FOOTNOTES:

FOOTNOTES:[1]In Keate's Account of the Pelew Islands this word is writtenpook.—Edit.

[1]In Keate's Account of the Pelew Islands this word is writtenpook.—Edit.

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.

Havingsatisfied 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 momentsof 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 distancethey 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 whencethey 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 theway 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 containsprobably 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 NorthAmerica. 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 thekabooaleaf, 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. Ourfair 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 withus 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 onour 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 afterwardsconfirmed; 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 bestchartsit is calledBaubelthouap. In the chart prefixed to the fifth volume ofBurney'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 printedBanbeltbonap.—Edit.

[2]This island is not always laid down by name on our common maps, nor mentioned in geographical works. In the bestchartsit is calledBaubelthouap. In the chart prefixed to the fifth volume ofBurney'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 printedBanbeltbonap.—Edit.

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.

Aninteresting 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 mouthwas 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 tohim, 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 beenaccustomed 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 opportunityto 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, mightplace 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 unemployedto 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 intoexecution, 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 thetimber 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 acanoesufficiently 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 takefor 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 webegan, 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.

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.

Bythis 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 ourcountrymen, 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 thesefavors, 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 ourdeparture 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 confidencealmost 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 aboutthirtyyears before, which was the time when captainJamesWilson, 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 captainHenryWilson, 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.

[3]The Englishman before mentioned, Charles Washington, told us that this compass was left there aboutthirtyyears before, which was the time when captainJamesWilson, 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 captainHenryWilson, 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.

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.

Wehad 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 wecontinued 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 capsizedthe 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 distributedequally. 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 theirclubs, 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 pointof 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 thefirst 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 wasPahrahbooah; the female head of the family was called Nahkit; and they had four children. I went by the name ofTee´mit; and Benjamin Nute by the name ofRollo. 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.

The island, to which they were carried, proves to be Lord North's island, called by the nativesTo´bee.—Account of the island and its inhabitants.—Their manners and customs.

Itmay 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 nativesTo´bee, but known to navigators by the name ofLord North's Island, situated between the third and fourth degrees of north latitude, and in longitude one hundred and thirty-one degrees twentyminutes east. It is also known by the name ofNevil's IslandandJohnston'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 aconsiderable 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 calledkurremung, 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 sometimeswear a leaf; and round their necks a necklace made of the shell of the cocoa-nut, and a small white shell, calledkeemshell. 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 totheir 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, andare 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 ofthe 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 aneclipse, 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 orother 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 anykind 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 theCarolineislands.

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 thanto 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, anddispositions, 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 theirobservation. 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.

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