USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers > Part 59
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The following morning Payne detailed Rowland Coffin, Row- land Jones, Cyrus M. Hussey, and Thomas Liliston, armed them each
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with a musket, powder and fine shot. He declined to give them musket balls on the ground that the report of the guns would in- timidate the natives sufficiently. The prisoner was put in charge of the squad whose orders were to go to the village, recover the hatchet and bring back the one pointed out by the prisoner as the thief. They recovered the hatchet but on the return were at- tacked by the greater body of the natives who assailed them with stones, thrown with great accuracy. Finding that the white men retreated, the natives pursued them and overtaking Rowland Jones, killed him' on the spot. The others succeeded in regaining the tent, near which the natives gathered, armed for war. After hold- ing some kind of a council, the natives began to tear one of the boats to pieces. Realizing the seriousness of the situation Payne . ventured out to pacify them. He and one of the chiefs sat on the ground and conferred a few moments and then Payne accompanied the chief into the midst of the natives. The conference lasted nearly half an hour, at the end of which time Payne returned to the tent and reported that he had pacified the natives on these conditions: they were to have every article belonging to the whites and the white men were willing to live with and be governed by the native chiefs and adopt their mode of living. This was not difficult for Payne to promise for he was an outlaw among civilized men and his return to civilization meant his death by hanging.
Looting the tent and its contents began at once. When the demolition of the tent began, an old man and his wife took hold of William Lay and after leading him a few rods from the tent, sat down, still retaining hold of his hands. He had frequently be- friended the old woman when others teased her and Lay though filled with apprehensions tried to solace himself with the thought that the act was prompted by gratitude.
Suddenly there rose the most terrifying whoops and yells among the natives. Then ensued a massacre quite as merciless and brutal as that on the Globe. Columbus Worth was run through with a spear by an old woman. Liliston and Joe Brown (the Sand- wich Islander) fell within six feet of Lay. Lay's protectors tried to conceal himi by laying down on top of him. He was discovered, however, and one of the natives tried to hit him with a handspike but his friends prevented it.
The massacre over Lay's protectors hurried him along towards the village and into their wigwam, which was soon surrounded by natives all talking at once. In the midst of the confusion, Lay was overjoyed to see several natives approaching the hut and in their midst was his bosom friend Cyrus M. Hussey. They two alone had survived the butchery.
The next morning the natives accompanied them to the scene of the massacre and gave them leave to bury their late comrades in the sand. The natives permitted each of them to take a blanket, some flour, bread, pork, shoes and several books, including a Bible.
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Early in April, Hussey and Lay were separated, the natives not wanting to see them together. In July they met again but only for an hour.
A little later Lay, at the urgent request of the natives, adopted their mode of dress. It was only a question of a brief time before he would have been reduced to it, but by making the change as he did he saved a pair of trousers and a shirt for special occasions.
It was not until November 23, 1825, that there was encour- agement that they would be able to return to Nantucket. On the morning of that day Lay was awakened by the shouting of the natives who said that a vessel had anchored at the head of the island. They planned to board her, a few at a time and when about two hundred had assembled, at a given signal they were to seize the crew and throw them overboard. They refused to allow Lay to accompany them at first, fearing that he would inform the crew of the killing of the mutineers, but he told them as it was a two- masted vessel it could not belong to his nation, so they allowed him to accompany them. A boat from the schooner landed about a hundred yards away, but night came on and she returned to the schooner. The natives observing that the whites were unafraid became alarmed themselves and carried Lay to a remote part of the island.
Early on the morning of the 29th a boat was discovered under sail, standing directly for where they were. The natives were alarmed and tried to plan some way to overcome the crew. Fearing the natives would again hide him, Lay offered to help them and in- duce the crew to come ashore and put themselves in such a position they could be overcome. This they finally assented to. He ad- vanced to the beach with about a hundred natives. Hailing the boat in English he told what the plan of the natives was and warned them not to land unless they were well armed. The officer of the boat said he would be among them directly, and they speedily landed, thirteen men and two officers. When within a rod of the natives Lay ran to the commanding officer, who proved to be Lieut. Hiram Pauling, and took him by the hand, and inquired if he was one of the Globe's crew, his name, etc.
They all returned to the boat. The natives kept their seats except the one Lay called father, who took hold of him to carry him back, but desisted on being confronted with a pistol. Lieut. Pauling informed Lay that the vessel was the United States Schooner Dolphin, Lieut. Com. John Percival sent purposely to res- cue the survivors. Lay informed the Lieutenant that the only ones living were Cyrus M. Hussey and himself, and that Hussey was held on a neighboring island. The boat and crew proceeded to the place where Hussey lived and found the natives had concealed him but after being threatened with punishment unless they produced him they gave him up and the two survivors were happily reunited
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on board the Dolphin and under the protection of the flag of their country. *
Captain Percival, taking Lay as an interpreter went ashore to see the chiefs on December 1 but evidently they were afraid for it was only after the Captain threatened to destroy every native he could find if they did not present themselves, that they appeared. Captain Percival explained to them how their acts were viewed by civilized nations and that a repetition would bring severe punish- ment. The natives who had protected the two Americans received gifts and the chiefs received three tomohawks, an axe, a bag of beads and some handkerchiefs. The Captain also left two hogs and two cats with instructions to allow them to multiply, and caused potatoes, corn, pumpkins and other valuable seeds to be planted, telling the natives how to care for them.
The schooner cruised among the islands until December 9 and then left for the Sandwich Islands, arriving at Woahoo on the 16th. They arrived in New York on the 21st of April, 1827, after a pas- sage of some five months. Their life among the natives covered a period of twenty-two months. ; .
THE OENO
One of the perils to which the early whalemen in the Pacific Ocean were subjected was that of being attacked and cut off by the savages inhabiting many of the groups of islands which the ves- sels sometimes visited in order to lay in a stock of fresh provisions, as well to prevent the inroads of scurvy as for reasons of econo- my. It sometimes happened that, in the absence of information re- garding the localities much of which was uncharted, a vessel would be wrecked on some of the islands or reefs. This was the case of the whaleship Oeno, a vessel of 328 tons, owned by Aaron Mitchell and commanded by Captain Samuel Riddell, which left Nantucket November 4, 1824 bound for the Pacific Ocean on a whaling voy-
*The original members of the crew were-Thomas Worth, Cap - tain; William Beetle, Mate; John Lumbard, 2d, Mate; Nathaniel Fish- er, 3d, Mate; Gilbert Smith and Samuel Comstock, Boatsteerers; Cyrus M. Hussey and Rowland Coffin, Coopers; Stephen Kidder, Peter C. Kidder, Columbus Worth, Rowland Jones, John Cleveland, Con- stant Lewis, Holden Henman, Jeremiah Ingham, Joseph Ignatius Prass, George Comstock and William Lay, seamen. Those who were shipped at Oahu were-Silas Payne, John Oliver, Anthony Hanson (a Sandwich Islander), William Humphries (a negro), and Thomas Lilister. #The Nantucket Inquirer of October 28, 1826, published fol- lowing: "The subjoined letter is from Mr. Hogan, American Consul at Valparaiso:
Valparaiso, July 30, 1826.
Sir-It affords me great satisfaction to inform you that the U. S. Sch. Dolphin anchored here on the 23d inst. having on board two of the youths belonging to the Globe, left on Mulgrave Island, Wil- liam Lay and Cyrus M. Hussey, both grown up fine young men, very much liked by their officers. All the rest were killed by the natives, of which no doubt Lt. Commandant Percival has advised; but as this vesse, goes direct to Stonington, I conceive it my duty to trouble you with this communication for the information of all concerned.
Wm. Coffin Esq. Pres. U. M. Ins. Co. Nantucket. Yours &c Michael Hogan,
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age. She sailed for the Bay of Islands via the Cape of Good Hope. The report of her there was the last that was heard of her for nearly six years, and she was added to the list of the vanished fleet. In 1830 Mr. Mitchell received a letter from William S. Cary, who was one of the crew, informing him that the vessel had been wrecked on Turtle Island and all the crew saving himself had been murdered by the savages, and he was then living among the na- tives .* The story of the massacre was written by Cary after his re- turn.
The ship arrived at the Bay of Islands March 20, 1825. Two of the crew, Henry Gordon and James Furse, deserted there and two English sailors and a native boy were shipped in their stead. On April 13, they passed Pylstaat's Island, one of the Friendly group. At sundown the Captain gave the order to shorten sail and before going below he gave particular orders to the officers of the watches to keep a good lookout and if anything unusual was seen to call him at once.
Between 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning the man at the helm saw white water and spoke to the Second Mate, whose watch it was and who was sitting in the quarter boat, but that officer made no response. On seeing it again the helmsman became satisfied. that it was breakers and shouted lustily to the officer, who sprang to the deck, but before an alarm could be sounded, the ship struck on a coral reef. All hands were immediately called and the top- sail at once clewed down, but before that was completed the waves were making a clean breach over the ship and it was very difficult to get about on the decks. It was obvious that the ship was doomed.
Mr. Drew, the Second Mate, the officer whose watch it was, started at once to clear away his boat preparatory to leaving the. ship. Captain Riddle advised him to wait until morning, but to no purpose and he at once got clear with his boat's crew, without accident, and got inside the reef in still water. In the morning the other two boats got away, not without some peril, for the Mate's boat was capsized and Barzillai Swain, a lad, had his arm broken by a cask just before leaving.
Land was in sight about nine miles off and they found it to be an island inclosed by a reef. They skirted the barrier until they. came to an opening through which they passed. As they neared the shore a man came down to the beach who beckoned in a friendly manner to them. He motioned to them to row along the beach and they did so until they came to a landing place. On the shore they
*The names of the crew as given in the Nantucket Inquirer of Sept. 27, 1828, were: Samuel S. Riddle, Captain; William H. Shaw, 1st Mate; John T. Drew, 2d Mate; William S. Cary, Joseph Worth, and John Williams, Boatsteerers; all of Nantucket; Barzillai Swain, Charles G. Cash, William Friend all of Nantucket, Joel Knox, Henry Gordon, James Furse, Jacob Taylor all of unknown residence, Ar- chelaus Newton, Abraham Freeman, William Potter, . Jesse Elliot, Charles Richardson, Laban Cadude, Abraham Smith, all blacks, and Henry Attvoi, a Sandwich Islander all ordinary seamen.
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saw several natives sitting in the grass and apparently making hostile demonstrations. The Captain was opposed to landing and proposed that the boats make the best of their way to Wallis' Is- land, where they stood a chance of meeting a whaler. Mr. Shaw argued that the natives showed no signs of hostility, that articles they carried which, were thought to be clubs and spears were only sugar cane which the natives had brought down for them. He thought the boats could land and they could refit and when the weather moderated they could get what they needed from the ship and then go where they pleasd.
To reassure them, apparently, the natives sent out one of the oldest of their number in a small canoe, but there was no one to talk with him, not even the New Zealand lad. The castaways, however, presuming he came to invite them to go ashore, did so. As the boat touched the shore, Captain Riddell jumped out, ad- vanced to the natives and extended his hand. They paid no at- tention to his friendly overtures, but all rose and made for the boats. Captain Riddell told his men to let them take anything they wanted. He had previously thrown overboard everything which might excite their cupidity for fear they might quarrel for the plunder and imperil the lives of the crew. The natives helped to haul the boats up on the beach and gave them such food as they had. Captain Riddell took out his watch and held it up to the ear of a native who was astonished and frightened by it. He then opened the watch and explained about it as well as he could by signs, and concluded by giving it to one of the chiefs who was highly pleased to receive it.
The chief then said something to one of the natives who started for the town making signs for the Americans to follow him. This they did and after a walk of about a mile arrived at the na- tive town, a settlement of about twenty houses. Two of them were nicely prepared with mats, one for the use of the officers, the other for the crew. The population comprised only about twenty-five, some fifteen men and boys, the rest females. Their houses were built by setting posts in the ground, about six feet exposed, and connected with rafters. The roofs were heavily thatched with long grass and the sides and ends were covered with reeds bound on with fibres from cocoa-nut husks.' Their hosts soon prepared a meal for them after their own customs. The island produced co- coanuts, bananas and breadfruit and the waters fish, in abundance but no water save what fell as rain .*
The natives spent the evening with them, as Mr. Cary says- "evidently employing all their arts and powers of pleasing to rec- oncile us to our condition." When the natives had gone they laid
*The scene of their landing and friendly reception was Turtle Island, one of the Feejee group. It was about two miles long, one and a half wide and surrounded by coral reefs. The ground was broken and rocky but fertile and well-wooded.
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down on the mats and slept intermittently until daylight, when all were summoned to go to the wreck for clothing, provisions etc. As early as they were the natives had arrived there ahead of them. Captain Riddell hoped to secure the firearms but the natives already had got them and had filled their canoes with whatever they wanted. The plunder the natives obtained they carried ashore and buried. The Oeno's boats brought some clothes, bread, salt pro- visions and liquors, but of all their chests but one was left. Other visits were made and a few more articles secured.
Nothing occurred to disturb their comfort for ten or eleven days. Captain Riddell thought that after the moon had fulled they would have better weather and he purposed then to start for the Friendly Islands. An extra streak was to be added to the boats to make them more seaworthy. On the morning when they ex- pected to begin their work, they were greatly alarmed to see a fleet of about twenty canoes approaching the island, the occupants mak- ing hostile demonstrations.
Captain Riddell went down to the beach to meet the new comers. The chief and Captain Riddell walked up together and the others, numbering about eighty, followed in single file. They were a fierce looking company, being hideously painted and all armed with clubs and spears. They were large m'en, "many of them," says Mr. Cary, "fully six feet tall."* They seemed, however, so friendly that day and the next that the alarm of the castaways was allayed. The second day, they were very particular to ascertain how many of the wrecked men there were. The next day there was a marked change for the worse. The new comers became more offensive, evidently intending to provoke hostilities. They stole whatever they could lay hands on. "Captain Riddell," says Cary, "took every opportunity to advise us not to use force and let them take everything they wanted, and gave his advice for our good as well as his own, as we were without arms and wholly at the mercy of the savages. Well would it have been for the crew had they heeded the advice of our worthy Captain. i
The following day saw still more hostile demonstrations. Cary expressed his belief that the savages would attack them at night. Others of the crew were of the same opinion; others laughed at the suggestion; the officers were confident the time for an attack was near at hand. The night passed, however, without the ex- pected outbreak. Cary did not sleep in the house but went into the woods and slept in a cave. One of the original islanders brought six or seven spears to the house and threw them into the house evidently desiring the crew to have some means of defence ..
Soon after there was great shouting in the valley below. The Captain hurried out of the house in alarm, the others following. All but Cary took the path leading to the town. He took a by-path
*Page 12.
+Page 13. The Inquirer & Mirror office has recently reprinted Cary's story and this story is condensed from that.
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that led across the island. He hurried along seeking some place for concealment. He finally found a cave and stowed himself in a crevice scarcely daring to breathe. In the morning he crawled out and tried to ascertain the fate of his companions. He finally ventured along the beach until he came to the landing. The boat was there and evidently there had been a severe struggle. Scoop- ing away some of the sand he found two bodies of his associates. He found 'a few raisins in the boat and those and a cocoanut were all he had eaten for two days. On the third day he ventured down to the shore again. He saw some women fishing near the reef, who on seeing him immediately started for the town. Cary returned to his cave, but hearing voices he ventured to look out and found two men searching for him. So intense had his suffering become that he thought it as well to be butchered at once as to starve to death. They proved to be of the party they first encountered after the wreck and treated him kindly. Cary followed them home where they supplied him with food and at dark the older man, who was a chief and with whom Cary had previously been on very good terms, led him to a small hut in the woods where they spent the night. The next morning they went back to the town to get breakfast. While there about twenty of the marauding party came in. They made signs inquiring if there were any axes or tools on the ship. Cary signified he thought there were. Leaving him in care of the old chief's wife they started for the ship. Presently an- other gang came to the house. The woman signified to Cary to con- ceal himself behind her which he did and the party went away.
Late in the afternoon the natives who went to the ship re- turned from an unsuccessful search. They assembled all their party in the lower town and sent one of their men for Cary who was compelled to accompany him. On arriving where the party was Cary was horrified to see them all painted and armed as when he first saw them. They seated him on the ground and stood in a' circle around him. The friendly old chief sat apart from the crowd. After about an hour of consultation the crowd all left and went to their canoes. The old chief then made Cary to understand that he was his son.
About a week later two large canoes were seen approaching the island. The natives were much alarmed and collecting what they got from the ship they buried it in the woods. Seeing that Cary also was frightened they told him the canoes were from Lah- cameber and were friendly to white men and not like the previous visitors. When they came up to the town one of them seized Cary by an arm and directly after another came and took him by the · other arm. The latter was from the Friendly Islands. Both were chiefs and after some disputing as to who had the best right to Cary the Friendly Islander relinguished his claim and to Cary's surprise addressed him, in English, bidding him good morning to which he replied. His new master, whose brother was the head
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chief of Lahcameber, then took Cary under his protection. The Friendly Islander inquired about' the wreck and Cary informed him what ship it was and that all the crew excepting himself had been massacred by men from Ono. He asked if any of the islanders had any plunder from the wreck, especially muskets, to which Cary replied that they had secreted their plunder on seeing the canoes.
The next day the new comers forced the islanders to give up all they had taken from the wreck after which they departed, taking Cary with them. "On the return they stopped several days at Ono collecting tribute. They then' proceeded to Lahcameber, where they were received with much ceremony. At the grand festivities which occurred at this time games were participated in by the visitors from' the Friendly and Navigators islands.
Later they went to Ambow* to attend the great feast to whichi they had been invited. On the way they stopped at an island called Motosick. Soon after their arriving there they saw a canoe com- ing from Ambow, in which was a white man. In his story Cary sayst-"As they came alongside our canoe the white man reached out his hand and addressed me by name. I was dumb with aston- ishment. At last he said, "Don't you know David Whippey?" "Yes," I answered, "I formerly knew him. He was a townsman of mine and an old playmate." 'Well,' said he, 'I am that David Whippey.' "±
Cary decided to remain at Ambow if possible so to be nearer in touch with the passing vessels. His master was loth to have him stay but did not attempt to force him to remain with him. At Ambow his stay of six or seven months was quite replete with adventure. From there he went to Raver. While at Raver word came to him that the white man's vessel had come. It proved to be a ship about three miles off the reef, but before they could get near her she was gone. This was the first ship he had seen for over two years.
In October, 1827, Cary succeeded in getting in touch with the second officer of the ship Clay, of Salem, Captain Benjamin Vanda- ford. They were on a trading voyage for sandal-wood and beche de mer. Whippey offered to assist him in trading and after a little hesitation the mate accepted the offer. Whippey and Cary went on board the ship. The latter told his story and engaged passage, to act as interpreter and assist in procuring a cargo. This was in October 1827. They cruised around among the islands until Feb-
*The islands are all of the Feejee group. left Nantucket
¡Inquirer & Mirror reprint.
Whippey
£ Nov. 10, 1818 in the ship Francis, Capt. Timothy Fitzgerald; left the Francis at Guayaquil. in July 1821; went to England in ship Sydney Packet; sailed from England in ship Prudent; left the Prudent at Valparaiso; went two voyages from Valparaiso in an English brig; got his discharge at ; Amboro.
#Whippey had been left by the Captain of the brig Calder thir- teen months before to collect turtle shell the Captain promising to return in a few months, but he had not come, and Whippey, who had become a particular favorite of the King did not care to leave.
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ruary 17, 1828, when Cary concluded to leave the ship. He wrote a few lines to the owner of the Oeno, informing him of the loss of the ship and the fate of the Captain and crew and gave the letter to Captain Vandaford, telling him he should remain at the islands until the Captain returned from Manilla, to which port he was bound. Several times Cary had joined with friendly natives in the battles with other tribes, the muskets usually proving an over- whelming advantage.
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