies.</p> + +<p>Judging from appearances, our case had become a concern of great +importance. The chiefs seemed to have had under discussion the question, +whether we were to be treated as enemies, and subjected to the process +of beheading upon the block of the executioner, (which was there in +readiness before our eyes) or regarded as friends, and welcomed to their +rude hospitalities. Unable as we were to understand a word of their +language, or to say any thing by way of explanation or defence, the +reader will conceive, better than we could describe, our painful +situation. For a time we considered our case as hopeless. The women, who +seemed to have taken an interest in our welfare, after observing, for a +time, what was going on among the chiefs, began to utter their cries and +lamentations, as if greatly distressed on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> our account. Their grief had +the appearance of being sincere; they wept, and in a variety of ways +expressed emotions of deep and heart-felt solicitude. Whether this was +their manner of interceding in our behalf, to avert some impending +calamity, or was expressive of their regret on account of our doom +having been already sealed, it was impossible for us to determine. Nor +did we ever know the amount of our obligations to those female strangers +for the interest taken in our welfare. A termination was put to our +suspense, however, in the course of an hour.</p> + +<p>At the close of the consultation, a large bowl was brought to us, filled +with sweetened water, and richly ornamented with shells, so arranged as +to form a sort of hieroglyphical characters. We drank of the contents of +the bowl, in compliance with their request, from a richly wrought cup +made of a cocoa-nut shell. This act of hospitality was regarded as a +favorable indication of a friendly disposition on their part towards us; +and our hopes were afterwards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> confirmed; for no sooner had we finished +drinking, than the natives prepared to conduct us away. We afterwards +learned, that a messenger had been despatched to a neighboring town, or +settlement, to consult their prophetess in regard to the proper manner +of disposing of us; and that she had directed them to send us to her. Of +this important personage a more particular account will be given +hereafter; suffice it, for the present, to say, that the respect paid to +her by the natives of the island was of the most profound character, and +her authority over them was almost unlimited.</p> + +<p>We were conducted, through an inconsiderable place, to the town where +the prophetess resided. In this place there were several +dwelling-houses, scattered about without regard to order; and, besides +the dwelling of the prophetess, two of their long buildings, or "pyes," +gave it not a little importance in the estimation of these rude and +uncultivated beings. We were halted in front of one of the "pyes," and +directly opposite the house of the prophetess. Here,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> again, we were +reminded of the fact, that we were in the presence of our superiors, as +to power, by the platform on which were placed our judges, the chiefs, +and the block standing near them, for the purpose of execution.</p> + +<p>We were soon surrounded by a vast crowd of the natives, eager to see us, +and to learn something of the nature of beings so different from +themselves.</p> + +<p>A short time after our arrival, a quantity of food was brought from the +house of the prophetess, and placed in the centre of the platform. This +consisted of a hog's head, boiled in sea-water, highly seasoned with +cayenne and aromatic herbs, a plentiful supply of yams, and a large bowl +of sweetened water. This meal was abundant and delicious; and we partook +of it with an excellent relish.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> This island is not always laid down by name on our common +maps, nor mentioned in geographical works. In the best <i>charts</i> it is +called <i>Baubelthouap</i>. In the chart prefixed to the fifth volume of +<i>Burney's Chronological History of the Voyages and Discoveries in the +South Sea</i>, it is called "Panloq or Babelthoup." In the map accompanying +the late edition of Malte Brun's Geography, (in 4to) it is carelessly +printed <i>Banbeltbonap</i>.—<i>Edit.</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p></div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>An extraordinary and unexpected meeting with a person not a +native.—Happy result of the meeting.—Acquisition of the Pelew +language.—Dissensions between two portions of the natives.—Three +of the ship's company separated and carried to a place remote from +the rest.—Attempt to construct a boat, in order to leave the +island.—The natives agree to release them all for a +compensation.—Solemnities observed by the natives on the +occasion.—Tools used in making the boat; transportation of timber, +&c.—The plan abandoned, and a canoe substituted for the +boat.—Another festival.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">An</span> interesting incident now occurred. Just at the time when the servant +of the prophetess brought out the materials for our repast, we observed, +at a little distance, a singular looking being approaching us. His +appearance was that of a man of sixty. His hair was long and gray, +unlike that of the natives. His legs, arms, and breast were tattooed. +His step was quick and firm; his motions indicating that he felt himself +a person of not a little importance. His teeth were entirely gone, and +his mouth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> was black with the use of "kabooa." Judge of our emotions on +hearing this strange being address us in broken English! His first +exclamation was—"My God, you are Englishmen!" He immediately said, "You +are safe now;" but he gave us to understand, that it was next to a +miracle that we had escaped being killed on the water.</p> + +<p>This person was by birth an Englishman, and had been on the island about +twenty-nine years. He told us that he had been a hatter by trade, and +that his name was Charles Washington. He had been a private in the +British naval service, on board the Lion man-of-war. Cruising in those +seas, he had, while on duty, been guilty of some trifling offence; and, +apprehending that he should be severely punished for it, had left the +ship, and taken up his residence upon the island. He seemed to be +contented with his situation, and had no desire to return to his native +country. He had attained to great celebrity, and was the sixth chief +among them. His authority seemed great, and he exercised it with +exemplary discretion.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span></p> + +<p>Observing the provisions before us, he told us that they were for our +use, and desired us to partake of whatever we preferred. Seeing that we +were likely to be somewhat annoyed by the crowd of young persons who had +collected around us, he swung his battle-axe over their heads, and +giving them to understand that we belonged to <i>him</i>, immediately caused +them to disperse.</p> + +<p>Arrangements were soon made for our accommodation. A part of one of the +"pyes" was appropriated to our use, and we were furnished with mats, and +other things for our comfort and convenience. Here we remained for about +a month, and were regularly supplied by the natives with a sufficiency +of provisions of various kinds, such as hogs, goats, fish, yams, +cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, preserved almonds, and occasionally with sweet +potatoes.</p> + +<p>A change seemed now to have come over us. We were, it is true, amongst a +rude and barbarous people, cut off from all intercourse with the rest of +the world, and deprived of many things which we had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> accustomed to +regard as essential to our happiness; but even then we found many +reasons for being grateful to the Disposer of events. Our actual wants +were supplied; and the natives soon evinced a disposition to consider us +friends, and treat us as such. To the latest day of our lives we shall +remember some of them with heartfelt respect and affection; and, most of +all, regret our inability to requite them for the favors which they +voluntarily bestowed upon us. Especially should we rejoice to revisit +that lonely spot of earth, and carry with us, to those children of +nature, the means of civilization, and the blessings of Christian faith +and Christian morality. And should the government of enlightened America +ever see proper to extend to them some proof of its regard, it would +afford us unspeakable pleasure to have it in our power to communicate to +them the exalted principles, which might incline this highly favored +nation to the performance of so noble a deed.</p> + +<p>Finding it important to be able to converse with the natives, we +improved every opportunity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> to become acquainted with their language. +Having but little to occupy our attention, it was not long before we had +acquired a tolerable knowledge of it; and we found our situation much +more pleasant as we became familiar with it. Our great object was, as +the reader will naturally suppose, to contrive some way of escape. Our +only means of accomplishing this was by friendly and amicable +negotiation, and to make them understand our wishes, and convince them +that it would be for their interest to aid us in returning to our native +land, were essential to our success.</p> + +<p>We had not long been with them before we became acquainted with the +fact, that upon the opposite end of the island there was another tribe, +and that the two divisions of the inhabitants were not on the most +friendly terms with each other. Intelligence had in some way been +communicated to those who lived remote from the spot where fortune had +thrown us, that we were desirous of leaving the island; and, probably +with a view of gaining some advantage,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> they sent to us a message, +informing us of their willingness to assist in constructing a boat +sufficiently large to convey us across the water. The persons +commissioned to make this proposal, and to persuade us to go to them, +were two Englishmen, who, as we afterwards learned, had been on the +island for several years, and were left there by English vessels. The +particulars of their history we were unable to obtain.</p> + +<p>An offer of that kind, coming as it did from their enemies, and being in +itself calculated to offend the pride of those into whose hands we had +fallen, greatly excited their feelings of animosity; and, in consequence +of our having manifested some desire to satisfy our own minds on the +subject, we were closely watched. On the whole, however, we had no +reason to regret this state of things; for on finding that their +neighbors were disposed to assist us, a spirit of emulation was aroused +among them, and for a time we had some hopes that the excited energies +of this tiny nation would lead to the performance of some exploit, +which, in the end, might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> place at our disposal the means of +deliverance.</p> + +<p>Our maintenance had by this time become so great a tax upon their +resources, that it was found expedient to cause some of our number to be +removed to a settlement about a mile distant. Mr. Nute, Mr. Rollins, and +myself were accordingly selected, and under a strong escort taken to the +place. This did not please us, as we preferred remaining with our +companions; but either expostulation or resistance would have involved +us in worse difficulties, and we submitted. In our new situation we were +well supplied with provisions, and kindly treated. We were allowed to +visit our friends at the other town, and spent our time as agreeably as +could be expected under the circumstances.</p> + +<p>Previously to this, some steps had been taken towards constructing a +sort of boat or vessel to convey us home. Finding the natives disposed +to part with us, for a stipulated consideration, and to render us any +assistance in their power, we left no means unemployed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> to induce them +to exert themselves to the utmost; and, to their credit be it said, it +was more owing to their inability than to their want of inclination that +we were not entirely successful. An account of their proceedings cannot +fail of being interesting.</p> + +<p>After much deliberation, and many consultations upon the momentous +subject, it was agreed to commence operations. Their prophetess had been +duly consulted, and the assistance of their divinity had been implored +with great formality. Before they ventured upon the undertaking, it was +deemed advisable to hold a festival. An event of so much importance +could not be suffered to transpire without being duly solemnized. +Tradition furnished no account of any thing equal to this attempt! +Accordingly large quantities of provisions were brought from various +parts of the island, and an immense concourse of men, women, and +children, attended the feast. On our part we had little confidence in +the success of the plan; but, be that as it might, we were far from +being displeased with their efforts to carry it into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> execution, and +shared with them the festivities of the occasion, with not a little +pleasure.</p> + +<p>This part of the business having been duly attended to, the time had +come for united and vigorous action; and accordingly the whole male +population of that region repaired to the woods, to procure timber. In +the mean time the females, animated by a spirit of emulation, betook +themselves to the task of making mats, to serve as sails to our vessel, +when it should be completed. In fine, the whole resources of the +country, of every kind, were taxed to the last extremity, to accomplish +the work.</p> + +<p>Considering the means they had for carrying the plan into execution, it +is surprising that they accomplished as much as they did. The best tools +we had were a few old inch chisels, which served as substitutes for the +broad-axe, in manufacturing trees into planks, and afterwards fitting +them to their places. There were a few spikes on the island, but we had +neither auger nor gimlet.</p> + +<p>When news had been received that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> timber was ready in the woods, +orders were given to have it brought together. Seldom had we witnessed a +more novel scene than that presented by the natives when they brought +from the forests the rudely prepared materials for the boat. They were +seen coming in from all quarters with loads of timber on their +shoulders, of every size and shape that could be conceived of, and +causing the hills and vales to resound with their shouts.</p> + +<p>In due time the work of putting together the materials commenced. We +succeeded in laying a sort of keel, and at length contrived to erect a +kind of frame, which, though it might not be regarded as a first-rate +specimen of naval architecture, nevertheless looked somewhat like the +beginning of a water-craft. But when we came to the more difficult part +of the business, that of putting on the planks, we found that not only +our skill, but that of the whole nation, was completely baffled. We were +compelled to abandon the undertaking; and despaired of ever being able +to succeed in building any thing of the kind.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + +<p>During all this time the natives were sanguine in the belief that they +should succeed, and repeatedly assured us that they could accomplish the +work. Their sorrow and mortification, on being obliged to give it up, +were great; for they seemed to realize, that now they must have fallen +in our estimation, and thought that we should be anxious to avail +ourselves of the assistance of their enemies, who, as they well knew, +were extremely anxious to get us into their hands. The captain did not +attempt to conceal his wish to go to the other part of the island. This +greatly increased their dissatisfaction; and their murmurs became +frequent and loud. After considerable expostulation, they proposed to +make a <i>canoe</i> sufficiently large to convey us away; and, having some +confidence in the practicability of the plan, we consented to wait and +assist them in their endeavors to supply us with this substitute for the +more respectable craft we had contemplated building. After duly +consulting the old prophetess, the principal chiefs were assembled, and +having agreed to take<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> for the purpose the largest bread-fruit tree on +the island, the people were called upon to meet at the spot where it +stood, and assist in cutting it down.</p> + +<p>Matters of so great importance required deliberation in the operation of +planning out the work,—but the accomplishment of an undertaking like +that of felling so large a tree, with tools even less adapted to the +business than the teeth of a beaver, was one that took several days. At +length the herculean task was performed, and the tree fell! But judge of +our feelings on finding that the trunk, which we had hoped to render so +useful in conveying us to some place from which we could obtain a +passage to our native land, had, in falling, become so split as to be +good for nothing! It seemed to us that a cruel fate had ordained, that +no labor of our hands should prosper. Another tree was selected, and +with that we were more successful. We then commenced digging it out, and +bringing it to a proper shape. The old chisels were now put in +requisition; and, in twenty-eight days from the time we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> began, we had +succeeded in bringing that part of our labor to a close. Of the other +tree we made two wide planks, which we fastened to the upper edges of +the canoe, thereby adding very considerably to its capacity. Two months +more were consumed in fitting up our canoe with sails, and getting it +ready for sea.</p> + +<p>Having proceeded thus far, it was deemed proper by the natives to have +another festival; and, as our labors, in this instance, had been +attended with better success, extraordinary preparations were made for a +feast that should do honor to the occasion. An immense quantity of fish +had been obtained; the females brought large quantities of bread-fruit, +cocoa-nuts, and yams; and the toil of months was forgotten in the +universal joy which then prevailed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"><p>The natives become anxious to aid the ship's company in leaving the +island.—Terms on which they agreed to release them.—Departure +from the Pelew islands.—Necessity of returning the same +night.—Detention a month longer; and final departure.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">By</span> this time the natives had become nearly as anxious to part with us as +we had ever been to leave them; and being mutually desirous to be rid of +each other's company, we lost no time in preparing for our departure. +Our object now was to get into the open sea, with the hope of falling in +with some vessel on its passage to China or elsewhere, and thus be able, +after a while, to find a conveyance to America. Provisions were +furnished us by the natives; but we greatly needed a compass, and with +much difficulty obtained one. Captain Wilson, who had been shipwrecked +there many years before, left his compass with one of the chiefs, whom +we finally succeeded in inducing to part with it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> It had become much +impaired by time and improper usage, but served as a tolerable guide.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></p> + +<p>It is proper here to state the particulars of our agreement with the +natives of this island. They had, as before related, furnished us with +the means of subsistence, and with comfortable lodgings; and, for the +purpose of enabling us to return home, had been at great expense in +fitting up a craft, such as they thought would answer to convey us +wherever we pleased to go. According to their notions, we were persons +of sufficient consequence in the estimation of our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> countrymen, to +fulfil any engagement we might make with them, and to the extent to +which, in our necessity, we were compelled to go, in order to obtain the +object which we had in view, should the government consider itself +bound; and it would be no less an act of justice than of humanity, to +secure the friendship and confidence of these islanders; so that, should +others unfortunately fall into their hands, their lives and property +might be respected. It is also important, that those who engage in +commercial pursuits should have every protection extended to them. It +would cost the government but a mere trifle to secure an amicable +understanding with these islanders; and it is but reasonable to hope +that no time will be lost in making the attempt.</p> + +<p>Situated as we were, we did not feel ourselves at liberty to expostulate +against the obvious unreasonableness of their demands. We were, in +truth, indebted to them for our maintenance while among them, and for +the assistance they rendered us in fitting up our craft; and, as a +suitable requital for these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> favors, and to remunerate them for their +hospitality, we solemnly assured them, that, should fortune so far +prosper us, as to enable us once more to reach our native country, we +would send to them two hundred muskets, ten casks of powder, with a +corresponding quantity of balls and flints. Besides this, we gave them +assurances of having several articles of ornament, such as beads, belts, +combs, and trinkets of various kinds.</p> + +<p>On the 27th of October, 1832, we set sail, having the boat in which we +had escaped from the ship, and which we had repaired as well as we were +able, and the canoe which had been constructed by the natives especially +for our use. It was agreed, that three of our number, viz. Davis, Meder, +and Alden, should remain on the island as hostages, and that three of +the natives (two chiefs, and one of the common class) should accompany +us, to see that the agreement made with them should be faithfully +executed. Fearing that the natives residing on the other part of the +island might come upon us and prevent our going, we took our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> departure +in the night. We soon found that our boats leaked so badly that it would +be next to madness to proceed, and we returned in the course of the +night. Our unexpected return gave great offence; but we insisted that to +go to sea in that condition would be certain destruction. They at length +consented to assist in repairing the canoe and boat, and to suffer us to +remain long enough to complete our arrangements more to our mind.</p> + +<p>We were detained by these operations about a month, and then again took +our leave of the spot where we had remained so long against our will; +though we would not conceal the fact, that the rude kindness of the +natives had so entirely overbalanced their faults, that, on parting with +them, we experienced emotions of regret, and were quite overpowered with +a sense of our obligations to them for the many favors which they had +bestowed upon us. They had regarded and treated us as beings of a higher +order than themselves; and our conduct had inspired them with a +veneration and confidence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> almost unbounded. As a proof of this, three +of their number were committed to our care, and were entirely willing to +place themselves at our disposal.</p> + +<p>Seven of our number now took the canoe, viz., Bouket, Sedon, Andrews, +Hulet, and the three natives. Captain Barnard, Rollins, Nute, and myself +preferred the ship's boat. We were accompanied on our passage the first +day by a large number of the natives. At night, as we had then succeeded +in getting beyond the reef, they left us, and we continued our course.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> The Englishman before mentioned, Charles Washington, told +us that this compass was left there about <i>thirty</i> years before, which +was the time when captain <i>James</i> Wilson, of the ship Duff, was there. +But from circumstances it appeared that he was mistaken as to the time, +and that it was one which had belonged to captain <i>Henry</i> Wilson, who +was shipwrecked there in the Antelope, in 1783, and of whose voyage and +disasters a most interesting and well-known account was published by Mr. +Keate. Its preservation for about fifty years is certainly +remarkable.—<i>Edit.</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p></div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>Regret at having undertaken the voyage in boats.—Storm, and damage +in consequence of it.—Loss of the canoe and the provisions on +board.—Danger of perishing from famine.—On the fifteenth day, +when nearly exhausted with fatigue and hunger, they discover a +small island.—Approach of eighteen canoes filled with natives, who +make prisoners of them all.—Cruelty of the natives; and return +with their prisoners to the island.—Reception there.—The +prisoners distributed among the captors.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">We</span> had not proceeded far before we had reasons for regretting, that we +had entered upon the perilous undertaking of navigating the waters of +that region in boats so poorly adapted to the purposes we had in view. +There came on a violent storm of rain, the wind blowing hard, and the +waves threatening to swallow us each moment of the night. To our dismay, +the rudder of the canoe, owing to the imperfect manner in which it had +been constructed, was unshipped, and for a time the destruction of those +on board seemed inevitable. Fortunately we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> continued to keep company. +By great exertion we made out to replace the rudder in the morning, and +then proceeded. In the course of the day the rudder was again unshipped; +but, with less difficulty than before, we succeeded in fastening it to +its place with ropes, so that it answered tolerably well as a substitute +for a better one. Happy would it have been for us, if this had been the +worst of the disasters of our voyage. Our mast next went by the board; +and during the whole of the next night, we lay drifting at the mercy of +the winds and waves. In the mean time the canoe sprung a leak, and we +found it impossible to bail out the water as fast as it came in. In this +extremity we lost no time in shifting all our lading into one end of the +canoe; and by tearing up our old clothes, and stuffing them into the +crack, we at length stopped the leak. In this sad plight we continued +on, meeting with no very serious accident till the fifth day from the +time of leaving the island; when, just at the setting of the sun, owing +to some mismanagement, a light puff of wind capsized<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> the canoe! +Fortunately no one was drowned. All but three swam to our boat; those +who remained continued through the night to cling to the canoe. With +great difficulty we kept our boat from being stove in pieces by coming +in contact with the canoe. During all this time it rained very hard, and +never had we experienced a more dismal night. In the morning we tried to +get the canoe right side up; but finding that impossible, we concluded +to abandon it entirely. We took from it a few cocoa-nuts, and, as our +last resort, all took refuge in the boat. We saved the compass, and did +not so much regret the loss of the canoe, as it had cost us already an +incalculable amount of anxiety, toil, and suffering.</p> + +<p>But new difficulties now stared us in the face. Most of our provisions +had been lost by the upsetting of the canoe, and we had but a very small +quantity of water. It was therefore deemed expedient to divide among us +the means of subsistence remaining. We had four cocoa-nuts for each +person, and a few pieces over, which were distributed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> equally. At this +time no objects were seen, except a few sea birds. We continued in this +condition for nine days and nights, with actual starvation before us, as +the most probable end of our anxieties and sufferings. We were about +settling down into a state of confirmed despair, when, to our +inexpressible joy, we discovered land apparently about ten miles off. We +exerted all our remaining strength to reach it. When within six miles we +saw, approaching us, a fleet of eighteen canoes, filled with the natives +of the small island we were approaching.</p> + +<p>At first the small canoes came near us, for the purpose of ascertaining +who and what we were. The appearance of these natives was such as to +excite at once our astonishment and disgust. Like the inhabitants of the +island we had left, they were entirely naked; and, as our subsequent +experience proved, they were infinitely more barbarous and cruel. Very +soon the large canoes came up, when the wretches commenced their +outrages. They attacked us with brutal ferocity, knocking us overboard +with their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> clubs, in the mean time making the most frightful grimaces, +and yelling like so many incarnate devils. They fell upon our boat and +immediately destroyed it, breaking it into splinters, and taking the +fragments into their canoes. While this was going on we were swimming +from one canoe to another, entreating them by signs to spare our lives +and permit us to get into their canoes. This they for a long time +refused, beating us most unmercifully, whenever we caught hold of any +thing to save ourselves from sinking.</p> + +<p>After they had demolished our boat, and kept us in that condition for +some time, they allowed us to get on board. They then compelled us to +row towards the land. They stripped us of all our clothing immediately +after we were taken in; and the reader may form some idea of our +distress in this condition, under a burning sun, from the fact, that +before night our shoulders were blistered, by being thus exposed to the +heat.</p> + +<p>On approaching land we discovered no habitation; but after going round a +point<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> of the island, we saw near the beach a row of small and badly +constructed huts. We were compelled to jump from the canoes into the +water and wade to the shore. By this time the beach was lined with women +and children, who caused the air to resound with the most horrid yells +and screams. Their gestures and violent contortions of countenance +resembled the frantic ravings of Bedlamites.</p> + +<p>The reception we met with on land was no more agreeable than that upon +the water. Judging from the treatment we had received from the females +of the island which we had left, it was hoped that the gentler sex would +extend to us some proof of their commiseration; but in this we were +sadly disappointed. If possible, they were more cruel than their inhuman +lords and masters. We were soon separated from each other, and dragged +about from place to place; our brutal captors, in the mean time, +contending with each other to see who should have us as his property. +Frequent contests of this kind occurred; in one of which, during the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +first day, I was knocked down. The question of ownership was at length +settled, and we were retained by those into whose hands we had at first +fallen. Some of us were taken to their house of worship, called by them +Verre-Yarris—literally, God's house, where they went through with some +of their religious ceremonies, and we received a few mouthfuls of food, +which was the first we had tasted through the day.</p> + +<p>It was my good fortune to be retained by one who, compared with the +other natives, was humane. His name was <i>Pahrahbooah</i>; the female head +of the family was called Nahkit; and they had four children. I went by +the name of <i>TeeŽmit</i>; and Benjamin Nute by the name of <i>Rollo</i>. The +captain was also fortunate in falling into the hands of a friend of my +master, who treated him with comparative kindness. He was valued the +more highly also on account of being a large, fleshy man—they judging +of these things by the size and appearance.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>The island, to which they were carried, proves to be Lord North's +island, called by the natives <i>ToŽbee</i>.—Account of the island and +its inhabitants.—Their manners and customs.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">It</span> may now be proper in this place to give some account of the place +where our unhappy lot was cast, and of its rude and miserable +inhabitants. It will be impossible to convey a correct idea of their +ignorance, poverty, and degradation; but some conception may be formed, +by imagining what the condition of beings must necessarily be, when +wholly separated from the rest of their species, stripped of all the +refinements of life, and deprived of all means and opportunities for +improvement.</p> + +<p>We were now upon the small piece of land called by the natives <i>ToŽbee</i>, +but known to navigators by the name of <i>Lord North's Island</i>, situated +between the third and fourth degrees of north latitude, and in longitude +one hundred and thirty-one degrees twenty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> minutes east. It is also +known by the name of <i>Nevil's Island</i> and <i>Johnston's Island</i>; and it +has been hitherto considered by navigators and others as uninhabited. +This is not surprising; as we were told by the natives, that no white +man had ever visited the place; though it seemed, from the pieces of +iron in their possession, and from other circumstances, that they had +had some communication with the Spaniards and Portuguese in that quarter +of the world.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> Like many other islands in those seas, this is +surrounded by a coral reef, which is from an eighth to one half of a +mile wide; but outside of the reef the water is apparently fathomless, +the water being as blue as it is in the middle of the ocean; and the +largest vessels may in many places approach within a quarter of a mile +of the beach. The whole island rises so little above the level of the +sea, that the swell often rolls up to a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> considerable distance inland. +It is about three quarters of a mile in length, and not far from half a +mile in width. There were upon it three villages, situated on the +shores, and containing, in all, between three and four hundred souls, at +the time when we were taken there; but the number was considerably +diminished by famine and disease before we left.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants are in a state of entire barbarism and ignorance. The +men wear a sort of girdle or belt made of the bark of a tree. This is +girded round the loins so as to leave one end to hang loose behind, the +other is brought forward and fastened to the belt in front. This is +their only clothing. The females, after arriving at the age of +womanhood, wear an apron made of the leaves of a plant, by them called +<i>kurremung</i>, split into fine strips and plaited. This extends from the +loins nearly to the knees. Some few wear rings upon their wrists made of +white shells, and some had this kind of ornament made of turtle-shell. +In their ears, which are always bored, they sometimes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> wear a leaf; and +round their necks a necklace made of the shell of the cocoa-nut, and a +small white shell, called <i>keem</i> shell. The children go entirely naked. +The complexion of these islanders is a light copper color; much lighter +than the Malays, or the Pelew islanders; which last, however, they +resemble in the breadth of their faces, high cheek bones, and broad +flattened noses. They do not color their teeth, by chewing any thing, as +many of those islanders do; but their teeth are so strong that they can +husk a cocoa-nut with them instantly.</p> + +<p>Their principal food is the cocoa-nut. They occasionally succeed in +procuring fish, though the supply obtained during our residence there +was exceedingly small. Their fish-hooks are made of turtle-shell, and +not well contrived for the purpose; but we could not induce them to use +our hooks, till they had heated them and altered their form so that they +would not hold the fish. They did this, because they said that Yarris +(God) would be angry with them, if they used our hooks without preparing +them according to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> their fashion. Sometimes they are so fortunate as to +obtain a sea-turtle; five only were taken during the two years we were +there. The turtle, I may add, has something of a sacred character with +them. They also raise small quantities of a vegetable somewhat +resembling the yam; but while we were with them they were unsuccessful +in cultivating it. These constitute the slender means of their support; +and they are thus barely kept from actual death by famine, but on the +very verge of starvation. When any one of them begins to fail, for want +of food, so that his death is pretty certain, they inhumanly turn him +off from among them, to starve to death.</p> + +<p>Their religion is such as might be expected among a people in their +condition. Their place of worship is a rudely constructed building, or +hut, about fifty feet long and thirty wide. In the centre, suspended +from the roof, is a sort of altar, into which they suppose their deity +comes to hold converse with the priest. Rudely carved images are placed +in different parts of the building, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> are supposed to personate their +divinity. As nearly as could be ascertained by us, they supposed that +the object of their worship was of like passions with themselves, +capricious and revengeful. During the time we were with them, they +attributed to his displeasure their want of success in taking fish as +they had done in former times, and the unfruitfulness of their +bread-fruit and cocoa trees.</p> + +<p>Their religious ceremonies are singular. In the commencement the priest +walks round the altar and takes from it a mat devoted to the purpose, +which is laid upon the ground. He then seats himself upon it, and begins +to hoot, in the mean time throwing himself into a variety of attitudes, +for the purpose of calling down the divinity into the altar. At +intervals the congregation sing, but immediately stop when the priest +breaks out in his devotions. By the side of the altar is always placed a +large bowl, and six cocoa-nuts. After the incantation is gone through, +and the divinity is supposed to be present, the bowl is turned up, and +four of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> the nuts are broken and put in it, two being reserved for the +exclusive use of a priest by them called also "<i>yarris</i>." As soon as the +nuts are broken, one of the company begins to shout, and, rushing to the +centre, seizes the bowl, and drinks of the milk of the nut, generally +spilling a considerable part of it upon the ground. After this a few +pieces are thrown to the images, and the remainder are eaten by the +priests. This closes the ceremony; after which they indulge in any +recreations that chance to please them best.</p> + +<p>While we were on the island several earthquakes happened, and some of +them pretty severe. On those occasions the natives were much terrified; +they would not let their children speak a word; and they said among +themselves—<i>zahbeeŽtoo Yarris</i>, <i>ToŽbee yettahŽmen</i>, that is, Yarris +(God) is coming and To'bee (the name of the island) will sink. They were +also very much alarmed at thunder and lightning; and used to say at such +times, <i>Yarris teeŽtree</i>, God is talking. I do not know how they would +be affected by an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> eclipse, as none happened, that I noticed, while we +remained there.</p> + +<p>I will here mention some other things in respect to their customs and +usages, as they now occur to me.</p> + +<p>Their implements of war are spears and clubs; they have no bows and +arrows. Their spears are made of the wood of the cocoa-nut trees; the +points of them are set with rows of sharks' teeth; and, being at the +same time very heavy and from ten to twenty feet long, are formidable +weapons.</p> + +<p>Their canoes are made of logs which drift to their island from other +places, there being no trees on it large enough for that purpose; they +are hollowed out with great labor, and are of very clumsy workmanship; +to prevent their oversetting, they are fitted up with outriggers, like +those of the Pelew islanders. A sketch of one is given in the +accompanying engraving.</p> + +<p>They kindle their fires, as they informed me, by rubbing two pieces of +wood together, as is common in the islands of the Pacific ocean; and +they cook their turtle or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> other meat, (when they are so fortunate as to +have any,) as well as their vegetables, by covering them with heated +stones. I should state, however, that during the whole time we staid +among them, fire was always preserved in some part of the island, so +that there was no necessity for kindling it in the manner here +mentioned.</p> + +<p>Like other savage people, they reckon time by moons; I could not learn +that they ever reckoned by any other period, except, indeed, when +speaking of two or three days.</p> + +<p>They take pride in their hair, and are particularly careful about it, +washing and cleansing it almost every day. They do not color it, +however, as the natives of some islands are said to do; but they moisten +it with the juice pressed out from the cocoa-nut, which gives it a very +glossy appearance; and it is frequently so long as to reach down to +their waist.</p> + +<p>Their mode of salutation is, to clasp each other in their arms, and +touch their noses together, as is practised in many other islands.</p> + +<p>We found no musical instruments of any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> kind among them. They sometimes, +on particular occasions, would sing or bawl out something like a rude +tune; but we could not understand it. We frequently tried to teach them +to whistle, and their awkward attempts to do it amused us; but they +never were able to learn how it was done.</p> + +<p>In their names, I could not find that they had any thing like a family +name, but only a single one, (corresponding to our christian names,) as +is the case, I believe, throughout the islands of the Pacific. I could +not learn, that the names were significant either of animals or other +objects, as the Indian names of America are, and I never found any two +persons of the same name. The names of the members of the family with +which I lived were as follows:—</p> + +<p>PahrahbooŽah, the father of the family.</p> + +<p>Nah'kit, the mother.</p> + +<p>BuhwurŽtimar, the eldest child, a son, ten or twelve years old.</p> + +<p>KobawŽut, the second, a daughter.</p> + +<p>KobahnooŽuk, the third, a daughter.</p> + +<p>WahŽrebo, the fourth, a son.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> + +<p>The children do not address their parents by any word corresponding to +father or mother, papa or mamma, but by their names. Their parents treat +them on the footing of equality; they are generally well behaved, and +are never punished, except occasionally when impatient for their food.</p> + +<p>Their language appears to be different from those of the other islands +in that quarter; we found that the three natives of the Pelew islands, +that accompanied us, could not understand any thing they said; though I +observed afterwards, occasionally, a resemblance in two or three words. +The reader will, however, be enabled to judge for himself, by means of a +short vocabulary of common words which will be found at the end of this +narrative. I may add, that the Pelew chiefs had never heard of Lord +North's island; but they are acquainted with the <i>Caroline</i> islands.</p> + +<p>A detail of all that befell us would serve only to give pain to the +benevolent, or at most to show how much human beings can endure. I shall +attempt but little more than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> to describe the sufferings of a day; +observing once for all, that for the term of two long years we +experienced the same privations, and were subjected to the same brutal +treatment; life, during all that time, being no better than the constant +succession of the most acute sufferings.</p> + +<p>This island, unlike the Pelews, is one of the most horrible and wretched +on the face of the globe. The only product of its soil worth mentioning +is the cocoa-tree; and those are of so dwarfish and miserable a growth +as to bear but very few nuts. These few, however, constitute the food of +the inhabitants, with the exception of a species of fish caught +occasionally near the shore. The only animals or creeping things known +on the island are lizards and mice, and, during our stay there, scarcely +a solitary sea-fowl was known to have alighted on the island, and but +few fish were taken by the natives.</p> + +<p>The character of the inhabitants much resembles that of the island +itself. Cowardly and servile, yet most barbarous and cruel, they +combine, in their habits, tempers, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> dispositions, the most +disgusting and loathsome features that disgrace humanity. And, what may +be regarded as remarkable, the female portion of the inhabitants +outstrip the men in cruelty and savage depravity; so much so, that we +were frequently indebted to the tender mercies of the men for escapes +from death at the hands of the women. The indolence of the natives, +which not even the fear of starvation itself can rouse to exertion, +prevents their undertaking the least toil, although a little labor, well +applied, might be made to render them infinitely more comfortable.<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a></p> + +<p>Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that, notwithstanding +they are in this miserable condition, with no prospect of its ever being +improved, they are of the opinion that they are highly favored. This can +be accounted for in no other way than by the fact, that they are +entirely ignorant of all that lies beyond the narrow limits of their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +observation. They know nothing of any other portion of the globe, than +the mere speck of barren land upon which by some accident they were +thrown, and where they remain, to drag out a wretched existence. Their +traditions do not extend further back than to about a hundred years; +and, to their simple minds, it seems like a splendid effort of mind to +be able to relate, with tolerable accuracy, the time-hallowed stories +told them by their parents. Whether they could in any way be improved by +instruction, is a question which it would be difficult to answer. They +seem to be doomed to remain, as one of the last links in the chain that +connects our race with the mere animal part of the creation.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> They occasionally wore a kind of broad hat, called by them +<i>shappo</i>, and sometimes <i>shambaráro</i>; which are evidently derived from +the Portuguese <i>chapeo</i> (or possibly the French <i>chapeau</i>) and the +Spanish <i>sombrero</i>.—<i>Edit.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> Some of these remarks are taken from the New York Sun of +May 30, 1835; for which paper the substance of them was furnished by Mr. +Nute and myself.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span></p></div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>A ship discovered at a small distance from the island.—The natives +prepare to go on board of her.—Captain Barnard and Bartlet +Rollins, after being severely beaten, are allowed to go with the +natives in their canoes, and thus effect their escape; the rest of +the Mentor's people are still forcibly detained on the +island.—Their hopes of being taken on board of the same ship are +suddenly blasted.—Their despondency on that +disappointment.—Return of the natives from the ship; their rage, +and quarrels about the division of the articles procured on board +of her.—They threaten to wreak their vengeance on the Mentor's +people that remained with them.—Their cruel treatment of them.—A +storm destroys the cocoa-nut trees and causes a scarcity of food.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">We</span> were captured and taken to the island December 6, 1832; and on the +third day of February, 1833, two months wanting three days, captain +Barnard and Bartlet Rollins effected their escape. Compared with the +remainder of our captivity, our privations and sufferings up to that +time were less severe. But at no time did we have sufficient food to +satisfy the cravings of hunger! The very crumbs that fall from an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +ordinary table would have been to us a luxury; the swine of America are +better fed than we were, on the most fortunate day of our residence upon +that island.</p> + +<p>It was on the day above mentioned that a ship was discovered a short +distance from the island, and the natives immediately collected, and +prepared to go to it, in order to obtain iron, or some other articles of +value. Hope once more visited us. To escape was, of course, our strong +desire and intention. Accordingly, when the canoes put off we attempted +to go. Our savage masters interposed their authority, and by menaces and +blows prevented us. Many of us were severely beaten, and all but two +were detained by the brutal force of the savages. At length captain +Barnard and Rollins, after being severely beaten, were allowed to +accompany the natives to the ship, and succeeded in effecting their +escape. Trusting to the humanity of the captain and crew, we for some +time confidently expected, that they would contrive some way of enabling +us to join them. They were in sight about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> three hours; at one time they +were so near that we could distinctly see the hands on board; but judge +of our feelings when we saw the vessel pursuing her course! Our +expectations were all blasted in a moment, and our minds, which had been +gladdened by the hope of once more enjoying the society of civilized +beings, of once more reaching the shores of our beloved country, sunk +back into a state of despair; we wept like children.</p> + +<p>The natives, when they returned from the vessel, brought with them a +small quantity of iron hoops, and a few articles of some little value, +but they were highly dissatisfied with the amount received, and greatly +enraged. The division of the property caused much difficulty, and they +quarrelled about it for several days. Those of us who remained, though +innocent, were the greatest sufferers. They held us accountable for the +conduct of those who had left, and vented the malignity of their +unfeeling hearts upon us. We were given to understand, that now our doom +was fixed; that we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> should remain with them, and die the victims of our +tormentors! Alas! it was but too true, that such was to be the fate of +all but two of our number! We were destined to see one after another of +our fellow-sufferers sink under the constantly increasing severity of +the burdens imposed upon them, and perish either from actual starvation, +or by the blows of the savages.</p> + +<p>After the departure of the captain and Rollins, we were treated with +much greater severity than we had been before. Generally we were aroused +from our broken slumbers about sunrise, and compelled to go to work; we +were usually employed in cultivating a species of vegetable somewhat +resembling the yam, and called by them "<i>koreï</i>." This root is raised in +beds of mud, which are prepared by digging out the sand, and filling the +place with mould. The whole of this labor was performed with the hands. +We were compelled day after day to stand in the mud from morning till +night, and to turn up the mud with our hands. Frequently we were +required to do this without<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> receiving a morsel of food till about noon, +and sometimes we were left without any thing to eat till night. At best +we could get no more than a small piece of cocoa-nut, hardly a common +sized mouthful, at a time, and if, either from exhaustion or any other +cause, we neglected to perform the required amount of labor, our +pittance of food was withheld altogether.</p> + +<p>From this plain and unexaggerated account it will be seen, that our +condition at best was bad enough; but a misfortune befell us which +rendered it still worse. About four months from the time of our landing +on that dreary spot, there was a violent storm, which came very near +sweeping away the whole of the means of support which remained for the +miserable inhabitants. The wind blew down many of the best cocoa trees, +and materially injured the fruit on such as were left standing. Besides +this, the low places in which they raised the root, by them called +"<i>korei</i>," were mostly filled with sand, and famine stared us all in the +face.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> + +<p>They attributed this misfortune to the anger of their god, and did not +fail to use such means as they thought best calculated to appease him; +and the calamity greatly added to our sufferings. Besides subjecting us +to still more severe deprivations, we were compelled (though hardly able +to drag our limbs from place to place) to labor in repairing the damage +done by the storm. We were employed for months in carrying in our arms +and on our shoulders pieces of the coral rock, in order to form a sort +of seawall to prevent the waves from washing away the trees; and this +drudgery, considering that we were naked, under a burning sun, and +reduced to nothing but skin and bones, was too severe to admit of any +thing like an adequate description. Our flesh, or, to speak more +properly, our skin—for flesh we had none—was frequently so torn by the +sharp corners of the rock, and scorched by the sun, as to resemble more +that of the rhinoceros than of human beings.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>The natives compel the Mentor's people to be tattooed.—Description +of that painful operation.—They also oblige them to pluck their +beards, &c.—Another vessel passes by the island; and, afterwards, +a third comes in sight and remains for three days; the Mentor's +people are closely guarded at these times.—The melancholy fate of +William Sedon; and the barbarous murder of Peter Andrews.—Attack +on H. Holden, who is protected by one of the natives, and +escapes.—B. Nute and others are protected by the female natives +from the fury of the men.—Death of one of the Pelew +chiefs.—Another of the Pelew people is detected in stealing, and +is punished in their manner.—Death of Milton Hewlet and Charles C. +Bouket; leaving now only B. Nute, H. Holden, and the other Pelew +chief, named <i>Kobak</i>, who all remained in a feeble and helpless +condition.—Filthy practices of the natives.—Friendship of the +surviving Pelew chief.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">A new</span> trial now awaited us. The barbarous beings among whom our lot had +been cast, deemed it important that we should be <i>tattooed</i>, and we were +compelled to submit to the distressing operation. We expostulated +against it—we entreated—we begged to be spared this additional +affliction; but our entreaties were of no use. Those savages<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> were not +to be moved, and we were compelled to submit; and that the reader may +form some idea of the painful process, I will here give a brief account +of it.</p> + +<p>We were in the first place securely bound down to the ground, and there +held fast by our tormentors. They then proceeded to draw with a sharp +stick the figures designed to be imprinted on the skin. This done, the +skin was thickly punctured with a little instrument made of sharpened +fish bones, and somewhat resembling a carpenter's adz in miniature, but +having teeth, instead of a smooth, sharp edge. This instrument was held +within an inch or two of the flesh, and struck into it rapidly with a +piece of wood, applied to it in such a manner as to cause it to rebound +at every stroke. In this way our breasts and arms were prepared; and +subsequently the ink, which was made of a vegetable found on the island +called by them the "<i>savvan</i>," was applied. The operation caused such an +inflammation of our bodies, that only a portion could be done at one +time; and as soon as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> the inflammation abated another portion was done, +as fast as we could bear it, till our bodies were covered. It was +effectually done; for to this day the figures remain as distinct as they +were when first imprinted, and the marks will be carried by us to the +grave. They were exceedingly anxious to perform the operation upon our +faces; but this we would not submit to, telling them that sooner than +have it done we would die in resisting them. Among themselves, the +oldest people had the greatest quantity of tattooing, and the younger +class less.</p> + +<p>Besides the operation of <i>tattooing</i>, they compelled us to pluck the +hair from different parts of the body, and to pluck our beards about +every ten days, which was extremely painful; and at every successive +operation the beard grew out harder and stiffer.</p> + +<p>About seventeen days after the captain and Rollins left, we saw a vessel +to the windward; but the natives did not attempt to visit it. Five +months afterwards another came in sight, and remained for three days +near the island. At one time we could distinctly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> see the men on board; +but we were kept on shore and closely guarded. Several canoes visited +the ship, and brought back a few pieces of iron, fish-hooks, glass +bottles, &c. We tried, but in vain, to escape. It seemed to us, that we +were doomed to remain on that dreary spot, to wear out our remaining +strength in hopeless bondage, and to submit to the control of brutal +masters, whose tender mercies were cruelties. Death, in any form, would +have been a relief, and often did we see moments when it would have been +welcomed as the best of friends! To some of our companions it did come, +though dreadful in the manner, yet as a not unwelcome alternative.</p> + +<p>About a year after we first arrived at the island, William Sedon became +so reduced as to deprive us of all hopes of his recovery. He looked like +a skeleton; and, at last, was so entirely exhausted by hunger, as to be +unable to walk, or even to rise from the ground. He continued, however, +to crawl from place to place, until all his remaining strength was +nearly gone, when the inhuman<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> monsters placed him in an old canoe, and +sent him adrift on the ocean! Gladly would his unhappy shipmates have +extended to him the last sad offices of friendship; that poor +consolation was denied both him and us! My heart bleeds at the +recollection of our separation and his melancholy fate—when we saw him +anxiously turn his languid eyes towards those who were doomed still to +linger on the borders of the grave! Our sighs were breathed almost in +silence, and our tears were shed in vain!</p> + +<p>It may be observed here, that it is not their custom to deposit the +bodies of any of their dead in the earth, except very young children. +The bodies of grown people, after death, are laid in a canoe and +committed to the ocean.</p> + +<p>It was soon our lot to part with another of our companions, Peter +Andrews. He was accused by the natives of some trifling offence, and put +to death. The savages knocked him down with their clubs, and then +despatched him in the most cruel and most shocking manner. I was at this +time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> at a distance from the place where he was killed. My master was +absent; and upon my hearing a noise in the direction of the place where +the foul business was transacted, and suspecting that all was not right, +I started to see what was going on. I was near the beach when I saw a +number of the savages coming towards the spot where I stood, dragging +along the lifeless and mangled body of our comrade! One of them +approached me behind, and knocked me down with his club. The body of +Andrews was thrown into the sea, and it seemed to be their determination +to destroy the whole of us. I warded off the blows aimed at me as well +as I could, and recovering myself, ran towards the hut of my master. He +had not yet returned; but, fortunately, an old man, who had previously +shown some regard for me, and who was the particular friend of my +master, happened at that moment to be passing; and seizing the man who +had pursued me, held him fast. I escaped and ran into the hut, and +crawled up through an aperture in the floor into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> chamber under the +roof. I seized an old box and covered up the hole through which I had +ascended; but this was not sufficient to detain, for any great length of +time, the wretches who were thirsting for my blood. They soon succeeded +in displacing the box, and one of them seized me; but just as he was +pulling me from my place of refuge, my master returned with several of +his friends, and rescued me from the clutches of my enemies.</p> + +<p>In the mean time Nute and the rest of our companions were at the +"<i>Tahboo</i>," a place of public resort, where, for the only time, the +females rendered our people any assistance. They concealed the men under +some mats, and kept them there till the fury of the natives had in a +measure subsided.</p> + +<p>We were next called upon to part with one of the Pelew <i>chiefs</i> who had +come with us. He died of absolute starvation, and, according to custom, +was committed to the waves in an old canoe. In a short time after this, +the Pelew private (who had also come with us) was detected in the crime +of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> taking a few cocoa-nuts without leave; for which offence he had his +hands tied behind him, and was put into a canoe and sent adrift; which +was their usual method of punishment for offences of different kinds.</p> + +<p>About a year and seven months from the commencement of our captivity +Milton Hewlet died, and, like the others, was, according to the custom +of the natives, committed to the ocean. A short time afterwards Charles +C. Bouket, having become so reduced by his sufferings as to be unable to +help himself, was (horrible to relate!) placed in a canoe, while still +alive, and committed to the mercy of the ocean. Thus did one after +another of our companions sink under the weight of their sufferings, and +perish without any alleviation of their wretchedness. Nute and myself, +with our friend <i>Kobac</i>, the other Pelew chief, were all that remained; +and we were constantly expecting that the next hour would end our +existence.</p> + +<p>The idea of death, however, had now become familiar; and often did we +desire the release from suffering which that alone could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> afford. +Nothing, as it now appears to us, but the kind interposition of +Providence, could have continued our lives, and have given us the power +of endurance to hold out so long as we did. We were frequently so +reduced as to be unable to walk, and were forced to drag ourselves on +our hands and knees to some place where we could lie down under the +shade of a bush, and take rest. But the small comfort to be obtained in +this way was greatly lessened by the annoyance of musquetoes, which +could attack us with impunity in our helpless and feeble condition. +Besides this, our flesh had so fallen away, that on lying down, our +bones would actually pierce through the skin, giving us the most severe +pain. After we were tattooed, the parts operated upon were, for a long +time, running sores; and when exposed to the sun, the pain was +excruciating.</p> + +<p>It has been already said, that the natives were indolent, filthy and +degraded, but the half has not been told; and some things which we +witnessed cannot be related. The intercourse of the sexes was +unrestrained by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> any law; and the decencies of life were almost entirely +neglected. Instead of taking pains to keep clean, they seemed to be not +unwilling to have their heads overrun with vermin; and however +incredible it may seem, it is a disgusting truth, that they are +accustomed to eat them; and particular care seems to be taken to keep +those loathsome animals in the heads of the children. But I forbear any +further particulars.</p> + +<p>I have already said, that only two of the crew of the Mentor, namely, +Nute and myself, remained alive, with the exception of captain Barnard +and Rollins, who had fortunately escaped. The Pelew chief had become +strongly attached to us, and we take pleasure in stating the fact, that +his faithfulness and affection had greatly endeared him to us. He seemed +more like a brother than a barbarian; and most gladly would we have +saved him from those sufferings which, no doubt, before this time, have +terminated his life. Alas! it was not in our power to administer to his +relief; and when we last saw him he was but just alive.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<div class="chapter-summary"> +<p>The feeble and exhausted condition of the survivors, Nute and +Holden.—The natives consent to release them from labor, but refuse +them food; and they obtain permission to leave the island in the +first vessel, for a compensation to be made to the natives.—They +crawl about from place to place, subsisting upon leaves, and +occasionally begging a little food of the natives, for two +months.—Their sudden joy at hearing of a vessel coming towards the +island.—It proves to be the British barque Britannia, captain +Short, bound to Canton.—They are taken on board the Britannia, +November 27, 1834, and treated with the kindest attention.—Their +joy and gratitude at this happy termination of their +sufferings.—They gradually recover their health so far as to take +passage for America, in the ship Morrison, bound for New York, +where they arrive May 5, 1835.—Acknowledgments for their kind +reception at New York and Boston.</p></div> + + +<p><span class="sc">Having</span> thus briefly related the story of our captivity and sufferings, +it only remains to give an account of our escape from this barbarous +people. We continued to survive the horrible sufferings to which we were +constantly subjected, and to serve our tyrannical masters, in despite of +our agonies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> of body and mind, till the beginning of the autumn of 1834; +at which time we had become so emaciated, feeble, and sickly, that we +found it impossible any longer even to attempt to labor. By this time we +had acquired a sufficient knowledge of their tongue to converse fluently +with the natives, and we informed our masters, that our feeble condition +rendered it impossible for us to attempt to do any thing more. We also +reasoned the matter with them, telling them that death was our +inevitable doom, unless we were allowed to relax our labor; that if we +died we could be of no service to them, but if allowed a respite, and we +lived, and could be put on board a vessel, they should be liberally +rewarded.</p> + +<p>With much difficulty we at length persuaded our masters to allow us to +quit labor, and obtained from them a promise to be put on board the +first vessel that should come to the island. But, at the same time, they +informed us, that if we ceased to work, they should cease to furnish the +miserable allowance of cocoa-nut on which we had before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> subsisted, and +that we must either labor or starve. We deemed death as welcome in one +shape as in another, and relinquished our labors and our pittance of +food together.</p> + +<p>We were thus literally turned out to die! We crawled from place to +place, subsisting upon leaves, and now and then begging of the natives a +morsel of cocoa-nut. In this way we contrived to live for about two +months, when the joyful intelligence was brought to us that a vessel was +in sight, and was coming near the island! Hope once more revisited our +despairing hearts, and seemed to inspire us with renewed strength and +animation.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i115.png" width="500" height="301" alt="ESCAPE TO THE BRITANNIA." title="" /> +<span class="caption">ESCAPE TO THE BRITANNIA.</span> +</div> + +<p>After taxing our exhausted powers to the utmost, we persuaded the +natives to prepare for visiting the vessel; and throwing our emaciated +bodies into their canoes, we made for the ship with all possible +despatch. The vessel proved to be the British barque Britannia, captain +Short, bound to Canton. Our reception on board is faithfully described +in the following certificate given by captain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> Short, the original of +which is still in my possession:</p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="ltr-date"><span class="smcap">Lintin</span>, 29th December, 1834.</p> + +<p>"This is to certify, that on the 27th day of November, 1834, off +the small island commonly called Lord North's by the English, +situated in latitude 3° 3' north, and longitude 131° 20' east, on +board the British barque Britannia, bound to Canton river, we +observed about ten or eleven canoes, containing upwards of one +hundred men, approaching the vessel, in a calm, or nearly so, with +the intention of coming alongside. But having the small complement +of thirteen men, it was considered most prudent to keep them off, +which was effected by firing a few six pound shots in a contrary +direction from the boats, some of which were then within +pistol-shot. At the same time hearing cries in our own language, +begging to be taken on board, the boat was despatched away to know +the cause. The boat returned to the ship, and reported an American +on board one of them. She was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> then sent back, having strict +orders to act with caution, and the man got from the canoe into the +sea, and was taken up by the ship's boat, and brought on board. He +then stated in what manner he came there, and said he had another +of his countrymen in another canoe. I said if we could get some of +the boats dispersed, that every assistance should be rendered for +the liberty of the other man. Accordingly they did so, all but +three. The ship's boat was then despatched in search, and soon +found the other man. He was brought on board, but in a most +deplorable condition with fever, from the effects of a miserable +subsistence. These two poor fellows were quite naked, under a +burning sun. They appeared to bear all the marks of their long +servitude, and I should suppose two or three days would have been +the end of the last man taken on board, but from this act of +Providence. It appears that these men were wrecked in the ship +Mentor, on the Pelew islands, and were proceeding with their +commander to some Dutch settlement, in one of the Pelew island<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +canoes, when they got to the afore-mentioned island, and were +detained by the natives; and that captain Edward C. Barnard had got +on board some ship, and reached Canton river shortly after their +detention at the island; which has been confirmed by the different +masters now at the port of Lintin.</p> + +<p>"The statement given in to me by the two men runs thus:—That they +were wrecked May 21st, 1832, on the Pelew islands, and detained on +Lord North's island 6th December, 1832. The two men's names are +Benjamin H. Nute and Horace Holden. I should thank any ship master +now in port, acquainted with the circumstance, to confirm it by his +signature, in order to make some provision for those men, should +they require it. But from the disposition and liberality of those +American gentlemen coming forward, that are already acquainted with +the circumstance, perhaps it will be unnecessary. At the same time +I shall be very willing to draw up any form, or in any other way +that I may forward their views, according to the opinion of their +American friends. I should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> hope that every vessel passing in the +direction of the afore-mentioned island, passing any of their +boats, will give them a trifle. I gave them what articles those two +men thought most beneficial, and should have held a closer +communication with them had I been better manned and armed.</p> + +<p class="author"> +<span class="smcap">Henry Short</span>, Barque Britannia."</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Never shall we find words to express our joy at once more finding +ourselves in the company of civilized men! Nor can we be too grateful to +captain Short, and his officers and crew, for their kind attentions +during our passage to Lintin. Every thing in their power was done to +restore our health and strength, and to render us comfortable. On +arriving at Lintin we found ourselves sufficiently recovered to be able +to pass up the river to Canton. We remained there, at the factories, +under medical treatment, until the ship Morrison, of New York, was ready +to sail; when we took passage in her for our native country, and arrived +in New York on the 5th day of May, 1835.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> + +<p>In New York we found many kind friends, who took a lively interest in +our behalf. We would particularly acknowledge a debt of gratitude which +we owe to Mr. John Munson, who opened his hospitable dwelling for our +reception, and with whom we tarried for several weeks. Assisted by the +humane and philanthropic citizens of New York, we have been enabled to +reach Boston. Here Providence has raised us up warm friends, through +whose assistance we have been rendered as comfortable as could under any +circumstances have been expected.</p> + +<p>In compliance with the solicitations of many respectable gentlemen, the +foregoing narrative is submitted to the public, with the hope that it +may not be entirely uninteresting, and not without use. Every statement +may be relied upon as strictly true; and it is believed, that, simple +and unadorned as is our story, it may serve to afford some information +of a little spot hitherto supposed to be uninhabited, and to present to +view of the curious and intelligent some knowledge of a portion of our +race among whom no white man has ever before lived.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p> + +<p>To captain Barnard the author of the statements in this narrative is +under great obligations for his uniformly kind treatment previous to the +loss of the Mentor, and during the whole time we were together. We have +no reason to doubt, that he did all in his power to obtain our release +from captivity at the time when he was himself so fortunate as to +escape; and not the least blame is to be imputed to him on account of +the disasters that befell us.</p> + +<p>Of the twenty-two persons who composed the ship's company of the Mentor +when she sailed from New Bedford, only <i>four</i> have returned. It has been +reported, that one of the three who was left at the Pelew islands +escaped a few months since. If such be the case only two remain there; +and it is hoped that some measures will soon be adopted, either by the +government or by humane individuals, to rescue them from their painful +and distressing situation.</p> + +<p>I cannot close this narrative without expressing the most heart-felt +gratitude to that kind Providence which has sustained us under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> trials +and sufferings the most severe, and returned us to our homes and +friends. And may those who have been to us friends indeed, find an ample +reward for their generosity, in the consciousness of having been +influenced by those sentiments and feelings which best adorn and dignify +the human character!</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Boston, November, 1835.</span></span><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="APPENDIX" id="APPENDIX"></a>APPENDIX.</h2> + +<h3>VOCABULARY<br /> +<span class="sc lowercase">OF THE LANGUAGE OF LORD NORTH'S ISLAND</span>.</h3> + + +<p>The language of the inhabitants of Lord North's island appears to be a +new and hitherto unknown dialect of the Polynesian family of languages. +According to the preceding Narrative, it was wholly unintelligible to +the <i>Pelew</i> chiefs who accompanied the crew of the Mentor when they were +made captives. To judge by the <i>numerals</i>, and a few other words, which +have been collected by travellers, it has a near affinity to the +dialects of the neighboring <i>Caroline</i> islands.</p> + +<p>In the selection of words for the following vocabulary, we have +principally followed the list of English words in Keate's Account of the +Pelew Islands, but have added several from the Empress Catherine's +Vocabulary; distinguishing by <span class="smcap">small capitals</span> all the words which +correspond to those in that Vocabulary. Some short dialogues are +subjoined to the vocabulary.</p> + +<p>The orthography adopted is that of the <i>English</i> language; it being the +most useful to such of our navigators as may chance to visit Lord +North's island or those in its vicinity. It is only necessary to state +particularly, that <i>ay</i> is to be pronounced like <i>aye</i>, or <i>ah-ee</i>; <i>g</i>, +always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> hard, as in <i>go</i>; <i>ng</i>, in the middle of a word, as it is at the +end; as, for example, in the English word <i>hanger</i>, and not as in the +word anger, (ang-ger;) and <i>zh</i> is to be pronounced like <i>s</i> in +<i>pleasure</i>, or the French <i>j</i>.</p> + +<p>It is proper to remark, that the words of the language here given, not +having been furnished by <i>natives</i> of the island, are to be received +rather as approximations than as perfectly exact specimens of the +language; but the comparisons made with kindred dialects lead us to +believe, that they are as exact as are usually obtained from similar +sources. Two years' residence in the island strongly impressed the +language in the memory of the unfortunate captives.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>And, mah.</p> + +<p>Arm. (<i>See</i> Hand.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Back</span>, tukkalekŽ.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Bad</span>, tuhmahŽ.</p> + +<p>Bamboo, sheel, <i>or</i> shil.<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Beard</span>, koosum. (<i>See</i> Hair.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Belly</span>, mishŽee-um.</p> + +<p>Belt, (worn by the men,) tapŽpah.</p> + +<p>Big, yennup.</p> + +<p>Bird, karŽrum.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Black</span>, wayzerŽris, (wah-ee-zerris.)</p> + +<p>Boat, prow, (prah-oo.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Bone</span>, cheel.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Boy.</span> (<i>See</i> Man.)</p> + +<p>Brass, mullebahŽdee.</p> + +<p>Breast (of a female,) toot.<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a></p> + +<p>Brother, bizŽzheem, <i>or</i> bizŽzhim.</p> + +<p>Canoe, (<i>the same as</i> Boat.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Child</span>, (<i>of two or three years old</i>,) lahŽbo.</p> + +<p>Clouds, kotcho.</p> + +<p>Cocoa-nut, (<i>when ripe</i>,) kahrahŽpah; (<i>when very young</i>,) soob; +(<i>when the husk is so hard as to require<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> breaking with a stone</i>,) +chou, <i>or</i> chah-oo.</p> + +<p>Cold, makkrazmŽ.</p> + +<p>Come, (<i>verb, the same as to go</i>,) moŽrahbeeto.</p> + +<p>Copper, (<i>the same as</i> Brass.)</p> + +<p>Cord, (small line) kreel.</p> + +<p>Darkness, klo-wayzerŽris.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Day</span>, yahro, (<i>the same as</i> Sun.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dead</span>, pooŽruk.</p> + +<p>Dirt, yuhburŽ.</p> + +<p>Drink, (<i>verb</i>,) limŽmah.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dust.</span> (<i>See</i> Dirt.)</p> + +<p>Eat, mukŽkah.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Father</span>, wurŽteemum; (<i>used also for</i> Friend.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Fingers</span>, kayŽmuk, (<i>the same as</i> Hand.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Fire</span>, yah, <i>or</i> yahf.</p> + +<p>Fish, eeŽkah.</p> + +<p>Fish-hook, kah-oo eekah.</p> + +<p>Fishing net, shibboŽ.</p> + +<p>Fly, (<i>the insect</i>,) lahng.</p> + +<p>Foot, petchemŽ; (<i>applied to the</i> foot, leg, <i>and</i> thigh.)</p> + +<p>Friend. (<i>See</i> Father.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Girl</span>, pahŽchik vay-eeŽvee; (<i>literally</i>, a little woman.)</p> + +<p>Go. (<i>See</i> Come.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Good</span>, yissung.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">God</span>, yarris. (<i>They had images of twelve gods.</i>)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Grass</span>, wawŽree.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Hair</span>, (<i>of the head</i>,) chim. (<i>See</i> Beard.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Hand</span>, kayŽmuk. (<i>See</i> Fingers.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Head</span>, mitchŽeemum.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Here</span>, atidŽdee, <i>or</i> ettidŽdee.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">House.</span> (<i>See</i> Hut.)</p> + +<p>Hungry, surmahŽ.</p> + +<p>Hut, <i>or</i> house, yim.</p> + +<p>I, (myself,) nang.</p> + +<p>Iron, pahng-ul; <i>also</i> pishoo.</p> + +<p>Iron hoop, cheeŽpah; (i. e. <i>pieces of iron hoops, of which they +make knives, &c.</i>)</p> + +<p>Kill, (<i>verb</i>,) mahŽtee.</p> + +<p>Large. (<i>See</i> Big.)</p> + +<p>Laugh, (<i>verb</i>,) meeŽmee.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Leaf</span>, (<i>of a cocoa-nut tree</i>,) trillah.</p> + +<p>Leg. (<i>See</i> Foot.)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Lightning</span>, visseegŽ.</p> + +<p>Little. (<i>See</i> Small.)</p> + +<p>Lizard, peelelŽ.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Man</span>, mahŽree, <i>or</i> mah.</p> + +<p>Many, peeŽpee.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Milk</span>, toot. (<i>See</i> Breast.)</p> + +<p>My, mine; e. g. <i>my cocoa-nut</i>, kahrahŽpah ah nang.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p> + +<p>Moon, mukŽkum.</p> + +<p>Mother, mishŽerum.</p> + +<p>Mouse. (<i>See</i> Rat.)</p> + +<p>Musquetoe, lahm.</p> + +<p>Near to, yah petehŽto, <i>or</i> petetto.</p> + +<p>Night, neeboŽ; (<i>also</i> by night.)</p> + +<p>No, taw, <i>or</i> tah-oo.</p> + +<p>Numerals. (<i>See the list at the end of this vocabulary.</i>)</p> + +<p>Oar. (<i>See</i> Paddle.)</p> + +<p>Old, (i. e. from twenty years upwards,) mahzooŽ-ee; very old, +mahzoo-ee ah va; <i>also</i>, butchee butch chim, <i>literally</i>, the hair +is white.</p> + +<p>Paddle, vettel.</p> + +<p>People, peeŽpee ah mahŽree; <i>literally</i>, many men.</p> + +<p>Rain, (it rains,) oot; it does not rain, taw oot.</p> + +<p>Rat, tumŽmeeum.</p> + +<p>Reef (of rocks,) ahrahŽ-oo.</p> + +<p>Rope, tahŽree. (<i>See</i> Cord.)</p> + +<p>Sand, (or shoal in the sea,) pee. <i>This word means simply the +sand.</i></p> + +<p>Sea, (salt water,) taht.</p> + +<p>Shark, po.</p> + +<p>Ship, wawŽwee.</p> + +<p>Short, yuhmoatŽ, <i>or</i> yah moatŽ.</p> + +<p>Sick, makkahŽkes; I am not sick, nang tay makkahŽkes.</p> + +<p>Sister, meeŽang-um.</p> + +<p>Sleep, musŽsee, <i>or</i> mummah teedŽee.</p> + +<p>Small, pahŽchik; very small, (as a grain of sand,) +pahchik-gitchee-gee.</p> + +<p>Son, (or daughter,) lahŽbo. (<i>See</i> Child.)</p> + +<p>Stars, vish.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Stone</span>, vahs.</p> + +<p>Storm, peeŽpee oot; i. e. much rain.</p> + +<p>Strong, (in good health,) yuhkaylŽ.</p> + +<p>Sun, yahŽro.</p> + +<p>TahbooŽ, <i>the religious interdiction called</i> tahboo, <i>which is +common in the islands of the Pacific ocean, and which is also used +in Lord North's island.</i></p> + +<p>Talk, (<i>verb</i>,) teeŽtree; e. g. teeŽtree Inglish, talk English; +teeŽtree ToŽbee, talk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> ToŽbee, or the language of the island.</p> + +<p>Tattoo, (<i>verb</i>,) verŽree-verŽ-ree.</p> + +<p>There, a-turŽnah.</p> + +<p>Thou, <i>or</i> you, gur.</p> + +<p>Thunder, pah; pah zah teeŽtree, it thunders; <i>literally</i>, the +thunder speaks. <i>When it thunders, they say</i>, Yarris teeŽtree, God +is speaking.</p> + +<p>To-morrow, wawŽrah-zooŽrah.</p> + +<p>Tree. (<i>See</i> Wood.)</p> + +<p>Turtle, wahŽree.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Water</span>, (fresh,) tahŽroo.</p> + +<p>——, (salt,) taht.</p> + +<p>Whale, kahs.</p> + +<p>What; (what is that,) mahtahŽmen ah menno.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">White</span>, butchŽee butch.</p> + +<p>Why, bah.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Wind</span>, yang.</p> + +<p>Woman, vay-eeŽvee; a young woman, werŽree-wedg vay-eeŽvee.</p> + +<p>Wood, (trees,) tummutchŽee; taburŽrah eekŽah, the stem <i>or</i> trunk.</p> + +<p>Yellow, arrangŽ.</p> + +<p>Yes, eeŽlah.</p> + +<p>Yesterday, rollo; yesterday night, rollo neeboŽ.</p> + +<p>You, <i>or</i> thou, gur.</p> +</blockquote> + + +<h3>NUMERALS</h3> + +<div class="center"> +<table summary="numerals"> +<tr><td align="left">One,</td><td align="left">yaht</td><td align="left">Eleven,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah sooŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Two,</td><td align="left">guhlooŽ</td><td align="left">Twelve,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah goo-oŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Three,</td><td align="left">yah</td><td align="left">Thirteen,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah sa-rooŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Four,</td><td align="left">vahn</td><td align="left">Fourteen,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah vahŽoo</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Five,</td><td align="left">neem</td><td align="left">Fifteen,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah leemoŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Six,</td><td align="left">yah-woarŽ</td><td align="left">Sixteen,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah wahrooŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Seven,</td><td align="left">yah-veeshŽ</td><td align="left">Seventeen,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah weeshooŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Eight,</td><td align="left">yah-wahŽ</td><td align="left">Eighteen,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah wahrewŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Nine,</td><td align="left">yah-tooŽ</td><td align="left">Nineteen,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah tee-oŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Ten,</td><td align="left">yah-saikŽ (sake)</td><td align="left">Twenty,</td><td align="left">sa-kum ah gloo-oŽ<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Ten,</td><td align="left">saik</td><td align="left">Sixty,</td><td align="left">woar-eekŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Twenty,</td><td align="left">goowaikŽ</td><td align="left">Seventy,</td><td align="left">vesheekŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Thirty,</td><td align="left">sa-reekŽ</td><td align="left">Eighty,</td><td align="left">wahreckŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Forty,</td><td align="left">vah-eekŽ</td><td align="left">Ninety,</td><td align="left">tew-weekŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Fifty,</td><td align="left">leemaik (leemake)</td><td align="left">Hundred,</td><td align="left">surbung; &c.<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a></td></tr> + +</table></div> + +<p>The inhabitants of Lord North's island seldom count above a hundred; but +when they wish to express a larger number they do it by a repetition of +the syllable <i>saik</i>, (ten,) in this manner:—sakum ah saik, ah saik, ah +saik, &c.</p> + +<p>In counting cocoa-nuts, they use the following numerals:—</p> + +<div class="center"> +<table summary="counting cocoa-nuts"> +<tr><td align="left">One,</td><td align="left">soo</td><td align="left">Six,</td><td align="left">woarroo</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Two,</td><td align="left">goo-oŽ</td><td align="left">Seven,</td><td align="left">veeshooŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Three,</td><td align="left">sa-rooŽ</td><td align="left">Eight,</td><td align="left">tee-oo</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Four,</td><td align="left">vahŽo</td><td align="left">Nine,</td><td align="left">wahrewŽ</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Five,</td><td align="left">leemoŽ</td><td align="left">Ten,</td><td align="left">saik</td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<p>In counting fish they have still a different set of numbers:—</p> + +<div class="center"> +<table summary="counting fishes"> +<tr><td align="left">Seemul eekah, one fish</td><td align="left">Vahmul eekah, four fishes</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Gwimmul eekah, two fishes</td><td align="left">Neemul eekah, five fishes</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Sreemul eekah, three fishes</td><td align="left">WawŽremul eekah, six fishes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Vish-ee ahmul eekah, seven fishes</td><td align="left">Too-eeŽmul eekah, nine fishes</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">WarŽremul eekah, eight fishes</td><td align="left">Saik eekah, ten fishes</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="tiny" /> + +<h3>DIALOGUES IN THE LANGUAGE OF LORD NORTH'S ISLAND.</h3> + +<blockquote><p>TeeŽmit, tay too atteeŽdee, nang verŽree-verŽree gur; mahŽree +ToŽbee tay verŽree-verŽree man Inglish moŽree pooruk; zahbeeŽto +Yarris yettahŽmen man Inglish.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p>Horace, come here, for I am going to tattoo you; if ToŽbee man +does not tattoo Englishman he will die; Yarris (God) will come +and Englishman will go immediately out of sight; i. e. be +destroyed.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>They perform the process of tattooing by means of a little instrument, +made either of a thin, flat fish-bone, or of the wing bone of a large +sea-bird. The blade of the instrument (as it may be called) is about an +inch long; it is fixed upon a little handle, about four inches in +length, and the whole instrument may be compared to a carpenter's adz, +in miniature; except that the edge, instead of being straight, and +smooth for cutting, is made into teeth for puncturing the skin. This +little instrument is held in the left hand, with the edge or teeth +directly over the place to be punctured, and successive blows are then +struck upon it, with a small stick of iron-wood, resembling a drumstick, +and of about two pounds' weight,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> until the coloring matter is +sufficiently pricked into the skin.<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a></p> + +<p>Before commencing the operation they mix the coloring liquid (before +described, page 102) in a cocoa-nut shell. They then compel you to lie +down upon the ground in such a position that the part of the body which +is to be tattooed shall lie uppermost. After this, with a slender, +flexible stick dipped in the liquid, they mark out upon the body the +figures that are to be imprinted in the skin; then they dip the teeth of +the tattooing instrument in the liquid, and by successive strokes, as +above mentioned, prick it into the skin, till it is completed to their +taste. During the operation you are surrounded by men, women, and +children, all singing a kind of chorus or song adapted to the occasion; +and if any complaint escapes you, from the severe treatment of the +operators, (of whom there are generally two,) the whole company strikes +up a louder strain, apparently as if rejoicing. The spirited wood cut +accompanying this volume gives a very correct representation of this +important ceremony.</p> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<p>After captain Barnard and Rollins escaped from the island, the natives +would often ask of Holden and Nute where they thought <i>Peeter Inglish</i> +(their name for the captain) was;<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> they were answered, that he was on +his passage to England. They would then say,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>—</p> + +<blockquote><p>Ah! Peeter Inglish taw borobeeto Inglish; Peeter Inglish yepeeŽlif +tang ah nee mahŽree ah ToŽbee ah pahng-ul; Peeter Inglish moŽree +pooŽruk woar ah taht; Peeter Inglish teeŽtree teeŽtree mahŽree +ToŽbee peeŽpee peeŽpee ah pahng-ul, peeŽpee ah legoŽ, peeŽpee ah +mullebahŽdee; shaik, man Inglish yepeeŽlif tuhmahŽ; mahŽree ah +ToŽbee zah so zah teeŽtree Yarris, waurwa ah Inglish cher prow tay +beeto woar Inglish.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p>Ah! the captain will never get to England; the captain was a +thief; he had not given ToŽbee man any iron, and he would die +at sea; the captain talked, and talked with ToŽbee men, (that +they should have) much iron, great many clothes, and much +brass; for shame! Englishmen (are) all thieves and bad men; +ToŽbee men (are) very angry; (we) will speak to God, and he +will make the ship founder at sea, and the captain never will +arrive in England.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Whenever Holden or Nute expressed a wish to go to England, the natives +would say to them,—</p> + +<blockquote><p>Gur zah beeto Inglish bah? Taw ah mukŽkah woar Inglish; gur zah +beeto Inglish, gur moŽree pooŽruk; mahŽree Inglish mukŽkah ketchŽee +etchŽee, omah ah yahpuk gur mumŽmee teeŽdee ah ToŽbee, yevvers +mahŽree ToŽbee yissung ah mukkah.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p>What do you (wish to) go to England for? There is nothing to +eat in England; if you go to England you will die; Englishmen +eat rats and snails and filth; if you stay in ToŽbee you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> will +live; ToŽbee men have very good (food) to eat.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + + +<h4><i>Dialogue between Horace Holden and his master Pahrahbooah.</i></h4> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> Pahrahbooah, gur zah wosheeto ah nang woar ah prow, nang zah +beeto Inglish; nang zah mumŽmah teeŽdee ah ToŽbee zah pooruk, taw +ah mukŽkah woar ToŽbee; woar Inglish peeŽpee ah mukŽkah, peeŽpee, +peeŽpee; gur zah wosheeto ah nang woar ah prow nang zah lee ah gur +peeŽpee ah pahng-ul, peeŽpee ah legoŽ, peeŽpee ah mullebahŽdee; gur +tay wosheeto ah nang zah pooŽruk woar ah ToŽbee, gur taw ah pishoo.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> Pahrahbooah, if you will put me on board of a ship I will +go to England; if I remain at ToŽbee (Lord North's) I shall +die, for there is nothing to eat on ToŽbee; in England, much +food, much, much; and if you will put me on board of a ship, I +will give you much iron, many clothes, and much brass; if you +do not put me (on board) I shall die on ToŽbee, and you (will +get) no iron.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> Hah, nang tay wosheeto ah gur; gur teeŽtree tuhmah; gur tang +ah nee nang ah pahng-ul; Peeter Inglish yepeeŽlif, gur yepeeŽlif, +mahŽree ah Inglish yepeeŽlif, senah-messenŽ; tuhmah man Inglish; +gur mummah teeŽdee woar ToŽbee, zah pooruk ah ToŽbee.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> Ah! I will not let you go; you talk bad; you will not +give me any iron; Peeter Inglish is a thief, you are a thief, +all Englishmen (are) thieves and liars; Englishmen (are) bad +men; you (are) to stay on ToŽbee, to die on ToŽbee.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><i>Another Dialogue between the same persons.</i></h4> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> TeeŽmit, gur zah beeto Inglish gur zahnee mahŽree ToŽbee ah +pahng-ul, yennup wayŽsa teberëeŽkah yennup ah tepoŽee ah wausŽsa, +ah legoŽ, kah-oo eekah, zis ah pishooŽ ah teet ah tuvŽvatif, ah +mullebahŽdee, zah beeto ToŽbee zah lee wurŽteemum ah gur?</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> Horace, if you go to England will you give the men of +ToŽbee iron of a large size, as big as a stick of wood, and +big axes, and knives, and cloth, and fish-hooks, an anvil and +hammer, and needles, a trunk, and brass, and then come back to +ToŽbee and give them to your father?</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> EeŽlah, nang zah beeto Inglish nang zahnee mahree ToŽbee ah +pahng-ul yennup, ah tepoŽ-ee, ah wausŽsa, ah legoŽ, kah-oo eekah, +zis ah pishooŽ, ah teet, ah tuvŽvatif, ah mullebahŽdee, zah beeto +ToŽbee, zah lee wurŽteemum ah nang.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> Yes, I will go to England, and I will give to the men of +ToŽbee iron of a large size, and big axes, and knives, and +cloth, and fish-hooks, an anvil, and needles, and trunks, and +brass, and then come back to ToŽbee and give them to my +father.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> Gur zah beeto Inglish gur dee mumŽmah teeŽdee woar Inglish, +taw borobeeŽto ToŽbee, gur zah yuh-woon; tuhmah taw muhpeer klo +dung-ah-rang-us.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> If you go to England you will stop (sleep) there, and not +return to ToŽbee; this (will be) bad and not friendly, and you +will be a bad man.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> Nang zah beeto Inglish, nang dak mumŽmah teedee woar Inglish, +nang zah beeto ToŽbee.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> If I go to England I will not stop (sleep) there, but +return to ToŽbee immediately.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> Gur too-ay-goŽrah beeto Inglish, gur moŽree pooruk woar ah +taht, gur tay beeto ToŽbee.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> You do not know the way to England; you will die (or be +lost) at sea, and not come to ToŽbee.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> Hah! nang yegoŽrah beeto Inglish, taw moŽree pooruk woar ah +taht.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> Aye, I do know the way to England; I shall not die (or be +lost) at sea.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> Gur ahnee ah prow woar Inglish, peeŽpee ah pahng-ul, ah legoŽ, +kahrahpah, ah vay-eeŽvee peeŽpee, ah mahree peeŽpee, ah lahŽbo?</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> Have you got ships in England, and a great deal of iron, +and cloths and cocoa-nuts, and many men, women, and children?</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> Eelah, nang yuhwoŽ ah prow woar Inglish, peeŽpee ah pahng-ul, +ah legoŽ, kahrahpah ah vay-eeŽvee, peeŽpee ah mahŽree, peeŽpee ah +lahŽbo.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> Yes, I have got ships in England, much iron, and cloths, +and cocoa-nuts, and women, and a great many men and children.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> Gur mukkah woar Inglish peeŽpee?</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> Do you eat in England a plenty?</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> Eelah, nang mukkah woar Inglish peeŽpee.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> Yes, in England I eat a plenty, (or much.)</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> TeeŽmit, gur zah beeto Inglish wosheeŽto ah pahng-ul wosheeŽto +ah legoŽ, ah mullebahŽdee, ah tepo-ee, ah kah-oo eekah, moŽree +ToŽbee zah lee mahŽree ToŽbee, gur muhpeer, gur yissung ah mahŽree, +muhpeer muhpeer.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> Horace, if you go to England, and fetch us iron, and +cloths, and brass, and axes, and fish-hooks, to ToŽbee, and +give them to ToŽbee men, you (will be) our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> friend, a very +good man, a very great friend; (<i>literally</i>, a friend, a +friend.)</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> Eelah, nang zah beeto Inglish, nang wosheeto ah pahng-ul, +wosheeto ah legoŽ, ah mullebahŽdee, ah tepo-ee, ah kah-oo eekah, +woar ToŽbee zah lee mahŽree ToŽbee.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> Yes, (if) I go to England I will fetch you iron, and +fetch cloths and brass, and axes and fish-hooks, to ToŽbee, +and give them to the people of ToŽbee.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> TeeŽmit, gur zah beeto Inglish gur tay beeto ToŽbee, mahŽree +ToŽbee zah teeŽtree Yarris, gur moree pooruk.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> Horace, if you go to England and do not come back to +ToŽbee, the men of ToŽbee will talk to God and you will die.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> Nang zah beeto Inglish, nang de mummah teeŽdee, ah turt zah +beeto ToŽbee.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> I will go to England and stop a short time, (i. e. sleep +there,) and shall return to ToŽbee.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>P.</i> TeeŽmit, gur zah beeto venne Yarris, gur tay beeto, gur moŽree +pooruk.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>P.</i> Horace, if you do not go to YarrisŽ house, (i. e. the +place of worship,) you will die.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p><i>H.</i> Tur pay; nang zah beeto.</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p><i>H.</i> Wait a minute; I will go.</p></blockquote></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p>Verrah mahtah gur?</p> + +<blockquote class="english"><p>What is your name?</p></blockquote></blockquote> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> No bamboo grows on Lord North's island, but it frequently +drifts ashore, and the natives make knives of it.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> Used also by the Pelew Islanders.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> <i>Numerals of the Caroline Islands, from the Missionary +Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean, 4to, London, 1799.</i></p> + +<div class="center"> +<table summary="Numerals of the Caroline Islands"> +<tr><td align="left">One,</td><td align="left">iota</td><td align="left">Six,</td><td align="left">honoo</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Two,</td><td align="left">rua</td><td align="left">Seven,</td><td align="left">fizoo</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Three,</td><td align="left">toloo</td><td align="left">Eight,</td><td align="left">wartow,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Four,</td><td align="left">tia</td><td align="left">Nine,</td><td align="left">shievo</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Five,</td><td align="left">leema</td><td align="left">Ten,</td><td align="left">segga</td></tr> +</table></div> + +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> Tattooing instruments may be seen in the valuable East +India museum, at Salem; and perhaps in some of the museums in Boston.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> What the import of this name <i>Peeter</i> was, we are unable +to determine. They gave the same appellation to a character of great +celebrity in their history, whose entire name was <i>Peeter Kart</i>; and +who, according to their traditions, came from the island of Ternate, +many years ago, and gave them their religion and such simple arts as +they possessed. They said he was of a copper color, like themselves.</p></div> +</div> + +<hr /> + +<div class="trans-note"> +<a name="END" id="END"></a> +<p class="heading">Transcriber's Notes</p> + +<p>1. The author was inconsistent in his use of accents with some of the +words in the language of Lord North's island. This inconsistency +remains as originally published.</p> +<p>2. Some of the last words of the native's dialogue was moved to +the previous page for readibility. This occured on the following +pages:</p> + +<pre class="note"> +130 text moved to page 129 +131 text moved to page 130 +133 text moved to page 132 +</pre> + +<p>3. The illustration "Escape to Britannia" has been moved from between +page 114 and 115 to page 113.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Narrative of the Shipwreck, +Captivity and Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute, by Horace Holden + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHIPWRECK *** + +***** This file should be named 32012-h.htm or 32012-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/0/1/32012/ + +Produced by Richard J. 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H. Nute, by Horace Holden + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Narrative of the Shipwreck, Captivity and Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute + Who were cast away in the American ship Mentor, on the + Pelew Islands, in the year 1832; and for two years + afterwards were subjected to unheard of sufferings among + the barbarous inhabitants of Lord North's island + +Author: Horace Holden + +Release Date: April 16, 2010 [EBook #32012] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHIPWRECK *** + + + + +Produced by Richard J. Shiffer and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: Every effort has been made to replicate this +text as faithfully as possible, including obsolete and variant spellings +and other inconsistencies. Text that has been changed to correct an +obvious error is noted at the end of this ebook.] + + + + + A NARRATIVE + + OF THE + + SHIPWRECK, + + CAPTIVITY AND SUFFERINGS + + OF + + HORACE HOLDEN AND BENJ. H. NUTE; + + WHO WERE CAST AWAY IN THE + + AMERICAN SHIP MENTOR, + + ON THE + + PELEW ISLANDS, + + IN THE YEAR 1832; + + _AND FOR TWO YEARS AFTERWARDS WERE SUBJECTED TO + UNHEARD OF SUFFERINGS AMONG THE BARBAROUS + INHABITANTS OF_ + + LORD NORTH'S ISLAND. + + + BY HORACE HOLDEN. + + + BOSTON: + RUSSELL, SHATTUCK, AND CO. + 1836. + + + + ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1836, + BY HORACE HOLDEN. + IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS. + + + STEREOTYPED BY + SHEPARD, OLIVER, AND CO. + + + + + TO + + JOHN PICKERING, ESQ. + + Of Boston, + + AND TO + + WILLIAM R. RODMAN, ESQ. + + Of New Bedford, + + To whom the author is under the greatest obligations + for their countenance and assistance, + this little work is gratefully + INSCRIBED + + + + +[Illustration: DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF TATTOOING.] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The islands now known by geographers under the general name of +_Polynesia_, have for some time past attracted the attention of the +scientific and commercial world. Few opportunities, however, occur of +obtaining information respecting any of them except those which are +resorted to for commercial purposes. With a view, therefore, to the +collecting of all the necessary materials for the history of their soil, +climate, productions, and other particulars, especially of such of them +as have not already been visited by the civilized people of Europe and +America, it is desirable to preserve all authentic accounts of them, +even of those which are of inferior importance. + +The following unpretending Narrative contains such an account of one of +them, commonly called _Lord North's Island_, but sometimes known by the +name of _Nevil's Island_ and _Johnston's Island_. It is situated in +about lat. 3 deg. 2-3/4' N., and, according to the most correct +calculations, about long. 131 deg. 4-1/4' E. + +This island has been stated, in geographical works of authority, to be +uninhabited; but Horsburg's India Directory (vol. ii. p. 497, edit. of +1827) correctly says it is inhabited, and that the natives "will +sometimes come off to ships passing near." And it will accordingly be +found, by the present Narrative, that it has a population of between +three and four hundred inhabitants, as nearly as could be estimated by +the American seamen, whose captivity and sufferings are the subject of +this work; the island itself being, according to their judgment also, +about three quarters of a mile long and half a mile in breadth. + +The materials of this Narrative were furnished by Horace Holden, one of +the seamen above mentioned, who, with his companion, Benjamin Nute, was +detained as a captive by the islanders for two years; during which time +he and his companion acquired the language so far as to converse in it +with ease. This afforded them the means of knowing and observing many +things which would escape the mere passing voyager; and whatever +statements are here made, the editor has every reason to believe may be +entirely relied upon. + +In order to complete the little collection of facts in relation to this +people--who may justly be called a new people, as no white man has ever +before been upon their territory--a specimen of their language is added +to the Narrative. This has been made under many disadvantages; but no +small labor has been bestowed upon it, in order to render it of use, so +far as was practicable, in elucidating the affinity of these islanders +to others in that quarter of the world. It is now universally agreed +among the learned, that language affords the surest test of the +affinities of nations; and it is greatly to be desired that more +attention should be bestowed upon this subject by the intelligent +navigators of the United States, and especially by the scientific young +men of our navy, who, under the permission of the government, would have +the most ample means of augmenting the stores of general science, while +at the same time they would confer honor upon their country. + +The editor forbears to add any thing further in relation to the contents +of this little volume. But he cannot dismiss the work without again +expressing the high sense of gratitude felt by the two seamen in +question, to the benevolent individuals of their own country, and +others, who have relieved their sufferings; and this he subjoins in an +extract from a note on that subject by H. Holden:-- + + "In addition to the gentlemen mentioned in the Narrative, we are + under great obligations to Mr. Stephen Oliphant and his son, and + their clerk, of New York, who were residents at Canton when we + arrived there. Mr. Oliphant kindly furnished us with a room, food, + and other necessaries, and gave us our passage from Canton to New + York in his ship called the Morrison, commanded by captain + Lavender, from whom also we experienced every attention. + + "The respected American missionary at Canton, Mr. Edwin Stevens, + rendered us many friendly services; and from the English physician, + who was formerly in the East India Company's service there, but + whose name I do not recollect, we received every attention and + medical aid that could have been bestowed on his nearest friends. + + "We are also much indebted to Mr. Bradford and Mr. Robert E. + Apthorp, both of Boston, for their many acts of kindness. To the + latter gentleman, then a resident at Canton, I cannot sufficiently + express my obligations; he interested himself much in obtaining + money, clothing, and other necessaries for us, to make our + situation comfortable during our stay in Canton and on our passage + home. + + "To the many friends whom we have found since our return to our own + country we can never be sufficiently grateful. Among these I cannot + omit to mention Mr. J. N. Reynolds, author of the interesting + Account of the Voyage of the Potomac, who has taken the most lively + interest in our case, and Mr. Joseph P. Bradley, of Boston, to + whose untiring zeal and benevolence I feel myself to be indebted + more than I am able to express. + + HORACE HOLDEN" + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +Equipment and departure of the ship Mentor from the port of New +Bedford, Massachusetts.--The ship's company.--Arrival at +Fayal.--Passage down the Cape de Verd islands, and round the cape of +Good Hope, to the Indian ocean.--Cruising among the islands, and +arrival at the port of Coupang, in Timor.--A violent storm.--The ship +strikes on a coral reef off the Pelew islands.--Alarm and distressing +situation of the ship's company, and sudden loss of eleven of their +number.--The survivors preserved upon a dry part of the reef + 13 + + +CHAPTER II. + +The situation of the survivors of the ship's company upon the reef +during the night.--A canoe filled with savage natives approaches the +reef; intercourse with them; and description of their persons and +terrific appearance.--Their pilfering of the articles saved, and +plundering of the ship.--Several canoes arrive.--Mr. Nute's resolute +conduct towards the natives.--The ship's company pursue their course, +in their boat, towards an island, on which they land after severe +suffering + 29 + + +CHAPTER III. + +A canoe, with two natives, approaches the island.--Communication +opened with them.--A great number of canoes, filled with armed +natives, suddenly arrive; rough treatment of the captain by one of +the chiefs.--They all arrive at the harbor of the island, which +proved to be one of the Pelew islands.--Description of the island and +its inhabitants.--Consultation of the chiefs respecting the ship's +company.--Result of the consultation + 41 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +An extraordinary and unexpected meeting with a person not a +native.--Happy result of the meeting.--Acquisition of the Pelew +language.--Dissensions between two portions of the natives.--Three of +the ship's company separated and carried to a place remote from +the rest.--Attempt to construct a boat, in order to leave +the island.--The natives agree to release them all for a +compensation.--Solemnities observed by the natives on the +occasion.--Tools used in making the boat; transportation of timber, +&c.--The plan abandoned, and a canoe substituted for the +boat.--Another festival + 55 + + +CHAPTER V. + +The natives become anxious to aid the ship's company in leaving the +island.--Terms on which they agreed to release them.--Departure from +the Pelew islands.--Necessity of returning the same night.--Detention +a month longer; and final departure + 68 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Regret at having undertaken the voyage in boats.--Storm, and damage +in consequence of it.--Loss of the canoe and the provisions on +board.--Danger of perishing from famine.--On the fifteenth day, when +nearly exhausted with fatigue and hunger, they discover a small +island.--Approach of eighteen canoes filled with natives, who make +prisoners of them all.--Cruelty of the natives; and return with their +prisoners to the island.--Reception there.--The prisoners +distributed among the captors + 74 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +The island, to which they were carried, proves to be Lord North's +island, called by the natives _To'bee_.--Account of the island and +its inhabitants.--Their manners and customs + 81 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A ship discovered at a small distance from the island.--The natives +prepare to go on board of her.--Captain Barnard and Bartlet Rollins, +after being severely beaten, are allowed to go with the natives in +their canoes, and thus effect their escape; the rest of the Mentor's +people are still forcibly detained on the island.--Their hopes of +being taken on board of the same ship are suddenly blasted.--Their +despondency on that disappointment.--Return of the natives from the +ship; their rage, and quarrels about the division of the articles +procured on board of her.--They threaten to wreak their vengeance on +the Mentor's people that remained with them.--Their cruel treatment +of them.--A storm destroys the cocoa-nut trees and causes a scarcity +of food + 95 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +The natives compel the Mentor's people to be tattooed.--Description +of that painful operation.--They also oblige them to pluck their +beards, &c.--Another vessel passes by the island; and, afterwards, a +third comes in sight and remains for three days; the Mentor's people +are closely guarded at these times.--The melancholy fate of William +Sedon; and the barbarous murder of Peter Andrews.--Attack on H. +Holden, who is protected by one of the natives, and escapes.--B. Nute +and others are protected by the female natives from the fury of the +men.--Death of one of the Pelew chiefs.--Another of the Pelew people +is detected in stealing, and is punished in their manner.--Death of +Milton Hewlet and Charles C. Bouket; leaving now only B. Nute, H. +Holden, and the other Pelew chief, named _Kobak_, who all remained in +a feeble and helpless condition.--Filthy practices of the +natives.--Friendship of the surviving Pelew chief + 101 + + +CHAPTER X. + +The feeble and exhausted condition of the survivors, Nute and +Holden.--The natives consent to release them from labor, but refuse +them food; and they obtain permission to leave the island in the +first vessel, for a compensation to be made to the natives.--They +crawl about from place to place, subsisting upon leaves, and +occasionally begging a little food of the natives, for two +months.--Their sudden joy at hearing of a vessel coming towards the +island.--It proves to be the British barque Britannia, captain Short, +bound to Canton.--They are taken on board the Britannia, November 27, +1834, and treated with the kindest attention.--Their joy and +gratitude at this happy termination of their sufferings.--They +gradually recover their health so far as to take passage for America, +in the ship Morrison, bound for New York, where they arrive May 5, +1835.--Acknowledgments for their kind reception at New York and +Boston + 111 + + + + +NARRATIVE, &c. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Equipment and departure of the ship Mentor from the port of New + Bedford, Massachusetts.--The ship's company.--Arrival at + Fayal.--Passage down the Cape de Verd islands, and round the cape + of Good Hope, to the Indian ocean.--Cruising among the islands, and + arrival at the port of Coupang, in Timor.--A violent storm.--The + ship strikes on a coral reef off the Pelew islands.--Alarm and + distressing situation of the ship's company, and sudden loss of + eleven of their number.--The survivors preserved upon a dry part of + the reef. + + +I was born in the town of Hillsborough, in the state of New Hampshire, +on the 21st of July, 1810. My father's name was Phineas Holden. My +parents were in moderate circumstances, and derived their chief support +from a small farm. From the time to which my earliest recollections +extend, until I was about ten years of age, our little circle, +consisting of our parents, their three sons and two daughters, enjoyed a +large share of the pleasures of a New England home. We were all +accustomed to labor, but our exertions to secure a respectable +maintenance were richly rewarded by each other's approving smiles, and +by that contentment, without which blessings, however great or numerous, +are bestowed upon us in vain. + +But, in early life, and in the midst of our enjoyments, we were called +upon to experience a loss which nothing on earth can supply. My father, +after a painful sickness of long continuance, died, and left us with no +other earthly protector than our affectionate mother; who, had her +ability and means been adequate to our support, or equal to her maternal +fondness and anxiety, would have saved us from every hardship, and +supplied all our reasonable desires. But, having no means of support +except our own industry, we were at that tender age thrown upon the +world, and compelled to provide for ourselves as Providence might best +enable us. I labored at different occupations until the age of +twenty-one; when, finding myself unable, by reason of an impaired +constitution, to do more than provide for myself, and feeling desirous +to contribute my share towards the maintenance of our surviving parent, +I resolved upon making the experiment of a voyage at sea. + +I accordingly left the place of my nativity, sundered the many ties that +bound me to home and friends, and, in July, 1831, entered on board the +ship Mentor, at the port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, for a whaling +voyage to the Indian ocean. The ship was owned by William R. Rodman, +Esquire, an eminent merchant of that place, to whose benevolence, since +my return home, I acknowledge myself to be deeply indebted. We sailed on +the day of my enlistment; and I soon found myself upon the bosom of the +great deep, and at the mercy of an element to which I had been but +little accustomed. + +The whole ship's company of the Mentor consisted of twenty-two; namely, +Edward C. Barnard, captain; Thomas M. Colesworthy, first mate; Peter +O'Connor, second mate; Benjamin F. Haskell, David Jenkins, and Jacob +Fisher, boat-steerers; Peter Andrews, steward; John Mayo, cook; and +Horatio Davis, Bartlet Rollins, William Jones, Thomas Taylor, Lewis +Bergoin, Charles C. Bouket, Calvin Alden, Milton Hulet, William Sedon, +James Meder, James Blackmore, John Baily, Benjamin H. Nute, (my +companion in suffering,) and myself, seamen. + +After leaving port, nothing remarkable occurred during the first part of +our voyage. Having succeeded in obtaining a small quantity of oil, we +touched at Fayal, one of the Azores, or Western islands, to leave the +oil and replenish our stores. We left Fayal on the following day. Our +course was down the Cape de Verd islands; and, without any accident +worth relating, we passed round the cape of Good Hope, through the +straits of Madagascar, and found ourselves in the Indian ocean. + +We continued to cruise among the small islands for some time; but being +unsuccessful in the object of our voyage, it was deemed advisable to +make for Java. We ran the whole length of the island of Java, passing +through the straits of Sandal-Wood Island, to the island of Timor, and +touched at the port of Coupang, where we remained about five days, took +in wood and water, and replenished our small stores. After leaving that +place we attempted to pass through the straits of Timor, with a view of +gaining the Pacific ocean; but owing to adverse winds, and the strong +currents setting against us, we were compelled to abandon the +undertaking; and accordingly altered our course. We intended to have +touched at Ternate, the principal of the Moluccas or Spice islands; but +we passed it, running down the island of Morty, (or Mortay) to its +furthermost point. Seeing no port at which we could stop, we altered our +course, intending to make for some of the Ladrone islands, which we knew +to be in possession of the Spanish. + +I must here observe, that soon after leaving the island of Mortay, +there came on a violent storm, which lasted the whole of three days and +nights. During all this time we were unable to take an observation. This +led to the melancholy disaster, which was the commencement of +misfortunes and sufferings, too great to be adequately conceived of by +any but those who experienced them. The violence of the storm compelled +us to take in all the sails except the top-sail, (which was close +reefed,) foresail, and foretop-mast stay-sail. + +We were sailing in this manner, not apprehending danger, when, about +eleven o'clock at night, on the 21st of May, 1832, just at the time of +relieving the watch, the ship struck with great violence upon what we +afterwards found to be the coral reef extending to the northward and +eastward of the Pelew islands. The ship ran directly upon the rocks, and +struck three times in quick succession, the waves dashing over and +around us with tremendous violence. + +At this awful moment I was in my berth, in the steerage. When the ship +struck the third time, so great was the shock that I was thrown from my +berth against the opposite side of the steerage; but, soon recovering +myself, I rushed upon deck. There all was confusion, horror and dismay. +The ship, immediately after striking the third time, swung round so as +to bring her starboard side to the windward, and was in a moment thrown +upon her beam ends. While in this awful condition, with the waves +continually breaking over us, threatening to overwhelm us in a watery +grave, or dash us in pieces against the rocks, the captain came upon +deck, and inquired of the second mate, "Where are we?" The reply was, "I +don't know, but I think there is land to leeward." There was no time for +deliberation; it seemed that the immediate destruction of the ship was +inevitable. + +In the midst of this confusion I heard the mate give orders for lowering +the larboard quarter boat. His directions were immediately complied +with, and ten of the crew threw themselves into it, thinking it more +safe thus to commit themselves to the mercy of the waves, than to +remain on board with the prospect of a certain and speedy termination of +their existence. But there are reasons which force upon the mind the +painful conviction, that their departure from the ship at that time +proved fatal to them all. As the oars were fastened to the sides of the +boat, some one asked for a knife or hatchet, with which to cut them +loose. The request was complied with; and, quitting their hold upon the +ship, they parted from us, and we never saw them more! + +As some doubts have existed in the minds of those interested in the fate +of our shipmates who took to the boat in the manner just described, it +is deemed advisable here to state my reasons for entertaining the +opinion above expressed. Far would it be from me to desire to extinguish +any well-founded hopes of their having survived; but a knowledge of the +following facts renders it too certain, that they must all have +perished, soon after their departure from the ship. The next morning the +remains of a boat in every respect similar to that in which they +embarked, were distinctly seen on the rocks, at the distance of about +fifty yards from the ship, bottom up, and with her sides stove in. The +water being clear and shallow, we could see that she was held there by a +harpoon and lance, which constituted a part of the fishing implements, +or crafts, in the boat when she left. These were apparently stuck into +the crevices of the coral rock (of which the whole reef is composed) +either by accident or design; and the presumption is, that she became +fast in that place, and that the waves swept that portion of our +companions in suffering into a watery grave. But this, though a +melancholy subject of reflection, is not without some circumstances of +consolation; for, admitting that they thus met their fate, they were +saved from that extremity of suffering which some of the ship's crew +were destined to experience. Were such a death, or the pains of +captivity endured by my associates and myself, to be the only +alternatives, I have doubted whether I should not prefer the former. To +be far from kindred and friends, among a people but one grade above the +most ferocious beasts, sick at heart, and deprived of necessary food, +stripped of our clothing, and subjected to unheard-of severities,--to +endure all this, was to purchase a continuance of life at a dear rate. + +Soon after the departure of the first boat, the captain, thinking it +impossible for the ship to hold together till morning, ordered his own +boat to be let down. This could be effected only by the united exertions +of the whole of the remaining part of the crew. Some of the men, and +myself among the rest, had resolved upon remaining on the ship to the +last; and, considering it impossible for a boat to live, we earnestly +expostulated with the captain, for the purpose of persuading him not to +hazard the experiment. But he seemed to think it best to make it, and +with great earnestness entreated the men to assist him in lowering his +boat. As this was a time when but little attention could be paid to the +distinctions usually kept up on board, I suggested that it might be well +to cut away the masts, believing that this would relieve the ship, and +cause her to lie easier upon the rock. This was the more necessary on +account of her position being such as to render it next to impossible to +let down the boat. The proposal was acceded to; and, seizing an axe, I +assisted in cutting away the masts and rigging. This, to some extent, +had the desired effect; and we were enabled, at length, by great +exertion, to lower the boat. The captain, Charles C. Bouket, William +Sedon, and William Jones, immediately placed themselves in it, and +commenced preparing to leave us. In compliance with his request, a rope +was fastened round the waist of the captain, so that should the boat be +destroyed, as there was reason to apprehend she would be, there might be +some chance of rescuing him from the waves. They were furnished with the +necessary nautical instruments, log-book, a bag of clothing, a small +quantity of bread in a tin tureen, and a keg of water. The boat was at +this time suspended by her falls, and, with a view of letting themselves +down, the captain stood in the stern, and Bouket in the forward part of +the boat, both having hold of the falls. Sedon still held on by the +boat's lashing. Jones had nothing in his hands. At this conjuncture, a +tremendous sea broke into the boat, and dashed it in pieces;--so entire +was the destruction, that not a fragment was afterwards seen. Jones was +soon after seen floating in the water apparently dead. Sedon, in +consequence of having hold of the boat's fastenings, saved himself by +climbing into the ship. Bouket, being an expert swimmer, on finding +himself in the sea, swam round to the leeward side of the ship, caught +hold of some part of the rigging, and thus escaped. The captain was +drifted away to the distance of nearly one hundred and fifty yards. It +was with the utmost difficulty that we retained our hold on the rope +which had been fastened to him; but at length we succeeded in drawing +him in. On hearing his cries for assistance, forgetting our own danger, +we redoubled our exertions, and soon drew him on board. He was much +exhausted, but fortunately had received no fatal injury. + +After the failure of this attempt, and having in so short a time lost +one half our number, it was agreed upon, after due consultation to +remain upon the wreck till daylight should reveal to us more fully our +situation. In this state of suspense and suffering, we clung to the +rigging, and with much difficulty kept ourselves from being washed away. +Our situation and prospects during that awful night were such, that no +ray of hope was permitted to penetrate the dreary prospect around us; +our thoughts and feelings, wrought up to the highest degree of +excitement by the horrors of our situation, continually visited the +homes we had quitted,--probably forever,--and offered up prayers for the +dear friends we had left behind. Every succeeding wave that dashed over +us threatened to sweep us into an untried eternity; and while we +impatiently awaited approaching day, we committed our spirits to Him who +alone could control the raging elements. + +At daybreak, we discovered that a part of the reef, apparently about +three miles off to the leeward, was dry; and this, though but of small +consequence, afforded us some comfort. In a short time we discovered +land at the distance of twenty or thirty miles, in an eastwardly +direction. This, though we were ignorant of the character of the +inhabitants--if indeed it should turn out to be the residence of human +beings--presented to our minds the possibility of escape; and without +any delay we prepared, as well as we could, to abandon the vessel. There +remained but one boat, and that was in a poor condition for conveying +us, eleven in number, so great a distance. But, as no choice was left +us, the boat was soon prepared; and when the sun was about two hours +high, we had completed our arrangements. We took into the boat one small +chest of bread, some water, a quantity of wearing apparel, a canister of +gunpowder, one musket, a brace of pistols, three cutlasses, and a +tinder-box. In this frail bark, and with these poor means of subsistence +and defence, with little to rely upon but the mercy of Providence, we +took leave of the ship; not without feelings of deep sorrow, and with +small hopes of improving our forlorn condition. + +On leaving the ship we steered directly for the reef above mentioned, +and without much difficulty landed and drew up our boat. This proved to +be, as we had previously conjectured, a part of the reef upon which we +had been wrecked; and we soon ascertained that the portion of the rock +above water was but about sixteen rods long, and quite narrow, but +sufficiently large to afford us a secure footing for the little time we +had to stay upon it. It was our first, and almost our only object, to +remain here until we could render our arrangements more perfect, and +either put to sea with less hazard, or make our passage to the land, +which was still distinctly visible. As yet but little time had been +afforded us for calm reflection; and it was now a question of serious +importance, whether it would be most prudent to encounter the billows in +the crazy boat which was our chief dependence, upon the open sea, with +our scanty means of subsistence, or to throw ourselves into the hands, +and upon the mercy of whatever race of beings might chance to inhabit +the island. In favor of the former plan it was suggested that we might +be seen, and taken up by some vessel cruising in those seas, and thus +saved from captivity or death among a barbarous people; and, on the +other hand, it was maintained, that a chance among the savages of those +islands would be preferable to the risk of going to sea in a boat which +was in all respects unseaworthy, and with only a few pounds of bread, +and but little water, for our subsistence. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + The situation of the survivors of the ship's company upon the reef + during the night.--A canoe filled with savage natives approaches + the reef; intercourse with them; and description of their persons + and terrific appearance.--Their pilfering of the articles saved, + and plundering of the ship.--Several canoes arrive.--Mr. Nute's + resolute conduct towards the natives.--The ship's company pursue + their course, in their boat, towards an island, on which they land + after severe suffering. + + +Happily, by the goodness of the allwise Disposer of events, the +unfortunate can avail themselves of a thousand sources of comfort, +which, by those in prosperous circumstances, are either overlooked or +neglected. We were upon a barren rock, in the midst of a waste of +waters, far from kindred and friends, and the abodes of civilized man; +the ship which had been our home, and on board of which we had embarked +with high hopes, lay within sight, a useless wreck; still we were +enabled to enjoy a moment of relief, if not of actual pleasure, derived +from an event, which, though trifling in itself, is worthy of being +recorded. + +We succeeded in taking an eel, a few crabs, and a small quantity of +snails. Having our fire-works with us, we collected a sufficient number +of sticks, with a few pieces of drift-wood which had lodged upon the +rock, to make a fire; with this we cooked our fish and snails; and, with +a small allowance of bread, we made what we then thought a sumptuous +repast! After we had finished our meal, we began to prepare for the +night. We erected a tent with some of our clothes and pieces of canvas, +at a little distance from the boat; and, when night came on, a part of +our number kept watch, and the rest soon lost all consciousness of their +misfortunes in sleep. About midnight those who had watched took their +turn at resting; and in the morning we found ourselves considerably +refreshed; though an increased activity of our minds served only to +bring home a more vivid picture of the horrors of the previous night, +and of our present condition. + +Providence, it would seem, had ordained that we should not long remain +undetermined as to the course to be adopted; for before sunrise we +discovered a canoe within a short distance of us, containing twenty-two +of the inhabitants of the neighboring island. They approached to within +pistol-shot of where we stood, and there lay on their oars for some +time, looking at us, and manifesting no small degree of fear. Thinking +it best to be on friendly terms with them, we attached a shirt to one of +our oars, and hoisted it as a token of a wish, on our part, to regard +and treat them as friends. This had the desired effect; and they +immediately rowed up to the rock. Manifesting great pleasure, they left +their canoe and rushed towards the place where the principal part of our +boat's crew were standing, bringing with them cocoa-nuts, and a small +quantity of bread made of the cocoa-nut boiled in a liquor extracted +from the trunk of the tree. At that time, I was standing near the tent, +at a little distance from my companions, and was an anxious spectator of +the scene. Their appearance excited my astonishment, and I was filled +with horror by the sight of beings apparently human, and yet almost +destitute of the ordinary marks of humanity. They were entirely naked. +Each one was armed with a spear and tomahawk; some had battle-axes. They +were fantastically tattooed on different parts of their bodies. Their +hair, naturally coarse and black, like that of the Indians of America, +was very long, and hung loosely over their shoulders, giving them a +singular and frightful appearance. Their teeth were entirely black; +rendered so, as we afterwards found, by chewing what they call +"_abooak_."[1] The reader can judge of our feelings on finding ourselves +in the hands of beings of this description. Our confidence in the +honesty of our visiters did not improve on further acquaintance. + +No sooner had they landed, than they commenced their depredations upon +the few articles, which at that time constituted all our earthly riches. +The nautical instruments, the musket, and a part of our clothing, they +immediately appropriated to their own benefit. Fortunately a part of our +clothing, the powder, and the cutlasses we had succeeded in concealing +in a crevice of the rock. Taking with them their booty, they +precipitately got into their canoe, and, beckoning to us, evidently with +a view of inducing us to follow them, they steered directly for the +wreck. Their first appearance, and this strong manifestation of their +thievish disposition, so far from inclining us to cultivate their +acquaintance any further, had given us an irresistible inclination to +avoid them. Our minds were not long in coming to the conclusion, that an +open sea, with Heaven to protect us, would be far preferable to a chance +among beings like those. Accordingly, with the least possible delay, we +launched our boat, and putting into it such things of value as we had +saved, once more, surrounded by new difficulties and dangers, committed +ourselves to the mercy of the waves. + +The island before mentioned being now distinctly visible, we steered in +a direction towards it; though we found it necessary to go a somewhat +circuitous course, in order to avoid the reef. By the time we had +succeeded in getting into deep water, the natives had been to the ship, +and were returning with the five muskets which we had left on board. +They soon passed us with great rapidity, and evidently with the +intention of escaping with their booty unharmed. The cause of their +precipitancy will soon be explained. + +Just at this time there came in sight a number of canoes, perhaps +thirty, filled with natives, who seemed no less intent upon plunder than +those with whom we had already formed a disagreeable acquaintance. Their +language was to us entirely unintelligible, but we could gather from +their somewhat significant gestures, that they most of all desired to +possess themselves of fire-arms. They beckoned to us to go with them, +and seemed quite anxious to avail themselves of our assistance; but we +were not less so to escape; and with the hope of being able to do so, +we continued to row towards the island. Some of them remained near us, +while the rest made for the ship. At length, all, except those in one +canoe, left us, and joined their companions. These seemed particularly +fond of our company, partly on account, as we afterwards learned, of +their suspecting that we had something of value concealed about us, and +partly for the purpose of making us their prisoners, and in that way +gaining some advantage over the others. After a while they offered, with +an appearance of friendship, to render us some assistance by towing our +boat; and after some deliberation we concluded to throw them a line. +This greatly facilitated our progress, as their canoe, being made very +light, skimmed over the water with incredible swiftness. No sooner was +this arrangement completed than a chief, and one other of the natives, +left their canoe and took their station with us; the chief with a +somewhat offensive familiarity seating himself in the stern of the boat, +near the captain. We were not long in doubt concerning the motive which +had led them to this act of condescension. Our bread was contained in a +small chest, which had been placed in the bottom of the boat; this +seemed to have excited their curiosity to the highest pitch, as they +kept their eyes almost constantly upon it, and endeavored to persuade +the captain to give them a chance to examine its contents. He declined +gratifying them, thinking it better to keep their anxiety alive, rather +than to expose to them the comparative worthlessness of the little that +remained with us, of either the comforts or necessaries of life. + +Probably owing to this show of resistance on our part, when we had +approached to within five or six miles of the island, at a signal given +by the chief, the sail of their canoe was suddenly dropped; and, seizing +our powder canister, he jumped overboard and swam to the canoe. His +companion, following the example of the thievish chief, seized a bundle +of clothing and was making off with it; whereupon Mr. Nute, who had not +yet become entirely reconciled to the fashion of going without clothes, +like our new acquaintances, and conceiving that it might be well to +insist upon having the rights of property respected, caught hold of the +bundle and retained it. Upon this they immediately hauled us alongside, +and seized upon our oars; here again we had occasion to offer some +resistance to their supposed right to plunder us, and we succeeded in +keeping possession of these; the only remaining means of saving +ourselves from premature death and a watery grave. + +They had by this time become so exasperated, that we considered it +altogether desirable to get ourselves out of the reach of their war +clubs, spears, and battle-axes; and we took measures accordingly. We +were still held fast to their canoe, and so completely within their +reach that it required not a little courage to make any attempt to leave +them; but Mr. Nute, whose resolution had been wrought up by the previous +contest, took a knife and deliberately cut the line. Our intention was +to throw ourselves astern, and then, by tacking directly about, and +steering in the wind's eye, to escape from them, or at least to give +them, for a time, some better employment than that of robbing their poor +and suffering victims. This we succeeded in accomplishing; not however +without the expense of much toil, and some blows, which they dealt out +at parting, with so much severity, that we shall not soon lose the +recollection of their barbarous conduct towards us. Mr. Nute, by his +intrepidity, seemed to have rendered himself an object of their +particular dislike; they beat him unmercifully, for his resolution in +retaining the bundle of clothes, and sundering the only cord that bound +us to our tormentors. + +Having but three oars, our progress was by no means as rapid as we could +have desired; but perceiving that in going against the wind we had the +advantage of our pursuers, and knowing that our only safety was in +flight, we exerted our utmost strength, and soon had the satisfaction of +leaving them at a safe distance from us. They seemed determined not to +part with us, and continued to pursue us till about four o'clock, P. M. +It was with the greatest difficulty that we kept clear of them; at times +it seemed impossible; and in this situation we could fully realize the +force of the scriptural sentiment, "all that a man hath he will give for +his life." Finding them too near us, and evidently intent upon taking +vengeance for the crime we had committed in attempting to escape, though +our wardrobe had been reduced to a few necessary articles of clothing, +we resorted to the expedient of parting even with these, by casting one +thing at a time upon the water, rightly judging that they might be +detained in picking them up, and hoping by this management to keep our +distance from them. + +After they left us, we continued our course, which was directly into the +open sea, until about sunset, when we discovered land ahead, apparently +at the distance of forty miles. We continued to row on till about three +o'clock in the morning, when we found that we were in shoal water, and +near breakers. We contrived to throw the bight of a rope over a point +of rock which was about eight feet under water, and we there remained +until daylight. We then let go our hold, and pulled for land. At about +four o'clock in the afternoon we succeeded in landing on a small island +distant from the main land about half a mile, and drew our boat upon the +beach. By this time our strength had become much exhausted, and we were +suffering beyond description from the want of water. Our first efforts +were made to find some means for quenching our thirst; and, to our +inexpressible joy, we soon found a spring, which, in that extremity of +our sufferings, was of more value than a mine of gold. Poor Sedon was +left lying in the boat in a state of complete prostration. We carried +him some water, and he soon revived. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] In Keate's Account of the Pelew Islands this word is written +_pook_.--_Edit._ + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + A canoe, with two natives, approaches the island.--Communication + opened with them.--A great number of canoes, filled with armed + natives, suddenly arrive; rough treatment of the captain by one of + the chiefs.--They all arrive at the harbor of the island, which + proved to be one of the Pelew islands.--Description of the island + and its inhabitants.--Consultation of the chiefs respecting the + ship's company.--Result of the consultation. + + +Having satisfied our most pressing wants, we next set ourselves at work +to obtain food. We had with us a part of the bread brought from the +wreck, and the preparation given us by the natives composed of the +cocoa-nut pulverized and mixed with the sweet liquor extracted from the +tree. Putting these together into a bucket-full of water, we made out +the materials for a supper, which, though not of a kind to suit the +delicate palate, was devoured with thankfulness and a good relish. +Feeling refreshed and invigorated by our meal, we gathered ourselves +into a group on the beach, and passed our moments of relaxation in +conversing upon the melancholy vicissitudes through which we had passed, +and the gloomy prospect which was at that unpromising moment spread out +before us. Should we find it possible to procure the means of +subsistence, it was thought best to remain where we were for a day or +two, not knowing what reception we should meet with, were we to throw +ourselves into the hands of the inhabitants of the main island, and +feeling an unconquerable reluctance to come in contact with beings +scarce less ferocious than beasts of prey. But fortune having commenced +making us the sport of painful incidents, soon subjected us to another +annoyance. + +A canoe containing two living beings, in the form of men, in a state of +nakedness, was seen, from where we sat, putting off from a point of land +which projected into the sea a small distance below us. They had +evidently discovered us, and were approaching the spot where we were, +for the purpose of making themselves acquainted with us and our +condition. When within hailing distance they stopped, and seemed afraid +to come nearer. Thinking it best to be on friendly terms with them, we +beckoned to have them approach. This seemed to please them; and, to +manifest a friendly disposition, they held up a fish. To show them that +we were inclined to reciprocate any acts of kindness, to the extent of +our ability, we held up a crab which we had caught. Upon this they +immediately came near to where we stood. We presented to each one a +jackknife, and indicated by signs, that they were at liberty to take any +thing we had. They appeared highly gratified, and their conduct was +inoffensive. In a short time they returned to their canoe, and made +signs to us to follow them; we thought best to do so, and accordingly +soon placed our effects in the boat, and followed them towards a sort of +harbor at no great distance. In consequence of the lightness of their +canoe and their dexterity in managing it, they were soon ahead of us, +and, turning round a point of land, they were speedily withdrawn from +our view. + +In a few minutes they returned, accompanied by a large number of +canoes--the water seemed to be literally covered by this miniature +fleet. The natives were all armed, much like those with whom we first +became acquainted. + +This instantaneous movement was occasioned, as we afterwards learned, by +an alarm given by the two natives who had visited us on the small +island. Intelligence of the fact, that a boat's crew of strange looking +beings, as we doubtless appeared to them, had landed upon their +territory, was given by sounding a shell. This aroused the multitude, +and caused them to come out, to satisfy their curiosity, and assist in +conducting us safely and speedily to a place of security. A large war +canoe made directly towards us; and, on coming alongside, the head chief +sprung into our boat, seized the captain by the shoulder, and struck him +several times with a war-club; in the mean while giving him to +understand, that it was his will and pleasure to have us row, with all +convenient despatch, to the place whence they had issued. He then +commenced swinging his club over our heads with great apparent ferocity, +for the purpose, as it seemed, of awing us into submission; occasionally +striking some of our number. After pretty thoroughly convincing us that +in this case our only course was submission, he began to strip us of our +clothing. While this was going on, his associates in arms and mischief +kept their canoe close alongside, and, standing up, held their spears in +a position to enable them to pierce us through in an instant, if there +had been any occasion for so doing. + +We were soon in their miserable harbor; and, it being low water, we were +compelled to leave our boat, and wade to the tableland through the mud. +Our appearance, as the reader will naturally conclude, was not very +creditable to the land which gave us birth; but since our destitute and +miserable condition was not our choice, we could do no less than be +thankful that it was no worse; and, making the best of it, we suffered +ourselves to be ushered into the presence of the dignitaries of the +island, in the way they thought most proper. We were conducted to a +platform, on a rise of land at a little distance from the harbor, on +which were seated those who had power to dispose of us as they pleased. +This platform was twelve or fifteen feet square, and was situated +between two long buildings, called "_pyes_." These, as we afterwards +learned, were used by the chiefs as places of carousal, and as a sort of +harem for their women. They were constructed in a rude manner, of bamboo +sticks, and covered with leaves. They were sixty or seventy feet in +length, and about twenty-four in width. + +That something like a correct conception of this scene may be formed by +the reader, it may be well to give, in this place, a brief account of +the appearance, manners, and customs of the natives of this island. This +was the island known to navigators as Baubelthouap, the largest of the +group of the Pelew islands. It lies not far from the eighth degree of +north latitude, is about one hundred and twenty miles in length, and +contains probably not far from two thousand inhabitants.[2] + +The men were entirely naked. They always go armed, in the way before +described, and carry with them a small basket, containing generally the +whole amount of their movable property. The women wear no other clothing +than a sort of apron (fastened to the waist by a curiously wrought +girdle) extending nearly to the knees, and left open at the sides. The +material of these garments (if such they can be called) is the bark of a +tree called by them "_karamal_." This tree grows from thirty to forty +feet high, and is two or three feet in circumference. The hair of both +males and females is worn long; it is coarse and stiff, and of a color +resembling that of the natives of North America. They make free use of +the oil extracted from the cocoa-nut; with this they anoint their +bodies, considering it the extreme of gentility to have the skin +entirely saturated with it. Their arms, and sometimes the lower parts of +the body and legs, are ingeniously tattooed. Their complexion is a light +copper. Their eyes have a very singular appearance, being of a reddish +color. Their noses were somewhat flat, but not so flat as those of the +Africans; nor are their lips so thick. They are excessively fond of +trinkets. It would cause a fashionable lady of America to smile, to +observe the pains taken by those simple daughters of nature to set off +their persons. In their ears they wear a sort of ornament made of a +peculiar kind of grass, which they work into a tassel; this is painted +and richly perfumed. In their noses they wear a stem of the _kabooa_ +leaf, which answers the double purpose of an ornament and a smelling +bottle; and their arms, in addition to being tattooed in the manner +above mentioned, are adorned with a profusion of shells. Our fair +readers may judge how much we were amused, on finding that the +copper-colored females of the island cut up our old shoes into +substitutes for jewelry, and seemed highly delighted with wearing the +shreds suspended from their ears. + +Our further acquaintance with this extraordinary people confirmed us in +the opinion, that the ceremony of marriage is unpractised and unknown +among them. The chiefs appropriate to themselves as many females as they +please, and in the selection they exercise this despotism over the +affections without regard to any other laws than those of caprice. +Reserving a more particular account of their manners, customs and mode +of living for another place, I content myself with observing at this +time, that the people of these islands, generally speaking, are in the +rudest state imaginable. It is true that some sense of propriety, and +some regard to the decencies of life, were observable; nor did they +appear entirely destitute of those feelings which do honor to our +nature, and which we should hardly expect to find in a people so rude +and barbarous. + +Such were the beings among whom Providence had cast our lot; and to +think of remaining with them to the end of life, or for any great length +of time, was like the contemplation of imprisonment for life in the +gloomy cells of a dungeon. + +From the rudely constructed wharf near the spot where we left our boat, +we were conducted into the presence of a number of the chiefs, who were +seated upon the platform above mentioned. The natives eagerly pressed +forward to obtain a sight of us. That curiosity peculiar to the better +portion of our race was, on this occasion, manifested by the females of +the island. They clustered around us, and, placing their hands upon our +flesh, seemed greatly to wonder that it should differ so much from their +own. The fashion of wearing a skin so white as ours, seemed to them, no +doubt, to be an offence against the taste and refinement of their +portion of the world. To go at large without being tattooed, was to +carry with us the palpable proofs of our vulgarity; and, to our sorrow, +we were afterwards compelled to conform to the custom of the barbarians +in this respect, and shall carry with us to the grave the marks of their +well-meant, though cruel operation upon our bodies. + +Judging from appearances, our case had become a concern of great +importance. The chiefs seemed to have had under discussion the question, +whether we were to be treated as enemies, and subjected to the process +of beheading upon the block of the executioner, (which was there in +readiness before our eyes) or regarded as friends, and welcomed to their +rude hospitalities. Unable as we were to understand a word of their +language, or to say any thing by way of explanation or defence, the +reader will conceive, better than we could describe, our painful +situation. For a time we considered our case as hopeless. The women, who +seemed to have taken an interest in our welfare, after observing, for a +time, what was going on among the chiefs, began to utter their cries and +lamentations, as if greatly distressed on our account. Their grief had +the appearance of being sincere; they wept, and in a variety of ways +expressed emotions of deep and heart-felt solicitude. Whether this was +their manner of interceding in our behalf, to avert some impending +calamity, or was expressive of their regret on account of our doom +having been already sealed, it was impossible for us to determine. Nor +did we ever know the amount of our obligations to those female strangers +for the interest taken in our welfare. A termination was put to our +suspense, however, in the course of an hour. + +At the close of the consultation, a large bowl was brought to us, filled +with sweetened water, and richly ornamented with shells, so arranged as +to form a sort of hieroglyphical characters. We drank of the contents of +the bowl, in compliance with their request, from a richly wrought cup +made of a cocoa-nut shell. This act of hospitality was regarded as a +favorable indication of a friendly disposition on their part towards us; +and our hopes were afterwards confirmed; for no sooner had we finished +drinking, than the natives prepared to conduct us away. We afterwards +learned, that a messenger had been despatched to a neighboring town, or +settlement, to consult their prophetess in regard to the proper manner +of disposing of us; and that she had directed them to send us to her. Of +this important personage a more particular account will be given +hereafter; suffice it, for the present, to say, that the respect paid to +her by the natives of the island was of the most profound character, and +her authority over them was almost unlimited. + +We were conducted, through an inconsiderable place, to the town where +the prophetess resided. In this place there were several +dwelling-houses, scattered about without regard to order; and, besides +the dwelling of the prophetess, two of their long buildings, or "pyes," +gave it not a little importance in the estimation of these rude and +uncultivated beings. We were halted in front of one of the "pyes," and +directly opposite the house of the prophetess. Here, again, we were +reminded of the fact, that we were in the presence of our superiors, as +to power, by the platform on which were placed our judges, the chiefs, +and the block standing near them, for the purpose of execution. + +We were soon surrounded by a vast crowd of the natives, eager to see us, +and to learn something of the nature of beings so different from +themselves. + +A short time after our arrival, a quantity of food was brought from the +house of the prophetess, and placed in the centre of the platform. This +consisted of a hog's head, boiled in sea-water, highly seasoned with +cayenne and aromatic herbs, a plentiful supply of yams, and a large bowl +of sweetened water. This meal was abundant and delicious; and we partook +of it with an excellent relish. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] This island is not always laid down by name on our common maps, nor +mentioned in geographical works. In the best _charts_ it is called +_Baubelthouap_. In the chart prefixed to the fifth volume of _Burney's +Chronological History of the Voyages and Discoveries in the South Sea_, +it is called "Panloq or Babelthoup." In the map accompanying the late +edition of Malte Brun's Geography, (in 4to) it is carelessly printed +_Banbeltbonap_.--_Edit._ + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + An extraordinary and unexpected meeting with a person not a + native.--Happy result of the meeting.--Acquisition of the Pelew + language.--Dissensions between two portions of the natives.--Three + of the ship's company separated and carried to a place remote from + the rest.--Attempt to construct a boat, in order to leave the + island.--The natives agree to release them all for a + compensation.--Solemnities observed by the natives on the + occasion.--Tools used in making the boat; transportation of timber, + &c.--The plan abandoned, and a canoe substituted for the + boat.--Another festival. + + +An interesting incident now occurred. Just at the time when the servant +of the prophetess brought out the materials for our repast, we observed, +at a little distance, a singular looking being approaching us. His +appearance was that of a man of sixty. His hair was long and gray, +unlike that of the natives. His legs, arms, and breast were tattooed. +His step was quick and firm; his motions indicating that he felt himself +a person of not a little importance. His teeth were entirely gone, and +his mouth was black with the use of "kabooa." Judge of our emotions on +hearing this strange being address us in broken English! His first +exclamation was--"My God, you are Englishmen!" He immediately said, "You +are safe now;" but he gave us to understand, that it was next to a +miracle that we had escaped being killed on the water. + +This person was by birth an Englishman, and had been on the island about +twenty-nine years. He told us that he had been a hatter by trade, and +that his name was Charles Washington. He had been a private in the +British naval service, on board the Lion man-of-war. Cruising in those +seas, he had, while on duty, been guilty of some trifling offence; and, +apprehending that he should be severely punished for it, had left the +ship, and taken up his residence upon the island. He seemed to be +contented with his situation, and had no desire to return to his native +country. He had attained to great celebrity, and was the sixth chief +among them. His authority seemed great, and he exercised it with +exemplary discretion. + +Observing the provisions before us, he told us that they were for our +use, and desired us to partake of whatever we preferred. Seeing that we +were likely to be somewhat annoyed by the crowd of young persons who had +collected around us, he swung his battle-axe over their heads, and +giving them to understand that we belonged to _him_, immediately caused +them to disperse. + +Arrangements were soon made for our accommodation. A part of one of the +"pyes" was appropriated to our use, and we were furnished with mats, and +other things for our comfort and convenience. Here we remained for about +a month, and were regularly supplied by the natives with a sufficiency +of provisions of various kinds, such as hogs, goats, fish, yams, +cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, preserved almonds, and occasionally with sweet +potatoes. + +A change seemed now to have come over us. We were, it is true, amongst a +rude and barbarous people, cut off from all intercourse with the rest of +the world, and deprived of many things which we had been accustomed to +regard as essential to our happiness; but even then we found many +reasons for being grateful to the Disposer of events. Our actual wants +were supplied; and the natives soon evinced a disposition to consider us +friends, and treat us as such. To the latest day of our lives we shall +remember some of them with heartfelt respect and affection; and, most of +all, regret our inability to requite them for the favors which they +voluntarily bestowed upon us. Especially should we rejoice to revisit +that lonely spot of earth, and carry with us, to those children of +nature, the means of civilization, and the blessings of Christian faith +and Christian morality. And should the government of enlightened America +ever see proper to extend to them some proof of its regard, it would +afford us unspeakable pleasure to have it in our power to communicate to +them the exalted principles, which might incline this highly favored +nation to the performance of so noble a deed. + +Finding it important to be able to converse with the natives, we +improved every opportunity to become acquainted with their language. +Having but little to occupy our attention, it was not long before we had +acquired a tolerable knowledge of it; and we found our situation much +more pleasant as we became familiar with it. Our great object was, as +the reader will naturally suppose, to contrive some way of escape. Our +only means of accomplishing this was by friendly and amicable +negotiation, and to make them understand our wishes, and convince them +that it would be for their interest to aid us in returning to our native +land, were essential to our success. + +We had not long been with them before we became acquainted with the +fact, that upon the opposite end of the island there was another tribe, +and that the two divisions of the inhabitants were not on the most +friendly terms with each other. Intelligence had in some way been +communicated to those who lived remote from the spot where fortune had +thrown us, that we were desirous of leaving the island; and, probably +with a view of gaining some advantage, they sent to us a message, +informing us of their willingness to assist in constructing a boat +sufficiently large to convey us across the water. The persons +commissioned to make this proposal, and to persuade us to go to them, +were two Englishmen, who, as we afterwards learned, had been on the +island for several years, and were left there by English vessels. The +particulars of their history we were unable to obtain. + +An offer of that kind, coming as it did from their enemies, and being in +itself calculated to offend the pride of those into whose hands we had +fallen, greatly excited their feelings of animosity; and, in consequence +of our having manifested some desire to satisfy our own minds on the +subject, we were closely watched. On the whole, however, we had no +reason to regret this state of things; for on finding that their +neighbors were disposed to assist us, a spirit of emulation was aroused +among them, and for a time we had some hopes that the excited energies +of this tiny nation would lead to the performance of some exploit, +which, in the end, might place at our disposal the means of +deliverance. + +Our maintenance had by this time become so great a tax upon their +resources, that it was found expedient to cause some of our number to be +removed to a settlement about a mile distant. Mr. Nute, Mr. Rollins, and +myself were accordingly selected, and under a strong escort taken to the +place. This did not please us, as we preferred remaining with our +companions; but either expostulation or resistance would have involved +us in worse difficulties, and we submitted. In our new situation we were +well supplied with provisions, and kindly treated. We were allowed to +visit our friends at the other town, and spent our time as agreeably as +could be expected under the circumstances. + +Previously to this, some steps had been taken towards constructing a +sort of boat or vessel to convey us home. Finding the natives disposed +to part with us, for a stipulated consideration, and to render us any +assistance in their power, we left no means unemployed to induce them +to exert themselves to the utmost; and, to their credit be it said, it +was more owing to their inability than to their want of inclination that +we were not entirely successful. An account of their proceedings cannot +fail of being interesting. + +After much deliberation, and many consultations upon the momentous +subject, it was agreed to commence operations. Their prophetess had been +duly consulted, and the assistance of their divinity had been implored +with great formality. Before they ventured upon the undertaking, it was +deemed advisable to hold a festival. An event of so much importance +could not be suffered to transpire without being duly solemnized. +Tradition furnished no account of any thing equal to this attempt! +Accordingly large quantities of provisions were brought from various +parts of the island, and an immense concourse of men, women, and +children, attended the feast. On our part we had little confidence in +the success of the plan; but, be that as it might, we were far from +being displeased with their efforts to carry it into execution, and +shared with them the festivities of the occasion, with not a little +pleasure. + +This part of the business having been duly attended to, the time had +come for united and vigorous action; and accordingly the whole male +population of that region repaired to the woods, to procure timber. In +the mean time the females, animated by a spirit of emulation, betook +themselves to the task of making mats, to serve as sails to our vessel, +when it should be completed. In fine, the whole resources of the +country, of every kind, were taxed to the last extremity, to accomplish +the work. + +Considering the means they had for carrying the plan into execution, it +is surprising that they accomplished as much as they did. The best tools +we had were a few old inch chisels, which served as substitutes for the +broad-axe, in manufacturing trees into planks, and afterwards fitting +them to their places. There were a few spikes on the island, but we had +neither auger nor gimlet. + +When news had been received that the timber was ready in the woods, +orders were given to have it brought together. Seldom had we witnessed a +more novel scene than that presented by the natives when they brought +from the forests the rudely prepared materials for the boat. They were +seen coming in from all quarters with loads of timber on their +shoulders, of every size and shape that could be conceived of, and +causing the hills and vales to resound with their shouts. + +In due time the work of putting together the materials commenced. We +succeeded in laying a sort of keel, and at length contrived to erect a +kind of frame, which, though it might not be regarded as a first-rate +specimen of naval architecture, nevertheless looked somewhat like the +beginning of a water-craft. But when we came to the more difficult part +of the business, that of putting on the planks, we found that not only +our skill, but that of the whole nation, was completely baffled. We were +compelled to abandon the undertaking; and despaired of ever being able +to succeed in building any thing of the kind. + +During all this time the natives were sanguine in the belief that they +should succeed, and repeatedly assured us that they could accomplish the +work. Their sorrow and mortification, on being obliged to give it up, +were great; for they seemed to realize, that now they must have fallen +in our estimation, and thought that we should be anxious to avail +ourselves of the assistance of their enemies, who, as they well knew, +were extremely anxious to get us into their hands. The captain did not +attempt to conceal his wish to go to the other part of the island. This +greatly increased their dissatisfaction; and their murmurs became +frequent and loud. After considerable expostulation, they proposed to +make a _canoe_ sufficiently large to convey us away; and, having some +confidence in the practicability of the plan, we consented to wait and +assist them in their endeavors to supply us with this substitute for the +more respectable craft we had contemplated building. After duly +consulting the old prophetess, the principal chiefs were assembled, and +having agreed to take for the purpose the largest bread-fruit tree on +the island, the people were called upon to meet at the spot where it +stood, and assist in cutting it down. + +Matters of so great importance required deliberation in the operation of +planning out the work,--but the accomplishment of an undertaking like +that of felling so large a tree, with tools even less adapted to the +business than the teeth of a beaver, was one that took several days. At +length the herculean task was performed, and the tree fell! But judge of +our feelings on finding that the trunk, which we had hoped to render so +useful in conveying us to some place from which we could obtain a +passage to our native land, had, in falling, become so split as to be +good for nothing! It seemed to us that a cruel fate had ordained, that +no labor of our hands should prosper. Another tree was selected, and +with that we were more successful. We then commenced digging it out, and +bringing it to a proper shape. The old chisels were now put in +requisition; and, in twenty-eight days from the time we began, we had +succeeded in bringing that part of our labor to a close. Of the other +tree we made two wide planks, which we fastened to the upper edges of +the canoe, thereby adding very considerably to its capacity. Two months +more were consumed in fitting up our canoe with sails, and getting it +ready for sea. + +Having proceeded thus far, it was deemed proper by the natives to have +another festival; and, as our labors, in this instance, had been +attended with better success, extraordinary preparations were made for a +feast that should do honor to the occasion. An immense quantity of fish +had been obtained; the females brought large quantities of bread-fruit, +cocoa-nuts, and yams; and the toil of months was forgotten in the +universal joy which then prevailed. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + The natives become anxious to aid the ship's company in leaving the + island.--Terms on which they agreed to release them.--Departure + from the Pelew islands.--Necessity of returning the same + night.--Detention a month longer; and final departure. + + +By this time the natives had become nearly as anxious to part with us as +we had ever been to leave them; and being mutually desirous to be rid of +each other's company, we lost no time in preparing for our departure. +Our object now was to get into the open sea, with the hope of falling in +with some vessel on its passage to China or elsewhere, and thus be able, +after a while, to find a conveyance to America. Provisions were +furnished us by the natives; but we greatly needed a compass, and with +much difficulty obtained one. Captain Wilson, who had been shipwrecked +there many years before, left his compass with one of the chiefs, whom +we finally succeeded in inducing to part with it. It had become much +impaired by time and improper usage, but served as a tolerable guide.[3] + +It is proper here to state the particulars of our agreement with the +natives of this island. They had, as before related, furnished us with +the means of subsistence, and with comfortable lodgings; and, for the +purpose of enabling us to return home, had been at great expense in +fitting up a craft, such as they thought would answer to convey us +wherever we pleased to go. According to their notions, we were persons +of sufficient consequence in the estimation of our countrymen, to +fulfil any engagement we might make with them, and to the extent to +which, in our necessity, we were compelled to go, in order to obtain the +object which we had in view, should the government consider itself +bound; and it would be no less an act of justice than of humanity, to +secure the friendship and confidence of these islanders; so that, should +others unfortunately fall into their hands, their lives and property +might be respected. It is also important, that those who engage in +commercial pursuits should have every protection extended to them. It +would cost the government but a mere trifle to secure an amicable +understanding with these islanders; and it is but reasonable to hope +that no time will be lost in making the attempt. + +Situated as we were, we did not feel ourselves at liberty to expostulate +against the obvious unreasonableness of their demands. We were, in +truth, indebted to them for our maintenance while among them, and for +the assistance they rendered us in fitting up our craft; and, as a +suitable requital for these favors, and to remunerate them for their +hospitality, we solemnly assured them, that, should fortune so far +prosper us, as to enable us once more to reach our native country, we +would send to them two hundred muskets, ten casks of powder, with a +corresponding quantity of balls and flints. Besides this, we gave them +assurances of having several articles of ornament, such as beads, belts, +combs, and trinkets of various kinds. + +On the 27th of October, 1832, we set sail, having the boat in which we +had escaped from the ship, and which we had repaired as well as we were +able, and the canoe which had been constructed by the natives especially +for our use. It was agreed, that three of our number, viz. Davis, Meder, +and Alden, should remain on the island as hostages, and that three of +the natives (two chiefs, and one of the common class) should accompany +us, to see that the agreement made with them should be faithfully +executed. Fearing that the natives residing on the other part of the +island might come upon us and prevent our going, we took our departure +in the night. We soon found that our boats leaked so badly that it would +be next to madness to proceed, and we returned in the course of the +night. Our unexpected return gave great offence; but we insisted that to +go to sea in that condition would be certain destruction. They at length +consented to assist in repairing the canoe and boat, and to suffer us to +remain long enough to complete our arrangements more to our mind. + +We were detained by these operations about a month, and then again took +our leave of the spot where we had remained so long against our will; +though we would not conceal the fact, that the rude kindness of the +natives had so entirely overbalanced their faults, that, on parting with +them, we experienced emotions of regret, and were quite overpowered with +a sense of our obligations to them for the many favors which they had +bestowed upon us. They had regarded and treated us as beings of a higher +order than themselves; and our conduct had inspired them with a +veneration and confidence almost unbounded. As a proof of this, three +of their number were committed to our care, and were entirely willing to +place themselves at our disposal. + +Seven of our number now took the canoe, viz., Bouket, Sedon, Andrews, +Hulet, and the three natives. Captain Barnard, Rollins, Nute, and myself +preferred the ship's boat. We were accompanied on our passage the first +day by a large number of the natives. At night, as we had then succeeded +in getting beyond the reef, they left us, and we continued our course. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[3] The Englishman before mentioned, Charles Washington, told us that +this compass was left there about _thirty_ years before, which was the +time when captain _James_ Wilson, of the ship Duff, was there. But from +circumstances it appeared that he was mistaken as to the time, and that +it was one which had belonged to captain _Henry_ Wilson, who was +shipwrecked there in the Antelope, in 1783, and of whose voyage and +disasters a most interesting and well-known account was published by Mr. +Keate. Its preservation for about fifty years is certainly +remarkable.--_Edit._ + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Regret at having undertaken the voyage in boats.--Storm, and damage + in consequence of it.--Loss of the canoe and the provisions on + board.--Danger of perishing from famine.--On the fifteenth day, + when nearly exhausted with fatigue and hunger, they discover a + small island.--Approach of eighteen canoes filled with natives, who + make prisoners of them all.--Cruelty of the natives; and return + with their prisoners to the island.--Reception there.--The + prisoners distributed among the captors. + + +We had not proceeded far before we had reasons for regretting, that we +had entered upon the perilous undertaking of navigating the waters of +that region in boats so poorly adapted to the purposes we had in view. +There came on a violent storm of rain, the wind blowing hard, and the +waves threatening to swallow us each moment of the night. To our dismay, +the rudder of the canoe, owing to the imperfect manner in which it had +been constructed, was unshipped, and for a time the destruction of those +on board seemed inevitable. Fortunately we continued to keep company. +By great exertion we made out to replace the rudder in the morning, and +then proceeded. In the course of the day the rudder was again unshipped; +but, with less difficulty than before, we succeeded in fastening it to +its place with ropes, so that it answered tolerably well as a substitute +for a better one. Happy would it have been for us, if this had been the +worst of the disasters of our voyage. Our mast next went by the board; +and during the whole of the next night, we lay drifting at the mercy of +the winds and waves. In the mean time the canoe sprung a leak, and we +found it impossible to bail out the water as fast as it came in. In this +extremity we lost no time in shifting all our lading into one end of the +canoe; and by tearing up our old clothes, and stuffing them into the +crack, we at length stopped the leak. In this sad plight we continued +on, meeting with no very serious accident till the fifth day from the +time of leaving the island; when, just at the setting of the sun, owing +to some mismanagement, a light puff of wind capsized the canoe! +Fortunately no one was drowned. All but three swam to our boat; those +who remained continued through the night to cling to the canoe. With +great difficulty we kept our boat from being stove in pieces by coming +in contact with the canoe. During all this time it rained very hard, and +never had we experienced a more dismal night. In the morning we tried to +get the canoe right side up; but finding that impossible, we concluded +to abandon it entirely. We took from it a few cocoa-nuts, and, as our +last resort, all took refuge in the boat. We saved the compass, and did +not so much regret the loss of the canoe, as it had cost us already an +incalculable amount of anxiety, toil, and suffering. + +But new difficulties now stared us in the face. Most of our provisions +had been lost by the upsetting of the canoe, and we had but a very small +quantity of water. It was therefore deemed expedient to divide among us +the means of subsistence remaining. We had four cocoa-nuts for each +person, and a few pieces over, which were distributed equally. At this +time no objects were seen, except a few sea birds. We continued in this +condition for nine days and nights, with actual starvation before us, as +the most probable end of our anxieties and sufferings. We were about +settling down into a state of confirmed despair, when, to our +inexpressible joy, we discovered land apparently about ten miles off. We +exerted all our remaining strength to reach it. When within six miles we +saw, approaching us, a fleet of eighteen canoes, filled with the natives +of the small island we were approaching. + +At first the small canoes came near us, for the purpose of ascertaining +who and what we were. The appearance of these natives was such as to +excite at once our astonishment and disgust. Like the inhabitants of the +island we had left, they were entirely naked; and, as our subsequent +experience proved, they were infinitely more barbarous and cruel. Very +soon the large canoes came up, when the wretches commenced their +outrages. They attacked us with brutal ferocity, knocking us overboard +with their clubs, in the mean time making the most frightful grimaces, +and yelling like so many incarnate devils. They fell upon our boat and +immediately destroyed it, breaking it into splinters, and taking the +fragments into their canoes. While this was going on we were swimming +from one canoe to another, entreating them by signs to spare our lives +and permit us to get into their canoes. This they for a long time +refused, beating us most unmercifully, whenever we caught hold of any +thing to save ourselves from sinking. + +After they had demolished our boat, and kept us in that condition for +some time, they allowed us to get on board. They then compelled us to +row towards the land. They stripped us of all our clothing immediately +after we were taken in; and the reader may form some idea of our +distress in this condition, under a burning sun, from the fact, that +before night our shoulders were blistered, by being thus exposed to the +heat. + +On approaching land we discovered no habitation; but after going round a +point of the island, we saw near the beach a row of small and badly +constructed huts. We were compelled to jump from the canoes into the +water and wade to the shore. By this time the beach was lined with women +and children, who caused the air to resound with the most horrid yells +and screams. Their gestures and violent contortions of countenance +resembled the frantic ravings of Bedlamites. + +The reception we met with on land was no more agreeable than that upon +the water. Judging from the treatment we had received from the females +of the island which we had left, it was hoped that the gentler sex would +extend to us some proof of their commiseration; but in this we were +sadly disappointed. If possible, they were more cruel than their inhuman +lords and masters. We were soon separated from each other, and dragged +about from place to place; our brutal captors, in the mean time, +contending with each other to see who should have us as his property. +Frequent contests of this kind occurred; in one of which, during the +first day, I was knocked down. The question of ownership was at length +settled, and we were retained by those into whose hands we had at first +fallen. Some of us were taken to their house of worship, called by them +Verre-Yarris--literally, God's house, where they went through with some +of their religious ceremonies, and we received a few mouthfuls of food, +which was the first we had tasted through the day. + +It was my good fortune to be retained by one who, compared with the +other natives, was humane. His name was _Pahrahbooah_; the female head +of the family was called Nahkit; and they had four children. I went by +the name of _Tee'mit_; and Benjamin Nute by the name of _Rollo_. The +captain was also fortunate in falling into the hands of a friend of my +master, who treated him with comparative kindness. He was valued the +more highly also on account of being a large, fleshy man--they judging +of these things by the size and appearance. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + The island, to which they were carried, proves to be Lord North's + island, called by the natives _To'bee_.--Account of the island and + its inhabitants.--Their manners and customs. + + +It may now be proper in this place to give some account of the place +where our unhappy lot was cast, and of its rude and miserable +inhabitants. It will be impossible to convey a correct idea of their +ignorance, poverty, and degradation; but some conception may be formed, +by imagining what the condition of beings must necessarily be, when +wholly separated from the rest of their species, stripped of all the +refinements of life, and deprived of all means and opportunities for +improvement. + +We were now upon the small piece of land called by the natives _To'bee_, +but known to navigators by the name of _Lord North's Island_, situated +between the third and fourth degrees of north latitude, and in longitude +one hundred and thirty-one degrees twenty minutes east. It is also +known by the name of _Nevil's Island_ and _Johnston's Island_; and it +has been hitherto considered by navigators and others as uninhabited. +This is not surprising; as we were told by the natives, that no white +man had ever visited the place; though it seemed, from the pieces of +iron in their possession, and from other circumstances, that they had +had some communication with the Spaniards and Portuguese in that quarter +of the world.[4] Like many other islands in those seas, this is +surrounded by a coral reef, which is from an eighth to one half of a +mile wide; but outside of the reef the water is apparently fathomless, +the water being as blue as it is in the middle of the ocean; and the +largest vessels may in many places approach within a quarter of a mile +of the beach. The whole island rises so little above the level of the +sea, that the swell often rolls up to a considerable distance inland. +It is about three quarters of a mile in length, and not far from half a +mile in width. There were upon it three villages, situated on the +shores, and containing, in all, between three and four hundred souls, at +the time when we were taken there; but the number was considerably +diminished by famine and disease before we left. + +The inhabitants are in a state of entire barbarism and ignorance. The +men wear a sort of girdle or belt made of the bark of a tree. This is +girded round the loins so as to leave one end to hang loose behind, the +other is brought forward and fastened to the belt in front. This is +their only clothing. The females, after arriving at the age of +womanhood, wear an apron made of the leaves of a plant, by them called +_kurremung_, split into fine strips and plaited. This extends from the +loins nearly to the knees. Some few wear rings upon their wrists made of +white shells, and some had this kind of ornament made of turtle-shell. +In their ears, which are always bored, they sometimes wear a leaf; and +round their necks a necklace made of the shell of the cocoa-nut, and a +small white shell, called _keem_ shell. The children go entirely naked. +The complexion of these islanders is a light copper color; much lighter +than the Malays, or the Pelew islanders; which last, however, they +resemble in the breadth of their faces, high cheek bones, and broad +flattened noses. They do not color their teeth, by chewing any thing, as +many of those islanders do; but their teeth are so strong that they can +husk a cocoa-nut with them instantly. + +Their principal food is the cocoa-nut. They occasionally succeed in +procuring fish, though the supply obtained during our residence there +was exceedingly small. Their fish-hooks are made of turtle-shell, and +not well contrived for the purpose; but we could not induce them to use +our hooks, till they had heated them and altered their form so that they +would not hold the fish. They did this, because they said that Yarris +(God) would be angry with them, if they used our hooks without preparing +them according to their fashion. Sometimes they are so fortunate as to +obtain a sea-turtle; five only were taken during the two years we were +there. The turtle, I may add, has something of a sacred character with +them. They also raise small quantities of a vegetable somewhat +resembling the yam; but while we were with them they were unsuccessful +in cultivating it. These constitute the slender means of their support; +and they are thus barely kept from actual death by famine, but on the +very verge of starvation. When any one of them begins to fail, for want +of food, so that his death is pretty certain, they inhumanly turn him +off from among them, to starve to death. + +Their religion is such as might be expected among a people in their +condition. Their place of worship is a rudely constructed building, or +hut, about fifty feet long and thirty wide. In the centre, suspended +from the roof, is a sort of altar, into which they suppose their deity +comes to hold converse with the priest. Rudely carved images are placed +in different parts of the building, and are supposed to personate their +divinity. As nearly as could be ascertained by us, they supposed that +the object of their worship was of like passions with themselves, +capricious and revengeful. During the time we were with them, they +attributed to his displeasure their want of success in taking fish as +they had done in former times, and the unfruitfulness of their +bread-fruit and cocoa trees. + +Their religious ceremonies are singular. In the commencement the priest +walks round the altar and takes from it a mat devoted to the purpose, +which is laid upon the ground. He then seats himself upon it, and begins +to hoot, in the mean time throwing himself into a variety of attitudes, +for the purpose of calling down the divinity into the altar. At +intervals the congregation sing, but immediately stop when the priest +breaks out in his devotions. By the side of the altar is always placed a +large bowl, and six cocoa-nuts. After the incantation is gone through, +and the divinity is supposed to be present, the bowl is turned up, and +four of the nuts are broken and put in it, two being reserved for the +exclusive use of a priest by them called also "_yarris_." As soon as the +nuts are broken, one of the company begins to shout, and, rushing to the +centre, seizes the bowl, and drinks of the milk of the nut, generally +spilling a considerable part of it upon the ground. After this a few +pieces are thrown to the images, and the remainder are eaten by the +priests. This closes the ceremony; after which they indulge in any +recreations that chance to please them best. + +While we were on the island several earthquakes happened, and some of +them pretty severe. On those occasions the natives were much terrified; +they would not let their children speak a word; and they said among +themselves--_zahbee'too Yarris_, _To'bee yettah'men_, that is, Yarris +(God) is coming and To'bee (the name of the island) will sink. They were +also very much alarmed at thunder and lightning; and used to say at such +times, _Yarris tee'tree_, God is talking. I do not know how they would +be affected by an eclipse, as none happened, that I noticed, while we +remained there. + +I will here mention some other things in respect to their customs and +usages, as they now occur to me. + +Their implements of war are spears and clubs; they have no bows and +arrows. Their spears are made of the wood of the cocoa-nut trees; the +points of them are set with rows of sharks' teeth; and, being at the +same time very heavy and from ten to twenty feet long, are formidable +weapons. + +Their canoes are made of logs which drift to their island from other +places, there being no trees on it large enough for that purpose; they +are hollowed out with great labor, and are of very clumsy workmanship; +to prevent their oversetting, they are fitted up with outriggers, like +those of the Pelew islanders. A sketch of one is given in the +accompanying engraving. + +They kindle their fires, as they informed me, by rubbing two pieces of +wood together, as is common in the islands of the Pacific ocean; and +they cook their turtle or other meat, (when they are so fortunate as to +have any,) as well as their vegetables, by covering them with heated +stones. I should state, however, that during the whole time we staid +among them, fire was always preserved in some part of the island, so +that there was no necessity for kindling it in the manner here +mentioned. + +Like other savage people, they reckon time by moons; I could not learn +that they ever reckoned by any other period, except, indeed, when +speaking of two or three days. + +They take pride in their hair, and are particularly careful about it, +washing and cleansing it almost every day. They do not color it, +however, as the natives of some islands are said to do; but they moisten +it with the juice pressed out from the cocoa-nut, which gives it a very +glossy appearance; and it is frequently so long as to reach down to +their waist. + +Their mode of salutation is, to clasp each other in their arms, and +touch their noses together, as is practised in many other islands. + +We found no musical instruments of any kind among them. They sometimes, +on particular occasions, would sing or bawl out something like a rude +tune; but we could not understand it. We frequently tried to teach them +to whistle, and their awkward attempts to do it amused us; but they +never were able to learn how it was done. + +In their names, I could not find that they had any thing like a family +name, but only a single one, (corresponding to our christian names,) as +is the case, I believe, throughout the islands of the Pacific. I could +not learn, that the names were significant either of animals or other +objects, as the Indian names of America are, and I never found any two +persons of the same name. The names of the members of the family with +which I lived were as follows:-- + +Pahrahboo'ah, the father of the family. + +Nah'kit, the mother. + +Buhwur'timar, the eldest child, a son, ten or twelve years old. + +Kobaw'ut, the second, a daughter. + +Kobahnoo'uk, the third, a daughter. + +Wah'rebo, the fourth, a son. + +The children do not address their parents by any word corresponding to +father or mother, papa or mamma, but by their names. Their parents treat +them on the footing of equality; they are generally well behaved, and +are never punished, except occasionally when impatient for their food. + +Their language appears to be different from those of the other islands +in that quarter; we found that the three natives of the Pelew islands, +that accompanied us, could not understand any thing they said; though I +observed afterwards, occasionally, a resemblance in two or three words. +The reader will, however, be enabled to judge for himself, by means of a +short vocabulary of common words which will be found at the end of this +narrative. I may add, that the Pelew chiefs had never heard of Lord +North's island; but they are acquainted with the _Caroline_ islands. + +A detail of all that befell us would serve only to give pain to the +benevolent, or at most to show how much human beings can endure. I shall +attempt but little more than to describe the sufferings of a day; +observing once for all, that for the term of two long years we +experienced the same privations, and were subjected to the same brutal +treatment; life, during all that time, being no better than the constant +succession of the most acute sufferings. + +This island, unlike the Pelews, is one of the most horrible and wretched +on the face of the globe. The only product of its soil worth mentioning +is the cocoa-tree; and those are of so dwarfish and miserable a growth +as to bear but very few nuts. These few, however, constitute the food of +the inhabitants, with the exception of a species of fish caught +occasionally near the shore. The only animals or creeping things known +on the island are lizards and mice, and, during our stay there, scarcely +a solitary sea-fowl was known to have alighted on the island, and but +few fish were taken by the natives. + +The character of the inhabitants much resembles that of the island +itself. Cowardly and servile, yet most barbarous and cruel, they +combine, in their habits, tempers, and dispositions, the most +disgusting and loathsome features that disgrace humanity. And, what may +be regarded as remarkable, the female portion of the inhabitants +outstrip the men in cruelty and savage depravity; so much so, that we +were frequently indebted to the tender mercies of the men for escapes +from death at the hands of the women. The indolence of the natives, +which not even the fear of starvation itself can rouse to exertion, +prevents their undertaking the least toil, although a little labor, well +applied, might be made to render them infinitely more comfortable.[5] + +Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that, notwithstanding +they are in this miserable condition, with no prospect of its ever being +improved, they are of the opinion that they are highly favored. This can +be accounted for in no other way than by the fact, that they are +entirely ignorant of all that lies beyond the narrow limits of their +observation. They know nothing of any other portion of the globe, than +the mere speck of barren land upon which by some accident they were +thrown, and where they remain, to drag out a wretched existence. Their +traditions do not extend further back than to about a hundred years; +and, to their simple minds, it seems like a splendid effort of mind to +be able to relate, with tolerable accuracy, the time-hallowed stories +told them by their parents. Whether they could in any way be improved by +instruction, is a question which it would be difficult to answer. They +seem to be doomed to remain, as one of the last links in the chain that +connects our race with the mere animal part of the creation. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[4] They occasionally wore a kind of broad hat, called by them _shappo_, +and sometimes _shambararo_; which are evidently derived from the +Portuguese _chapeo_ (or possibly the French _chapeau_) and the Spanish +_sombrero_.--_Edit._ + +[5] Some of these remarks are taken from the New York Sun of May 30, +1835; for which paper the substance of them was furnished by Mr. Nute +and myself. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + A ship discovered at a small distance from the island.--The natives + prepare to go on board of her.--Captain Barnard and Bartlet + Rollins, after being severely beaten, are allowed to go with the + natives in their canoes, and thus effect their escape; the rest of + the Mentor's people are still forcibly detained on the + island.--Their hopes of being taken on board of the same ship are + suddenly blasted.--Their despondency on that + disappointment.--Return of the natives from the ship; their rage, + and quarrels about the division of the articles procured on board + of her.--They threaten to wreak their vengeance on the Mentor's + people that remained with them.--Their cruel treatment of them.--A + storm destroys the cocoa-nut trees and causes a scarcity of food. + + +We were captured and taken to the island December 6, 1832; and on the +third day of February, 1833, two months wanting three days, captain +Barnard and Bartlet Rollins effected their escape. Compared with the +remainder of our captivity, our privations and sufferings up to that +time were less severe. But at no time did we have sufficient food to +satisfy the cravings of hunger! The very crumbs that fall from an +ordinary table would have been to us a luxury; the swine of America are +better fed than we were, on the most fortunate day of our residence upon +that island. + +It was on the day above mentioned that a ship was discovered a short +distance from the island, and the natives immediately collected, and +prepared to go to it, in order to obtain iron, or some other articles of +value. Hope once more visited us. To escape was, of course, our strong +desire and intention. Accordingly, when the canoes put off we attempted +to go. Our savage masters interposed their authority, and by menaces and +blows prevented us. Many of us were severely beaten, and all but two +were detained by the brutal force of the savages. At length captain +Barnard and Rollins, after being severely beaten, were allowed to +accompany the natives to the ship, and succeeded in effecting their +escape. Trusting to the humanity of the captain and crew, we for some +time confidently expected, that they would contrive some way of enabling +us to join them. They were in sight about three hours; at one time they +were so near that we could distinctly see the hands on board; but judge +of our feelings when we saw the vessel pursuing her course! Our +expectations were all blasted in a moment, and our minds, which had been +gladdened by the hope of once more enjoying the society of civilized +beings, of once more reaching the shores of our beloved country, sunk +back into a state of despair; we wept like children. + +The natives, when they returned from the vessel, brought with them a +small quantity of iron hoops, and a few articles of some little value, +but they were highly dissatisfied with the amount received, and greatly +enraged. The division of the property caused much difficulty, and they +quarrelled about it for several days. Those of us who remained, though +innocent, were the greatest sufferers. They held us accountable for the +conduct of those who had left, and vented the malignity of their +unfeeling hearts upon us. We were given to understand, that now our doom +was fixed; that we should remain with them, and die the victims of our +tormentors! Alas! it was but too true, that such was to be the fate of +all but two of our number! We were destined to see one after another of +our fellow-sufferers sink under the constantly increasing severity of +the burdens imposed upon them, and perish either from actual starvation, +or by the blows of the savages. + +After the departure of the captain and Rollins, we were treated with +much greater severity than we had been before. Generally we were aroused +from our broken slumbers about sunrise, and compelled to go to work; we +were usually employed in cultivating a species of vegetable somewhat +resembling the yam, and called by them "_korei_." This root is raised in +beds of mud, which are prepared by digging out the sand, and filling the +place with mould. The whole of this labor was performed with the hands. +We were compelled day after day to stand in the mud from morning till +night, and to turn up the mud with our hands. Frequently we were +required to do this without receiving a morsel of food till about noon, +and sometimes we were left without any thing to eat till night. At best +we could get no more than a small piece of cocoa-nut, hardly a common +sized mouthful, at a time, and if, either from exhaustion or any other +cause, we neglected to perform the required amount of labor, our +pittance of food was withheld altogether. + +From this plain and unexaggerated account it will be seen, that our +condition at best was bad enough; but a misfortune befell us which +rendered it still worse. About four months from the time of our landing +on that dreary spot, there was a violent storm, which came very near +sweeping away the whole of the means of support which remained for the +miserable inhabitants. The wind blew down many of the best cocoa trees, +and materially injured the fruit on such as were left standing. Besides +this, the low places in which they raised the root, by them called +"_korei_," were mostly filled with sand, and famine stared us all in the +face. + +They attributed this misfortune to the anger of their god, and did not +fail to use such means as they thought best calculated to appease him; +and the calamity greatly added to our sufferings. Besides subjecting us +to still more severe deprivations, we were compelled (though hardly able +to drag our limbs from place to place) to labor in repairing the damage +done by the storm. We were employed for months in carrying in our arms +and on our shoulders pieces of the coral rock, in order to form a sort +of seawall to prevent the waves from washing away the trees; and this +drudgery, considering that we were naked, under a burning sun, and +reduced to nothing but skin and bones, was too severe to admit of any +thing like an adequate description. Our flesh, or, to speak more +properly, our skin--for flesh we had none--was frequently so torn by the +sharp corners of the rock, and scorched by the sun, as to resemble more +that of the rhinoceros than of human beings. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + The natives compel the Mentor's people to be tattooed.--Description + of that painful operation.--They also oblige them to pluck their + beards, &c.--Another vessel passes by the island; and, afterwards, + a third comes in sight and remains for three days; the Mentor's + people are closely guarded at these times.--The melancholy fate of + William Sedon; and the barbarous murder of Peter Andrews.--Attack + on H. Holden, who is protected by one of the natives, and + escapes.--B. Nute and others are protected by the female natives + from the fury of the men.--Death of one of the Pelew + chiefs.--Another of the Pelew people is detected in stealing, and + is punished in their manner.--Death of Milton Hewlet and Charles C. + Bouket; leaving now only B. Nute, H. Holden, and the other Pelew + chief, named _Kobak_, who all remained in a feeble and helpless + condition.--Filthy practices of the natives.--Friendship of the + surviving Pelew chief. + + +A new trial now awaited us. The barbarous beings among whom our lot had +been cast, deemed it important that we should be _tattooed_, and we were +compelled to submit to the distressing operation. We expostulated +against it--we entreated--we begged to be spared this additional +affliction; but our entreaties were of no use. Those savages were not +to be moved, and we were compelled to submit; and that the reader may +form some idea of the painful process, I will here give a brief account +of it. + +We were in the first place securely bound down to the ground, and there +held fast by our tormentors. They then proceeded to draw with a sharp +stick the figures designed to be imprinted on the skin. This done, the +skin was thickly punctured with a little instrument made of sharpened +fish bones, and somewhat resembling a carpenter's adz in miniature, but +having teeth, instead of a smooth, sharp edge. This instrument was held +within an inch or two of the flesh, and struck into it rapidly with a +piece of wood, applied to it in such a manner as to cause it to rebound +at every stroke. In this way our breasts and arms were prepared; and +subsequently the ink, which was made of a vegetable found on the island +called by them the "_savvan_," was applied. The operation caused such an +inflammation of our bodies, that only a portion could be done at one +time; and as soon as the inflammation abated another portion was done, +as fast as we could bear it, till our bodies were covered. It was +effectually done; for to this day the figures remain as distinct as they +were when first imprinted, and the marks will be carried by us to the +grave. They were exceedingly anxious to perform the operation upon our +faces; but this we would not submit to, telling them that sooner than +have it done we would die in resisting them. Among themselves, the +oldest people had the greatest quantity of tattooing, and the younger +class less. + +Besides the operation of _tattooing_, they compelled us to pluck the +hair from different parts of the body, and to pluck our beards about +every ten days, which was extremely painful; and at every successive +operation the beard grew out harder and stiffer. + +About seventeen days after the captain and Rollins left, we saw a vessel +to the windward; but the natives did not attempt to visit it. Five +months afterwards another came in sight, and remained for three days +near the island. At one time we could distinctly see the men on board; +but we were kept on shore and closely guarded. Several canoes visited +the ship, and brought back a few pieces of iron, fish-hooks, glass +bottles, &c. We tried, but in vain, to escape. It seemed to us, that we +were doomed to remain on that dreary spot, to wear out our remaining +strength in hopeless bondage, and to submit to the control of brutal +masters, whose tender mercies were cruelties. Death, in any form, would +have been a relief, and often did we see moments when it would have been +welcomed as the best of friends! To some of our companions it did come, +though dreadful in the manner, yet as a not unwelcome alternative. + +About a year after we first arrived at the island, William Sedon became +so reduced as to deprive us of all hopes of his recovery. He looked like +a skeleton; and, at last, was so entirely exhausted by hunger, as to be +unable to walk, or even to rise from the ground. He continued, however, +to crawl from place to place, until all his remaining strength was +nearly gone, when the inhuman monsters placed him in an old canoe, and +sent him adrift on the ocean! Gladly would his unhappy shipmates have +extended to him the last sad offices of friendship; that poor +consolation was denied both him and us! My heart bleeds at the +recollection of our separation and his melancholy fate--when we saw him +anxiously turn his languid eyes towards those who were doomed still to +linger on the borders of the grave! Our sighs were breathed almost in +silence, and our tears were shed in vain! + +It may be observed here, that it is not their custom to deposit the +bodies of any of their dead in the earth, except very young children. +The bodies of grown people, after death, are laid in a canoe and +committed to the ocean. + +It was soon our lot to part with another of our companions, Peter +Andrews. He was accused by the natives of some trifling offence, and put +to death. The savages knocked him down with their clubs, and then +despatched him in the most cruel and most shocking manner. I was at this +time at a distance from the place where he was killed. My master was +absent; and upon my hearing a noise in the direction of the place where +the foul business was transacted, and suspecting that all was not right, +I started to see what was going on. I was near the beach when I saw a +number of the savages coming towards the spot where I stood, dragging +along the lifeless and mangled body of our comrade! One of them +approached me behind, and knocked me down with his club. The body of +Andrews was thrown into the sea, and it seemed to be their determination +to destroy the whole of us. I warded off the blows aimed at me as well +as I could, and recovering myself, ran towards the hut of my master. He +had not yet returned; but, fortunately, an old man, who had previously +shown some regard for me, and who was the particular friend of my +master, happened at that moment to be passing; and seizing the man who +had pursued me, held him fast. I escaped and ran into the hut, and +crawled up through an aperture in the floor into the chamber under the +roof. I seized an old box and covered up the hole through which I had +ascended; but this was not sufficient to detain, for any great length of +time, the wretches who were thirsting for my blood. They soon succeeded +in displacing the box, and one of them seized me; but just as he was +pulling me from my place of refuge, my master returned with several of +his friends, and rescued me from the clutches of my enemies. + +In the mean time Nute and the rest of our companions were at the +"_Tahboo_," a place of public resort, where, for the only time, the +females rendered our people any assistance. They concealed the men under +some mats, and kept them there till the fury of the natives had in a +measure subsided. + +We were next called upon to part with one of the Pelew _chiefs_ who had +come with us. He died of absolute starvation, and, according to custom, +was committed to the waves in an old canoe. In a short time after this, +the Pelew private (who had also come with us) was detected in the crime +of taking a few cocoa-nuts without leave; for which offence he had his +hands tied behind him, and was put into a canoe and sent adrift; which +was their usual method of punishment for offences of different kinds. + +About a year and seven months from the commencement of our captivity +Milton Hewlet died, and, like the others, was, according to the custom +of the natives, committed to the ocean. A short time afterwards Charles +C. Bouket, having become so reduced by his sufferings as to be unable to +help himself, was (horrible to relate!) placed in a canoe, while still +alive, and committed to the mercy of the ocean. Thus did one after +another of our companions sink under the weight of their sufferings, and +perish without any alleviation of their wretchedness. Nute and myself, +with our friend _Kobac_, the other Pelew chief, were all that remained; +and we were constantly expecting that the next hour would end our +existence. + +The idea of death, however, had now become familiar; and often did we +desire the release from suffering which that alone could afford. +Nothing, as it now appears to us, but the kind interposition of +Providence, could have continued our lives, and have given us the power +of endurance to hold out so long as we did. We were frequently so +reduced as to be unable to walk, and were forced to drag ourselves on +our hands and knees to some place where we could lie down under the +shade of a bush, and take rest. But the small comfort to be obtained in +this way was greatly lessened by the annoyance of musquetoes, which +could attack us with impunity in our helpless and feeble condition. +Besides this, our flesh had so fallen away, that on lying down, our +bones would actually pierce through the skin, giving us the most severe +pain. After we were tattooed, the parts operated upon were, for a long +time, running sores; and when exposed to the sun, the pain was +excruciating. + +It has been already said, that the natives were indolent, filthy and +degraded, but the half has not been told; and some things which we +witnessed cannot be related. The intercourse of the sexes was +unrestrained by any law; and the decencies of life were almost entirely +neglected. Instead of taking pains to keep clean, they seemed to be not +unwilling to have their heads overrun with vermin; and however +incredible it may seem, it is a disgusting truth, that they are +accustomed to eat them; and particular care seems to be taken to keep +those loathsome animals in the heads of the children. But I forbear any +further particulars. + +I have already said, that only two of the crew of the Mentor, namely, +Nute and myself, remained alive, with the exception of captain Barnard +and Rollins, who had fortunately escaped. The Pelew chief had become +strongly attached to us, and we take pleasure in stating the fact, that +his faithfulness and affection had greatly endeared him to us. He seemed +more like a brother than a barbarian; and most gladly would we have +saved him from those sufferings which, no doubt, before this time, have +terminated his life. Alas! it was not in our power to administer to his +relief; and when we last saw him he was but just alive. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + The feeble and exhausted condition of the survivors, Nute and + Holden.--The natives consent to release them from labor, but refuse + them food; and they obtain permission to leave the island in the + first vessel, for a compensation to be made to the natives.--They + crawl about from place to place, subsisting upon leaves, and + occasionally begging a little food of the natives, for two + months.--Their sudden joy at hearing of a vessel coming towards the + island.--It proves to be the British barque Britannia, captain + Short, bound to Canton.--They are taken on board the Britannia, + November 27, 1834, and treated with the kindest attention.--Their + joy and gratitude at this happy termination of their + sufferings.--They gradually recover their health so far as to take + passage for America, in the ship Morrison, bound for New York, + where they arrive May 5, 1835.--Acknowledgments for their kind + reception at New York and Boston. + + +Having thus briefly related the story of our captivity and sufferings, +it only remains to give an account of our escape from this barbarous +people. We continued to survive the horrible sufferings to which we were +constantly subjected, and to serve our tyrannical masters, in despite of +our agonies of body and mind, till the beginning of the autumn of 1834; +at which time we had become so emaciated, feeble, and sickly, that we +found it impossible any longer even to attempt to labor. By this time we +had acquired a sufficient knowledge of their tongue to converse fluently +with the natives, and we informed our masters, that our feeble condition +rendered it impossible for us to attempt to do any thing more. We also +reasoned the matter with them, telling them that death was our +inevitable doom, unless we were allowed to relax our labor; that if we +died we could be of no service to them, but if allowed a respite, and we +lived, and could be put on board a vessel, they should be liberally +rewarded. + +With much difficulty we at length persuaded our masters to allow us to +quit labor, and obtained from them a promise to be put on board the +first vessel that should come to the island. But, at the same time, they +informed us, that if we ceased to work, they should cease to furnish the +miserable allowance of cocoa-nut on which we had before subsisted, and +that we must either labor or starve. We deemed death as welcome in one +shape as in another, and relinquished our labors and our pittance of +food together. + +We were thus literally turned out to die! We crawled from place to +place, subsisting upon leaves, and now and then begging of the natives a +morsel of cocoa-nut. In this way we contrived to live for about two +months, when the joyful intelligence was brought to us that a vessel was +in sight, and was coming near the island! Hope once more revisited our +despairing hearts, and seemed to inspire us with renewed strength and +animation. + +[Illustration: ESCAPE TO THE BRITANNIA.] + +After taxing our exhausted powers to the utmost, we persuaded the +natives to prepare for visiting the vessel; and throwing our emaciated +bodies into their canoes, we made for the ship with all possible +despatch. The vessel proved to be the British barque Britannia, captain +Short, bound to Canton. Our reception on board is faithfully described +in the following certificate given by captain Short, the original of +which is still in my possession: + + "LINTIN, 29th December, 1834. + + "This is to certify, that on the 27th day of November, 1834, off + the small island commonly called Lord North's by the English, + situated in latitude 3 deg. 3' north, and longitude 131 deg. 20' east, on + board the British barque Britannia, bound to Canton river, we + observed about ten or eleven canoes, containing upwards of one + hundred men, approaching the vessel, in a calm, or nearly so, with + the intention of coming alongside. But having the small complement + of thirteen men, it was considered most prudent to keep them off, + which was effected by firing a few six pound shots in a contrary + direction from the boats, some of which were then within + pistol-shot. At the same time hearing cries in our own language, + begging to be taken on board, the boat was despatched away to know + the cause. The boat returned to the ship, and reported an American + on board one of them. She was then sent back, having strict + orders to act with caution, and the man got from the canoe into the + sea, and was taken up by the ship's boat, and brought on board. He + then stated in what manner he came there, and said he had another + of his countrymen in another canoe. I said if we could get some of + the boats dispersed, that every assistance should be rendered for + the liberty of the other man. Accordingly they did so, all but + three. The ship's boat was then despatched in search, and soon + found the other man. He was brought on board, but in a most + deplorable condition with fever, from the effects of a miserable + subsistence. These two poor fellows were quite naked, under a + burning sun. They appeared to bear all the marks of their long + servitude, and I should suppose two or three days would have been + the end of the last man taken on board, but from this act of + Providence. It appears that these men were wrecked in the ship + Mentor, on the Pelew islands, and were proceeding with their + commander to some Dutch settlement, in one of the Pelew island + canoes, when they got to the afore-mentioned island, and were + detained by the natives; and that captain Edward C. Barnard had got + on board some ship, and reached Canton river shortly after their + detention at the island; which has been confirmed by the different + masters now at the port of Lintin. + + "The statement given in to me by the two men runs thus:--That they + were wrecked May 21st, 1832, on the Pelew islands, and detained on + Lord North's island 6th December, 1832. The two men's names are + Benjamin H. Nute and Horace Holden. I should thank any ship master + now in port, acquainted with the circumstance, to confirm it by his + signature, in order to make some provision for those men, should + they require it. But from the disposition and liberality of those + American gentlemen coming forward, that are already acquainted with + the circumstance, perhaps it will be unnecessary. At the same time + I shall be very willing to draw up any form, or in any other way + that I may forward their views, according to the opinion of their + American friends. I should hope that every vessel passing in the + direction of the afore-mentioned island, passing any of their + boats, will give them a trifle. I gave them what articles those two + men thought most beneficial, and should have held a closer + communication with them had I been better manned and armed. + + HENRY SHORT, Barque Britannia." + +Never shall we find words to express our joy at once more finding +ourselves in the company of civilized men! Nor can we be too grateful to +captain Short, and his officers and crew, for their kind attentions +during our passage to Lintin. Every thing in their power was done to +restore our health and strength, and to render us comfortable. On +arriving at Lintin we found ourselves sufficiently recovered to be able +to pass up the river to Canton. We remained there, at the factories, +under medical treatment, until the ship Morrison, of New York, was ready +to sail; when we took passage in her for our native country, and arrived +in New York on the 5th day of May, 1835. + +In New York we found many kind friends, who took a lively interest in +our behalf. We would particularly acknowledge a debt of gratitude which +we owe to Mr. John Munson, who opened his hospitable dwelling for our +reception, and with whom we tarried for several weeks. Assisted by the +humane and philanthropic citizens of New York, we have been enabled to +reach Boston. Here Providence has raised us up warm friends, through +whose assistance we have been rendered as comfortable as could under any +circumstances have been expected. + +In compliance with the solicitations of many respectable gentlemen, the +foregoing narrative is submitted to the public, with the hope that it +may not be entirely uninteresting, and not without use. Every statement +may be relied upon as strictly true; and it is believed, that, simple +and unadorned as is our story, it may serve to afford some information +of a little spot hitherto supposed to be uninhabited, and to present to +view of the curious and intelligent some knowledge of a portion of our +race among whom no white man has ever before lived. + +To captain Barnard the author of the statements in this narrative is +under great obligations for his uniformly kind treatment previous to the +loss of the Mentor, and during the whole time we were together. We have +no reason to doubt, that he did all in his power to obtain our release +from captivity at the time when he was himself so fortunate as to +escape; and not the least blame is to be imputed to him on account of +the disasters that befell us. + +Of the twenty-two persons who composed the ship's company of the Mentor +when she sailed from New Bedford, only _four_ have returned. It has been +reported, that one of the three who was left at the Pelew islands +escaped a few months since. If such be the case only two remain there; +and it is hoped that some measures will soon be adopted, either by the +government or by humane individuals, to rescue them from their painful +and distressing situation. + +I cannot close this narrative without expressing the most heart-felt +gratitude to that kind Providence which has sustained us under trials +and sufferings the most severe, and returned us to our homes and +friends. And may those who have been to us friends indeed, find an ample +reward for their generosity, in the consciousness of having been +influenced by those sentiments and feelings which best adorn and dignify +the human character! + + BOSTON, NOVEMBER, 1835. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE OF LORD NORTH'S ISLAND. + + +The language of the inhabitants of Lord North's island appears to be a +new and hitherto unknown dialect of the Polynesian family of languages. +According to the preceding Narrative, it was wholly unintelligible to +the _Pelew_ chiefs who accompanied the crew of the Mentor when they were +made captives. To judge by the _numerals_, and a few other words, which +have been collected by travellers, it has a near affinity to the +dialects of the neighboring _Caroline_ islands. + +In the selection of words for the following vocabulary, we have +principally followed the list of English words in Keate's Account of the +Pelew Islands, but have added several from the Empress Catherine's +Vocabulary; distinguishing by SMALL CAPITALS all the words which +correspond to those in that Vocabulary. Some short dialogues are +subjoined to the vocabulary. + +The orthography adopted is that of the _English_ language; it being the +most useful to such of our navigators as may chance to visit Lord +North's island or those in its vicinity. It is only necessary to state +particularly, that _ay_ is to be pronounced like _aye_, or _ah-ee_; _g_, +always hard, as in _go_; _ng_, in the middle of a word, as it is at the +end; as, for example, in the English word _hanger_, and not as in the +word anger, (ang-ger;) and _zh_ is to be pronounced like _s_ in +_pleasure_, or the French _j_. + +It is proper to remark, that the words of the language here given, not +having been furnished by _natives_ of the island, are to be received +rather as approximations than as perfectly exact specimens of the +language; but the comparisons made with kindred dialects lead us to +believe, that they are as exact as are usually obtained from similar +sources. Two years' residence in the island strongly impressed the +language in the memory of the unfortunate captives. + + And, mah. + + Arm. (_See_ Hand.) + + BACK, tukkalek'. + + BAD, tuhmah'. + + Bamboo, sheel, _or_ shil.[6] + + BEARD, koosum. (_See_ Hair.) + + BELLY, mish'ee-um. + + Belt, (worn by the men,) tap'pah. + + Big, yennup. + + Bird, kar'rum. + + BLACK, wayzer'ris, (wah-ee-zerris.) + + Boat, prow, (prah-oo.) + + BONE, cheel. + + BOY. (_See_ Man.) + + Brass, mullebah'dee. + + Breast (of a female,) toot.[7] + + Brother, biz'zheem, _or_ biz'zhim. + + Canoe, (_the same as_ Boat.) + + CHILD, (_of two or three years old_,) lah'bo. + + Clouds, kotcho. + + Cocoa-nut, (_when ripe_,) kahrah'pah; (_when very young_,) soob; + (_when the husk is so hard as to require breaking with a stone_,) + chou, _or_ chah-oo. + + Cold, makkrazm'. + + Come, (_verb, the same as to go_,) mo'rahbeeto. + + Copper, (_the same as_ Brass.) + + Cord, (small line) kreel. + + Darkness, klo-wayzer'ris. + + DAY, yahro, (_the same as_ Sun.) + + DEAD, poo'ruk. + + Dirt, yuhbur'. + + Drink, (_verb_,) lim'mah. + + DUST. (_See_ Dirt.) + + Eat, muk'kah. + + FATHER, wur'teemum; (_used also for_ Friend.) + + FINGERS, kay'muk, (_the same as_ Hand.) + + FIRE, yah, _or_ yahf. + + Fish, ee'kah. + + Fish-hook, kah-oo eekah. + + Fishing net, shibbo'. + + Fly, (_the insect_,) lahng. + + Foot, petchem'; (_applied to the_ foot, leg, _and_ thigh.) + + Friend. (_See_ Father.) + + GIRL, pah'chik vay-ee'vee; (_literally_, a little woman.) + + Go. (_See_ Come.) + + GOOD, yissung. + + GOD, yarris. (_They had images of twelve gods._) + + GRASS, waw'ree. + + HAIR, (_of the head_,) chim. (_See_ Beard.) + + HAND, kay'muk. (_See_ Fingers.) + + HEAD, mitch'eemum. + + HERE, atid'dee, _or_ ettid'dee. + + HOUSE. (_See_ Hut.) + + Hungry, surmah'. + + Hut, _or_ house, yim. + + I, (myself,) nang. + + Iron, pahng-ul; _also_ pishoo. + + Iron hoop, chee'pah; (i. e. _pieces of iron hoops, of which they + make knives, &c._) + + Kill, (_verb_,) mah'tee. + + Large. (_See_ Big.) + + Laugh, (_verb_,) mee'mee. + + LEAF, (_of a cocoa-nut tree_,) trillah. + + Leg. (_See_ Foot.) + + LIGHTNING, visseeg'. + + Little. (_See_ Small.) + + Lizard, peelel'. + + MAN, mah'ree, _or_ mah. + + Many, pee'pee. + + MILK, toot. (_See_ Breast.) + + My, mine; e. g. _my cocoa-nut_, kahrah'pah ah nang. + + Moon, muk'kum. + + Mother, mish'erum. + + Mouse. (_See_ Rat.) + + Musquetoe, lahm. + + Near to, yah peteh'to, _or_ petetto. + + Night, neebo'; (_also_ by night.) + + No, taw, _or_ tah-oo. + + Numerals. (_See the list at the end of this vocabulary._) + + Oar. (_See_ Paddle.) + + Old, (i. e. from twenty years upwards,) mahzoo'-ee; very old, + mahzoo-ee ah va; _also_, butchee butch chim, _literally_, the hair + is white. + + Paddle, vettel. + + People, pee'pee ah mah'ree; _literally_, many men. + + Rain, (it rains,) oot; it does not rain, taw oot. + + Rat, tum'meeum. + + Reef (of rocks,) ahrah'-oo. + + Rope, tah'ree. (_See_ Cord.) + + Sand, (or shoal in the sea,) pee. _This word means simply the + sand._ + + Sea, (salt water,) taht. + + Shark, po. + + Ship, waw'wee. + + Short, yuhmoat', _or_ yah moat'. + + Sick, makkah'kes; I am not sick, nang tay makkah'kes. + + Sister, mee'ang-um. + + Sleep, mus'see, _or_ mummah teed'ee. + + Small, pah'chik; very small, (as a grain of sand,) + pahchik-gitchee-gee. + + Son, (or daughter,) lah'bo. (_See_ Child.) + + Stars, vish. + + STONE, vahs. + + Storm, pee'pee oot; i. e. much rain. + + Strong, (in good health,) yuhkayl'. + + Sun, yah'ro. + + Tahboo', _the religious interdiction called_ tahboo, _which is + common in the islands of the Pacific ocean, and which is also used + in Lord North's island._ + + Talk, (_verb_,) tee'tree; e. g. tee'tree Inglish, talk English; + tee'tree To'bee, talk To'bee, or the language of the island. + + Tattoo, (_verb_,) ver'ree-ver'-ree. + + There, a-tur'nah. + + Thou, _or_ you, gur. + + Thunder, pah; pah zah tee'tree, it thunders; _literally_, the + thunder speaks. _When it thunders, they say_, Yarris tee'tree, God + is speaking. + + To-morrow, waw'rah-zoo'rah. + + Tree. (_See_ Wood.) + + Turtle, wah'ree. + + WATER, (fresh,) tah'roo. + + ----, (salt,) taht. + + Whale, kahs. + + What; (what is that,) mahtah'men ah menno. + + WHITE, butch'ee butch. + + Why, bah. + + WIND, yang. + + Woman, vay-ee'vee; a young woman, wer'ree-wedg vay-ee'vee. + + Wood, (trees,) tummutch'ee; tabur'rah eek'ah, the stem _or_ trunk. + + Yellow, arrang'. + + Yes, ee'lah. + + Yesterday, rollo; yesterday night, rollo neebo'. + + You, _or_ thou, gur. + + +NUMERALS + + One, yaht + Two, guhloo' + Three, yah + Four, vahn + Five, neem + Six, yah-woar' + Seven, yah-veesh' + Eight, yah-wah' + Nine, yah-too' + Ten, yah-saik' (sake) + Eleven, sa-kum ah soo' + Twelve, sa-kum ah goo-o' + Thirteen, sa-kum ah sa-roo' + Fourteen, sa-kum ah vah'oo + Fifteen, sa-kum ah leemo' + Sixteen, sa-kum ah wahroo' + Seventeen, sa-kum ah weeshoo' + Eighteen, sa-kum ah wahrew' + Nineteen, sa-kum ah tee-o' + Twenty, sa-kum ah gloo-o' + + Ten, saik + Twenty, goowaik' + Thirty, sa-reek' + Forty, vah-eek' + Fifty, leemaik (leemake) + Sixty, woar-eek' + Seventy, vesheek' + Eighty, wahreck' + Ninety, tew-week' + Hundred, surbung; &c.[8] + +The inhabitants of Lord North's island seldom count above a hundred; but +when they wish to express a larger number they do it by a repetition of +the syllable _saik_, (ten,) in this manner:--sakum ah saik, ah saik, ah +saik, &c. + +In counting cocoa-nuts, they use the following numerals:-- + + One, soo + Two, goo-o' + Three, sa-roo' + Four, vah'o + Five, leemo' + Six, woarroo + Seven, veeshoo' + Eight, tee-oo + Nine, wahrew' + Ten, saik + +In counting fish they have still a different set of numbers:-- + + Seemul eekah, one fish + Gwimmul eekah, two fishes + Sreemul eekah, three fishes + Vahmul eekah, four fishes + Neemul eekah, five fishes + Waw'remul eekah, six fishes + Vish-ee ahmul eekah, seven fishes + War'remul eekah, eight fishes + Too-ee'mul eekah, nine fishes + Saik eekah, ten fishes + + +DIALOGUES IN THE LANGUAGE OF LORD NORTH'S ISLAND. + + Tee'mit, tay too attee'dee, nang ver'ree-ver'ree gur; mah'ree + To'bee tay ver'ree-ver'ree man Inglish mo'ree pooruk; zahbee'to + Yarris yettah'men man Inglish. + + Horace, come here, for I am going to tattoo you; if To'bee man + does not tattoo Englishman he will die; Yarris (God) will come + and Englishman will go immediately out of sight; i. e. be + destroyed. + +They perform the process of tattooing by means of a little instrument, +made either of a thin, flat fish-bone, or of the wing bone of a large +sea-bird. The blade of the instrument (as it may be called) is about an +inch long; it is fixed upon a little handle, about four inches in +length, and the whole instrument may be compared to a carpenter's adz, +in miniature; except that the edge, instead of being straight, and +smooth for cutting, is made into teeth for puncturing the skin. This +little instrument is held in the left hand, with the edge or teeth +directly over the place to be punctured, and successive blows are then +struck upon it, with a small stick of iron-wood, resembling a drumstick, +and of about two pounds' weight, until the coloring matter is +sufficiently pricked into the skin.[9] + +Before commencing the operation they mix the coloring liquid (before +described, page 102) in a cocoa-nut shell. They then compel you to lie +down upon the ground in such a position that the part of the body which +is to be tattooed shall lie uppermost. After this, with a slender, +flexible stick dipped in the liquid, they mark out upon the body the +figures that are to be imprinted in the skin; then they dip the teeth of +the tattooing instrument in the liquid, and by successive strokes, as +above mentioned, prick it into the skin, till it is completed to their +taste. During the operation you are surrounded by men, women, and +children, all singing a kind of chorus or song adapted to the occasion; +and if any complaint escapes you, from the severe treatment of the +operators, (of whom there are generally two,) the whole company strikes +up a louder strain, apparently as if rejoicing. The spirited wood cut +accompanying this volume gives a very correct representation of this +important ceremony. + + * * * * * + +After captain Barnard and Rollins escaped from the island, the natives +would often ask of Holden and Nute where they thought _Peeter Inglish_ +(their name for the captain) was;[10] they were answered, that he was on +his passage to England. They would then say,-- + + Ah! Peeter Inglish taw borobeeto Inglish; Peeter Inglish yepee'lif + tang ah nee mah'ree ah To'bee ah pahng-ul; Peeter Inglish mo'ree + poo'ruk woar ah taht; Peeter Inglish tee'tree tee'tree mah'ree + To'bee pee'pee pee'pee ah pahng-ul, pee'pee ah lego', pee'pee ah + mullebah'dee; shaik, man Inglish yepee'lif tuhmah'; mah'ree ah + To'bee zah so zah tee'tree Yarris, waurwa ah Inglish cher prow tay + beeto woar Inglish. + + Ah! the captain will never get to England; the captain was a + thief; he had not given To'bee man any iron, and he would die + at sea; the captain talked, and talked with To'bee men, (that + they should have) much iron, great many clothes, and much + brass; for shame! Englishmen (are) all thieves and bad men; + To'bee men (are) very angry; (we) will speak to God, and he + will make the ship founder at sea, and the captain never will + arrive in England. + +Whenever Holden or Nute expressed a wish to go to England, the natives +would say to them,-- + + Gur zah beeto Inglish bah? Taw ah muk'kah woar Inglish; gur zah + beeto Inglish, gur mo'ree poo'ruk; mah'ree Inglish muk'kah ketch'ee + etch'ee, omah ah yahpuk gur mum'mee tee'dee ah To'bee, yevvers + mah'ree To'bee yissung ah mukkah. + + What do you (wish to) go to England for? There is nothing to + eat in England; if you go to England you will die; Englishmen + eat rats and snails and filth; if you stay in To'bee you will + live; To'bee men have very good (food) to eat. + + +_Dialogue between Horace Holden and his master Pahrahbooah._ + + _H._ Pahrahbooah, gur zah wosheeto ah nang woar ah prow, nang zah + beeto Inglish; nang zah mum'mah tee'dee ah To'bee zah pooruk, taw + ah muk'kah woar To'bee; woar Inglish pee'pee ah muk'kah, pee'pee, + pee'pee; gur zah wosheeto ah nang woar ah prow nang zah lee ah gur + pee'pee ah pahng-ul, pee'pee ah lego', pee'pee ah mullebah'dee; gur + tay wosheeto ah nang zah poo'ruk woar ah To'bee, gur taw ah pishoo. + + _H._ Pahrahbooah, if you will put me on board of a ship I will + go to England; if I remain at To'bee (Lord North's) I shall + die, for there is nothing to eat on To'bee; in England, much + food, much, much; and if you will put me on board of a ship, I + will give you much iron, many clothes, and much brass; if you + do not put me (on board) I shall die on To'bee, and you (will + get) no iron. + + _P._ Hah, nang tay wosheeto ah gur; gur tee'tree tuhmah; gur tang + ah nee nang ah pahng-ul; Peeter Inglish yepee'lif, gur yepee'lif, + mah'ree ah Inglish yepee'lif, senah-messen'; tuhmah man Inglish; + gur mummah tee'dee woar To'bee, zah pooruk ah To'bee. + + _P._ Ah! I will not let you go; you talk bad; you will not + give me any iron; Peeter Inglish is a thief, you are a thief, + all Englishmen (are) thieves and liars; Englishmen (are) bad + men; you (are) to stay on To'bee, to die on To'bee. + + +_Another Dialogue between the same persons._ + + _P._ Tee'mit, gur zah beeto Inglish gur zahnee mah'ree To'bee ah + pahng-ul, yennup way'sa teberee'kah yennup ah tepo'ee ah waus'sa, + ah lego', kah-oo eekah, zis ah pishoo' ah teet ah tuv'vatif, ah + mullebah'dee, zah beeto To'bee zah lee wur'teemum ah gur? + + _P._ Horace, if you go to England will you give the men of + To'bee iron of a large size, as big as a stick of wood, and + big axes, and knives, and cloth, and fish-hooks, an anvil and + hammer, and needles, a trunk, and brass, and then come back to + To'bee and give them to your father? + + _H._ Ee'lah, nang zah beeto Inglish nang zahnee mahree To'bee ah + pahng-ul yennup, ah tepo'-ee, ah waus'sa, ah lego', kah-oo eekah, + zis ah pishoo', ah teet, ah tuv'vatif, ah mullebah'dee, zah beeto + To'bee, zah lee wur'teemum ah nang. + + _H._ Yes, I will go to England, and I will give to the men of + To'bee iron of a large size, and big axes, and knives, and + cloth, and fish-hooks, an anvil, and needles, and trunks, and + brass, and then come back to To'bee and give them to my + father. + + _P._ Gur zah beeto Inglish gur dee mum'mah tee'dee woar Inglish, + taw borobee'to To'bee, gur zah yuh-woon; tuhmah taw muhpeer klo + dung-ah-rang-us. + + _P._ If you go to England you will stop (sleep) there, and not + return to To'bee; this (will be) bad and not friendly, and you + will be a bad man. + + _H._ Nang zah beeto Inglish, nang dak mum'mah teedee woar Inglish, + nang zah beeto To'bee. + + _H._ If I go to England I will not stop (sleep) there, but + return to To'bee immediately. + + _P._ Gur too-ay-go'rah beeto Inglish, gur mo'ree pooruk woar ah + taht, gur tay beeto To'bee. + + _P._ You do not know the way to England; you will die (or be + lost) at sea, and not come to To'bee. + + _H._ Hah! nang yego'rah beeto Inglish, taw mo'ree pooruk woar ah + taht. + + _H._ Aye, I do know the way to England; I shall not die (or be + lost) at sea. + + _P._ Gur ahnee ah prow woar Inglish, pee'pee ah pahng-ul, ah lego', + kahrahpah, ah vay-ee'vee pee'pee, ah mahree pee'pee, ah lah'bo? + + _P._ Have you got ships in England, and a great deal of iron, + and cloths and cocoa-nuts, and many men, women, and children? + + _H._ Eelah, nang yuhwo' ah prow woar Inglish, pee'pee ah pahng-ul, + ah lego', kahrahpah ah vay-ee'vee, pee'pee ah mah'ree, pee'pee ah + lah'bo. + + _H._ Yes, I have got ships in England, much iron, and cloths, + and cocoa-nuts, and women, and a great many men and children. + + _P._ Gur mukkah woar Inglish pee'pee? + + _P._ Do you eat in England a plenty? + + _H._ Eelah, nang mukkah woar Inglish pee'pee. + + _H._ Yes, in England I eat a plenty, (or much.) + + _P._ Tee'mit, gur zah beeto Inglish woshee'to ah pahng-ul woshee'to + ah lego', ah mullebah'dee, ah tepo-ee, ah kah-oo eekah, mo'ree + To'bee zah lee mah'ree To'bee, gur muhpeer, gur yissung ah mah'ree, + muhpeer muhpeer. + + _P._ Horace, if you go to England, and fetch us iron, and + cloths, and brass, and axes, and fish-hooks, to To'bee, and + give them to To'bee men, you (will be) our friend, a very + good man, a very great friend; (_literally_, a friend, a + friend.) + + _H._ Eelah, nang zah beeto Inglish, nang wosheeto ah pahng-ul, + wosheeto ah lego', ah mullebah'dee, ah tepo-ee, ah kah-oo eekah, + woar To'bee zah lee mah'ree To'bee. + + _H._ Yes, (if) I go to England I will fetch you iron, and + fetch cloths and brass, and axes and fish-hooks, to To'bee, + and give them to the people of To'bee. + + _P._ Tee'mit, gur zah beeto Inglish gur tay beeto To'bee, mah'ree + To'bee zah tee'tree Yarris, gur moree pooruk. + + _P._ Horace, if you go to England and do not come back to + To'bee, the men of To'bee will talk to God and you will die. + + _H._ Nang zah beeto Inglish, nang de mummah tee'dee, ah turt zah + beeto To'bee. + + _H._ I will go to England and stop a short time, (i. e. sleep + there,) and shall return to To'bee. + + _P._ Tee'mit, gur zah beeto venne Yarris, gur tay beeto, gur mo'ree + pooruk. + + _P._ Horace, if you do not go to Yarris' house, (i. e. the + place of worship,) you will die. + + _H._ Tur pay; nang zah beeto. + + _H._ Wait a minute; I will go. + + Verrah mahtah gur? + + What is your name? + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[6] No bamboo grows on Lord North's island, but it frequently drifts +ashore, and the natives make knives of it. + +[7] Used also by the Pelew Islanders. + +[8] _Numerals of the Caroline Islands, from the Missionary Voyage to the +Southern Pacific Ocean, 4to, London, 1799._ + + One, iota + Two, rua + Three, toloo + Four, tia + Five, leema + Six, honoo + Seven, fizoo + Eight, wartow, + Nine, shievo + Ten, segga + +[9] Tattooing instruments may be seen in the valuable East India museum, +at Salem; and perhaps in some of the museums in Boston. + +[10] What the import of this name _Peeter_ was, we are unable to +determine. They gave the same appellation to a character of great +celebrity in their history, whose entire name was _Peeter Kart_; and +who, according to their traditions, came from the island of Ternate, +many years ago, and gave them their religion and such simple arts as +they possessed. They said he was of a copper color, like themselves. + + * * * * * + +[Transcriber's Notes: + +The transcriber made these changes to the text to correct obvious +errors: + + 1. The author was inconsistent in his use of accents with some of the + words in the language of Lord North's island. This inconsistency + remains as originally published. + 2. Some of the last words of the native's dialogue was moved to + the previous page for readibility. This occured on the following + pages: + 130 text moved to page 129 + 131 text moved to page 130 + 133 text moved to page 132 + 3. The illustration "Escape to Britannia" has been moved from between + page 114 and 115 to page 113. + +End of Transcriber's Notes] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Narrative of the Shipwreck, +Captivity and Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute, by Horace Holden + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHIPWRECK *** + +***** This file should be named 32012.txt or 32012.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/0/1/32012/ + +Produced by Richard J. 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