History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 42

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 42

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The energy and fearlessness of our early navigators was something almost marvellous. In vessels of but one hundred and fifty tons they boldly set sail for ports never before visited by Americans, and without chart or guide of any kind, made their way amid coral reefs and along foreign shores. Even as late as 1831, when a United States war vessel was de- spatched to the Island of Sumatra, no chart of the coast could be found in the possession of the govern- ment. The United States frigate " Potomac" sailed for the East Indies in 1831, and in the journal of her voyage it is stated that it was the original intention of her commander to prepare charts and sailing di- rections for the guidance of other mariners, but that "this duty has been much more ably performed than it could have been with our limited materials." For this important service our country is indebted to Captains Charles M. Endicott and James D. Gillis, of Salem, Mass .. The former, who was master of the "Friendship," when she was seized by the Malays at Qnallah-Battoo, has been trading on this coast for more than fifteen years, and during that period he has, profitably for his country, filled up the delays incidental to a pepper voyage, by a careful and reli- able survey of the coast, of which no chart was pre-

viously extant which could be relied on. Captain Endicott has since published the results of his labors in a well executed chart, which comprises all that portion of the coast which is included between Sin- kel, 2° 18' and 4° 15' north. Actuated by a like com- mendable zeal for the commercial interests of his native country, Captain Gillis has extended the sur- veys to latitude 5° north, and published an excellent chart, accompanied also with sailing directions. These are important acquisitions to our knowledge of this coast, and will increase the security of our mer- chants and mariners. We gladly embrace this oppor- tunity to acknowledge our obligations to both these gentlemen for much valuable information and many interesting facts.

Salem, therefore, was not only the first at Sumatra, but the first to make it safe for others to follow her lead, and as long as American vessels visited the coast their commanders were provided with copies of the charts prepared by these Salem shipmasters.

The dangers of the coral reefs were not the only ones our mariners had to contend with. The natives of the island were cruel and treacherous, and ready to commit any atrocity for the sake of plunder.

The ship "Putnam," commanded by Captain John Carlton, was captured by the Malays on the 28th of November, 1805, and several of the crew massacred. The "Putnam " was at anchor in the onter roads of Rhio (island of Bentang), where she had been trading with the natives for pepper. The captain had already closed his business at Rhio, when the fatal catastro- phe took place. There was at the time a Malay brig, belonging to Lingen (a neighboring island), lying in the inner roads, besides two English brigs, viz., the " Malcolm," Captain Fenwick, and the "Transfer," Captain Matthews. On the 26th the captain, having been ashore and on board the " Malcolm " to transact some business, was informed on his return that a boat from the Lingen brig had made a visit to his ship in his absence, and from their behavior excited strong suspicions of a design to cut her off. They had also been on board several times before without any ap- parent business, but to gratify their curiosity. Cap- tain Carlton, apprehensive of their design, endeavored to excite the caution and courage of his officers and crew, confident that there was no danger but from negligence or timidity. The next morning (the 27th) the captain sent the third officer to the Malay brig to forbid their again coming on board the ship. He at the same time repaired and set the boarding nettings and made other preparations for defense. Abont five in the afternoon his apprehensions were renewed, by observing the Malay boat again coming toward the ship, whereupon he ordered every man to arm him- self, and have everything in readiness, in case of an attack; but his apprehensions were lessened on the boat's nearer approach, by observing a Chinese mer- chant in it. The merchant came on board and offered to barter pepper for tin, on terms which the officers

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

(who had wanted an opportunity of selling their pri- vate adventures) accepted, and, to make the bargain more surc, took thirty dollars of him as earnest. Not one of the Malays could, at this time, be persuaded to enter the ship, and at sunset they returned to the brig.

On the 28th Captain Carlton found it necessary to go on shore once more, to close his business with the Rajah, previous to sailing. He was much averse to leaving the ship again on account of the suspicious conduct of the Malays, who were expected on board with pepper as agreed for. However, as the brig lay to the southward, and as it blew a perfect gale to the northward, he thought there was little probability of any boat coming on board that day; he therefore took the pinnace, with Mr. Fenno, his clerk, and two hands, and proceeded on shore. On his return, about five in the afternoon, he called on board the "Malcolm " to take his leave. He had been there only a few min- utes before he was alarmed by the sight of his ship's boat coming along side, with seven of the crew on board, three of them dangerously wounded, viz., Mr. Samuel Page Pierson, second officer ; Stephen Hol- land and William Brown, the two former mortally. The men were taken on board and their wounds im- mediately dressed. This shocking sight but too plainly indicated the unhappy event which had taken place. The Malay boat, with sixteen men on board, had been to the ship with the pepper. It seems, not- withstanding all the causes for suspicion, they were received very unguardedly on board the ship and without the people having their arms at hand in case of an assault. The pepper was taken in, and the hands were about weighing it, when it was observed that the Malays, about six in number, were secretly receiving their creases from their fellows in the boat. On this the second officer, Mr. Pierson, stepped to- ward them and directed them to return to their boat.

This served as a signal to begin their savage attack, in which Mr. Pierson fell, mortally wounded. The Malays in the boat immediately reinforced their com- rades in the ship. The first officer received a slight wound, and, being closely pursued, escaped over the bows. Richard Hunt followed, but afterwards got up by a rope into the fore-channels, where one of the Malays creased him through the netting and he dropped below the channels and held on for some time, but was probably badly wounded and fell into the water and was seen no more. A number of others fled at the onset of the Malays. The cook, a black fellow, by the name of George Cowley, was heard to say a few minutes before the Malays. began the mas- sacre that he would not fight if they did attempt to take the ship; he accordingly concealed himself be- low and was not seen after the action. A black man, by the name of Henry Annuls, was killed on deck as soon as the action began. Cæsar Thomson, the stew- ard, a mulatto, was struck at the same time, but, being a brave man, he seized a handspike and knocked the

assailant down and another after him; but a third gave him a mortal wound. Stephen Holland, a sea- man, at the beginning of the attack, got over the bows, where he stood for a few minutes, when, spying a handspike on the deck, he sprang and seized it. With this he knocked down several of the Malays, but, unfortunately, received a mortal stab at last. At length, what with those who were killed and wounded and those who had escaped to places of safety, Wm. Brown, a carpeuter of the ship, was left to maintain the contest alone; which he did with great bravery and success, and was thereby the means of saving the lives of those who survived the rencontre. He had seized a strong stick, of about three feet in length, on the end of which the cook had fastened an iron coffee- mill; this was an excellent weapon, and he dealt such deadly blows among his antagonists with it that, after a severe contest, he cleared the decks of them. He received two wounds; the first was between the shoulders, but not deep, as he caught the hand of the Malay and broke the force of the blow, and with a well-aimed stroke he laid the fellow at his feet. Im- mediately he had three more upon him, who, finding him resolute, retreated aft, and in following them he observed a fourth, who was standing upon a cask above him, aiming at him; he attempted to seize his hand, but was not so fortunate as before; he caught his arm, however, but, his hand being bloody, it slipped up to his elbow, and the fellow creased him over the left shoulder; the force of the weapon was in some measure stopped by its striking the spine, though it went through his back on the right side of the spine. Notwithstanding this, he drove all the Malays abaft the mizzenmast, when Henry Pettit came down from the fore-top, where he had been during the action. He brought aft a handspike and kept the Malays at bay until Brown went below and brought up a spear, with which he quickly drove them all into the water, where they were picked up by their boat, which had cut their fastenings and dropped astern for that purpose. There were twelve or thirteen of the Malays who had been engaged on board; one was left dead upon deck; four were car- ried off wounded, some, it was supposed, mortally, during the struggle, and seven or eight were driven overboard by Mr. Brown.

Brown and Pettit then attempted to fire a swivel into the boat as she passed under the stern; but the confusion of the scene probably prevented their prim- ing it properly, so that it did not go off. The Malays being thus driven out of the ship, Brown ran fore and aft, in order to rally those of his shipmates who had abandoned him in the conflict, calling out that the decks were clear and they might return with safety. Having collected them together, Brown ad- viscd the chief officer to display a signal that would bring them assistance from the ships in the inner roads ; but the officer being fearful of their returning to a second attack, gave orders for abandoning the

SALEM.

ship, though the boat had by this time pulled off two or three miles, more in fear, no doubt, of being de- stroyed by a shot from the ship than with any idea of renewing their attack upon her; only half of their number remaining in a condition for action, one hav- ing been killed and seven others wounded. The Malays observing the ship to be thus abandoned by the crew, returned, of course, and took possession of her.

The mortification of Captatn Carlton at being in this sudden and unhappy manner deprived of his ship is not to be described. He immediately ap- plied to the English vessels to assist him in attempt- ing her recovery. Captain Fenwick, of the "Mal- colm," very promptly, and Captain Matthews, of the " Transfer," with reluctance, consented to pursue the pirates. They accordingly set sail, and at eight that evening anchored in the straits of Lingen. At daylight the next morning they weighed anchor and steered for Lingen ; at eight A.M. saw the pirates from the top gallant-yards ; at half past past five P.M. the " Malcolm" was within cannon-shot, but the "Transfer," not sailing so well, three or four leagues astern ; at six, within pistol-shot of the ship, and the pirate brig about musket-shot distance, on the lee quarter of the " Malcolm." The ship then commenced firing and the "Malcolm " immediately returned a broadside with a discharge of musketry. The brig also hauled to and brought her bow-chasers, the only guns she had to bear, on the "Malcolm " and fired them once, without any judgment or effect. The ship, whose guns were in excellent order, well-leveled and supplied with plenty of powder and round shot, kept up a well-directed fire for half an hour, and the "Mal- colm " received considerable damage in her hull, rig- ging and boats ; and Mr. Trask, the first officer of the "Transfer," but who had gone on board the " Malcolm" as a volunteer, was unfortunately killed. The "Mal- colm," during this rencontre, kept up as brisk a fire as circumstances would admit of. She was badly equipped for fighting. She had no gun-tackle and only two rammers and sponges, and one of those was lost early in the action, and only seven men to work the guns. Her deck was extremely round, and the brig very crank; and the guns being fought to lee- ward, they upset every time they were discharged, and several times pitched out of the ports, breech up, and stood perpendicularly. Yet, under all these dis- advantages, the "Malcolm " discharged as many as ten broadsides ; the musketry, also, was well served, and the pirates were completely silenced in half an hour and bore away, and had it been earlier in the day, the ship would probably have been recovered. At the close of the action the third officer of the "Put- nam" was badly wounded in his right hand and arm by the going off of a gun while he was loading her. When the " Transfer" came up Captain Mat- thews was requested to follow on and renew the ac- tion, but he declined, and, as he was depended on

as the pilot, Captain Feuwick was obliged to follow him, and they hauled to, to the eastward, and an- chored, while the pirates were left to proceed unmo- lested. At daylight next morning they hove up and made sail for Lingen ; again discovered the pirates, and at three P.M. were on the point of renewing the attack upon them, when Matthews tacked about, and they were obliged again to give up the ship when she seemed almost to be in their possession, and follow the "Transfer " towards Lingen.

At daylight, December 1st, they found that they were in shore of the pirates. Matthews got first under way; but, to the astonishment of those on board the "Malcolm," hauled on a course directly from them. Captain Fenwick, judging it not prudent to pursue alone, followed the "Transfer " into Lingen roads, leaving the pirates in quiet possession of their prize, when another opportunity had presented of recover- ing her with little effort. Captain Carlton, after this, made application to the Governor of Malacca and to Admiral Trowbridge for assistance to recover his ship, but could obtain none, and was obliged to submit to the mortification of giving her up as a total loss.

The foregoing account is gathered from correspond- ence published in the Salem papers at the time of the piracy.

The ship "Marquis de Somerulas," Captain Story, was attacked by the Malays at Sumatra September 18, 1806, and one man was killed and several wounded, but the crew succeeded in driving away the attacking party.

The ship "Friendship," Charles M. Endicott, mas- ter, was attacked at the port of Quallah-Battoo by the native Malays. The first mate, Charles Knight, was killed and several of the seamen wounded.

Captain Endicott was ashore at the time, receiving pepper to be sent on board. Observing something unusual in the conduct of those aboard the ship, Captain Endicott determined to return to her at once, but hardly had he started with his men when crowds of Malays began to assemble on the banks of the river, brandishing their weapons and otherwise men- acing him. At the same time three Malay boats, with forty or fifty men each, came out of the river and pulled toward the ship. Convinced that the only way to recover the ship was by obtaining assistance from some other vessel, Captain Endicott directed his boat's conrse to Muckie, a port about twenty-five miles distant, where he knew two or three American vessels were lying. Arriving there, he found three vessels, among them the brig " Governor Endicott," of Salem, H. H. Jenks, master, and the ship "James Monroe," J. Porter, master, of New York. These vessels proceeded at once to Quallah-Battoo. The " Friendship " was meanwhile in the possession of the Malays, who plundered her of the specie and every other movable article. Four of her crew jumped overboard at the time of the attack, and swam a dis- tance of two miles before they could find a safe place

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

to land. After wandering about in the bushes, almost without food, for three days, they found a canoe, and made their way to the residence of a friendly native, named Po Adam, who furnished them with clothing and carried them aboard one of the American vessels. Upon the arrival at Quallah-Battoo of the three ves- sels, before mentioned, an attack was made upon the town, and the "Friendship" was boarded and re- captured. Her voyage having been broken up, the "Friendship" returned to Salem, where she arrived July 16, 1831. About a year thereafter the United States frigate "Potomac," before referred to, bom- barded Quallah-Battoo as a punishment for the con- duct of the natives towards an American vessel.

Another Salem vessel, the " Eclipse," had a some- what similar experience on the coast of Sumatra in 1838. While the mate and four hands were ashore, a party of Malays boarded the vessel and killed the captain, Charles P. Wilkins. The crew, finding themselves overpowered, escaped, some by ascending the shrouds, and some by jumping overboard and swimming ashore. The Malays then plundered the ship of specie, opium and everything else of value, and departed with their ill-gotten gains. The men aloft descended, lowered their boat, and rowed to a French bark lying at an adjoining port. The next morning the crew returned to the vessel, and during the night they set sail and left the island. The " Eclipse " had a sad ending. She sailed from Sumatra July 10, 1849, under command of Captain Daniel Cross, and was never after heard from. She had on board a cargo of pepper, consigned to Tucker Daland and Henry L. Williams.

THE MANILA TRADE .- In the early days of Salem commerce, when her enterprising and energetic mer- chants were seeking to establish trade with hitherto unknown countries, and her ships were ploughing the seas which had never before floated an American vessel, the ship "Astrea," commanded by Henry Prince, and owned by that king among merchants, Elias Hasket Derby, entered the harbor of Manila, the capital city of the Phillipine Islands, situated on the island of Luzon. Obtaining there a cargo of 750,- 000 pounds of sugar, 63,695 pounds of pepper, and 29,767 pounds of indigo, she entered at Salem in May, 1797, and paid a duty on her cargo of $24,020. A journal of this voyage, kept by Nathaniel Bowditch, afterwards so famous as a mathematician, is on the files of the East India Marine Society. The "Astrea" left Salem March 27, 1796, and went to Lisbon, Ma- deira and Manila, arriving at the latter place October 3, 1796. On the passage home, February 18, 1797, the ship sprung a leak, and two men were obliged to be kept at the pumps constantly from that time till the 22d of May, 1797, when the vessel arrived at Salem.

In the precise and rather formal handwriting of Dr. Bowditch we find in his journal the following ac- count of his experience at Manila :

" The city of Manila is about three or four miles in circumference, is walled all round, and cannon are placed at proper intervals ; but we were unable to get much information with respect to the state of the place, as they were shy of giving any information to foreigners. The buildings within the walls are all of stone, and none except the churches are more than two stories high, on account of the violent earth- quakes, which they have generally at the breaking up of the Monsoon. The month of March is when they most expect them, but on the 5th of November, 1797, we experienced several violent shocks at about two P.M., which came from the northward and proceeded in a southerly direction, continuing with ·violence nearly two minutes. It threw down a large house a half a league from the city, untiled several buildings, and did much other damage. It was not observed on board the ship lying off the bar. The motion of the earthquake was quicker than those usual in America, as the latter are generally preceded by a rumbling noise ; the former was not.

"The suburbs of Manila are very extensive, and most of the business is done there. The houses of the wealthier class are of two stories, built of stone; the poorer sort live in bamboo houses with thatched roofs. No house can be built in the suburbs without the particular permission of the Governor, in which the dimensions of the buildings are stated, fearing, if they are too high, that an enemy might make use of them for attacking the city, as was the case when the English took the place formerly, for one of the churches near the walls was very serviceable to them; it has since been pulled down.

"There are but few Europeans in the settlement ; all the women have a little of the Indian blood in their veins, excepting the lady of the Governor and two or three others, though by successive intermar- riages with Europeans they have obtained a fair com- plexion. The natives (like all other Malays) are ex- cessively fond of gaming and cock-fighting. A theatre is established for the latter business, from which the government draws an immense revenue, this diversion being prohibited at any other place ; sometimes there are 5,000 or 6,000 spectators, each of which pays half a rial. A large sum arises from the duties on tobacco and cocoa wine. Tobacco is pro- hibited, but if you smuggle any on shore, it cannot be sold for more than the cost in America, notwithstand- ing the retail price is very high ; particular people, licensed by the king, are the only persons allowed to deal in it. All the natives chew dreca and betel, though not mixed with opium, as in Batavia. This, with chewing and smoking tobacco, makes the tecth very black. The cigars used by the women, and which they smoke all day, are made as large as they can possibly get into their mouths. The natives are about as honest as their neighbors, the Chinese ; they stole several things from us, but, by the goodness of the police, we recovered most of them. On the 3d of

SALEM.

December, 1797, they broke into the house where we lived, entered the chamber where Captain Prince and myself were asleep, and carried off a hag containing one thousand dollars without awaking either of us or any of the crew of the long boat, sleeping in the ad- joining chamber. The guard boat discovered them as they were escaping and pursued them; they, in en- deavoring to escape, ran afoul of a large boat, which, upsetting them, the money went to the bottom, and, what was worse, the bag burst and the money was all scattered in the mud, where the water was eight feet deep; however, by the honesty of the captain of the guard, most of it was recovered. The thieves were caught, and, when we were there in 1800, Mr. Kerr informed us that they had been whipped and were to be kept in servitude several years.

"The same day another robbery was committed equally as daring. The day the indigo was shipped the second mate came ashore with several of the people to see it safe on board. The boats we had provided not taking all of it, we sent the remainder aboard with a black fellow to guard, who was es- teemed by Mr. Kerr as au honest fellow, but he had been centriving to steal a couple of boxes. When the ' Casco,' containing the indigo, had passed the bar, a small boat came aboard with two boxes filled with chips, stones, etc., appearing in every respect exactly like those full of indigo, and pretending that we liad put on board two wrong boxes, they exchanged their boxes for two real boxes of indigo, but in bringing them ashore they were detected and the indigo returned.

" There are great numbers of Chinese at Manila, but they are all obliged to become Catholics. It is from them that most of the sugar is purchased. They trade considerably with China. Their junks arrive at Manila in January, and all their goods are depos- ited and sold from the Custom-House."

From 1797 to 1858, the date of the last arrival from this port, there were eighty-two entries at Salem from Manila. The period from 1829 to 1839 shows the largest number of arrivals, thirty of the eighty-two entries being made during that time.

The ship " Folansbe," Jonathan Mason, Jr., master, entered in May, 1799, with sugar and indigo, con- signed to John Collins & Co. The ship "Laurel," Daniel Sage, master, entered in July, 1801, with 115,- 133 pounds of indigo and 124.683 of sugar, consigned to William Gray, and paying a duty of $32,382.26.

The ship " Fame," Jeremiah Briggs, master, en- tered in March, 1804, consigned to Jacob Crownin- shield. The "Fame" visited the coast of Cochin China in search of sugar and Captain Briggs in his journal relates the following interesting incidents connected with his visit :

" The king of Cochin China has about five hundred vessels of war of all denominations, principally boats from about forty to ninety feet long, a number of junks and four ships carrying thirty guns each, about

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 42

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538