A Narrative of the Mutiny, on Board the Ship Globe, of Nantucket, in the Pacific Ocean Part 3

Early on the morning of the 20th, we were ordered to go to work upon the boat; but at the request of a number, this duty was dispensed with, and we permitted to stroll about the Island. A number went to the village, carrying with them muskets, at the report of which and the effect produced by the b.a.l.l.s, the natives were struck with wonder and astonishment. The reader will no doubt agree with us when we p.r.o.nounce this to have been a bad policy, for they certainly disliked to have visitors possessed of such formidable and destructive weapons.

They however continued to visit the tent without discovering any hostile intentions, and we continued to put the utmost confidence in them, or more properly speaking to live without any fear of them.

I (William Lay,) left the tent on a visit to the village, where I was received with the same kindness as before.--An old man between 50 and 60 years of age, pressed me to go to his house and tarry during the night, which I did.--The natives continued in and around the tent until a late hour, gratifying their curiosity by a sight of me. I was provided with some mats to sleep upon, but the rats, with which the Island abounds, prevented my enjoying much sleep.

At 10 o'clock I took my leave of them, with the exception of a number, who accompanied me to the tent.

Silas Payne and John Oliver, together with two or three others, set out in one of the boats, for the purpose of exploring the Island, and making new discoveries, leaving the rest of us to guard the tent. They were absent but one night, when they returned, bringing with them two young women, whom Payne and Oliver took as their wives. The women apparently showing no dissatisfaction, but on the contrary appeared much diverted. Payne now put such confidence in the natives, that he dispensed with having a watch kept during the night, and slept as secure as though he had been in his native country.

Payne, on awaking near morning, found the woman that he had brought to live with him was missing. After searching the tent, and finding nothing of her, concluded she had fled. He accordingly armed himself, together with John Oliver and Thomas Lilliston, (with muskets,) and set out for the nearest village, for the purpose of searching her out.

They arrived at the village before it was light, and secreted themselves near an Indian hut, where they awaited the approach of day, in hopes of seeing her. Accordingly at the approach of day-light, they discovered the hut literally thronged with natives, and among the number, they discovered the woman they were in search of. At this moment one of them fired a blank cartridge over their heads, and then presented themselves to their view, which frightened the natives in such a manner that they left the hut and fled. Payne then pursued after, firing over their heads till he caught the one he wanted, and then left the village for his own tent.--On arriving at the tent, he took her, gave her a severe flogging and then put her in irons, and carried on in this kind of style until he was by them killed, and called to render up his accounts to his offended Judge.

This severity on the part of Payne, irritated the natives, and was undoubtedly the cause of their committing depredations and theft, and finally murdering all our remaining crew, excepting myself and Hussey.

Early on the succeeding morning, it was discovered that the tool chest had been broken open, and a hatchet, chisel, and some other articles, purloined by the natives. Payne worked himself into a pa.s.sion, and said he would be revenged. During the day he informed a number of the natives of what had been done, (who signified much regret at the circ.u.mstance,) and vowing vengeance if the articles were not returned.

During this day the natives frequented the tent more than they had ever done before; and at night one of them came running with _one half_ of the chisel which had been stolen, it having been broken in two.

Payne told them it was but half of what he required, and put the Indian in irons, signifying to him, that in the morning he must go with him to the village, and produce the rest of the articles, and also point out the persons engaged in breaking open the chest. The poor native seemed much chagrined at his confinement; yet his companions who remained near the tent during the night, manifested no dissatisfaction, which we could observe.

In the morning, Payne selected four men, viz: Rowland Coffin, Rowland Jones, Cyrus M. Hussey, and Thomas Lilliston, giving them each a musket, some powder and _fine shot_; declining to give them b.a.l.l.s, saying, the report of the muskets would be sufficient to intimidate them. The prisoner was placed in charge of these men, who had orders to go to the village, and recover the hatchet and bring back the person whom the prisoner might point out as the thief.

They succeeded in getting the hatchet, but when about to return, the natives in a great body, attacked them with stones. Finding that they retreated, the natives pursued them, and having overtaken Rowland Jones, killed him upon the spot. The remainder, although bruised with the stones which these Islanders had thrown with great precision, arrived at the tent with the alarming intelligence of a difficulty;--while they followed in the rear armed for war!

No time was lost in arming ourselves, while the natives collected from all quarters, and at a short distance from the tent, seemed to hold a kind of council. After deliberating some time, they began to tear to pieces one of the boats.

These were of vital importance to our guilty commander, and he ventured to go to them for the purpose of pacifying them. One of the Chiefs sat down upon the ground with him, and after they had set a few moments, Payne accompanied the Chief into the midst of the natives.

After a conference with them which lasted nearly an hour, he returned to the tent, saying that he had pacified the natives upon the following conditions. They were to have every article belonging to us, even to the tent; and Payne had a.s.sured them of his willingness, and that of the others to live with, and be governed by them, and to adopt their mode of living! We have reason to doubt the sincerity of Payne in this respect, for what was to us a hope which we cherished with peculiar pleasure, must have been to him, a source of fearful antic.i.p.ation--we mean the probable safe arrival of the s.h.i.+p, in the U. S. which should result in our deliverance. Our situation at this time was truly alarming; and may we not with propriety say, distressing? Surrounded by a horde of savages, brandis.h.i.+ng their war clubs and javelins, our more than savage commanders, (Payne and Oliver) in anxious suspense as to the result of their negociations with them; no refuge from _either foe_, and what contributed not a little to our unhappiness, was a consciousness of being innocent of having in the least manner wilfully aided the destroyers of the lives of our officers, and the authors of our now, truly unhappy situation.

The natives now began to help themselves to whatever articles suited them, and when some of them began to pull the tent down, an old man and his wife took hold of me, and after conducting me a few rods from the tent, sat down, keeping fast hold of my hands. Under the most fearful apprehensions I endeavoured to get from them, but they insisted upon detaining me. I endeavoured to console myself with the idea, that grat.i.tude had prompted them to take care of me, as I had frequently taken the part of this old woman, when she had been teased by others; but alas! the reflection followed, that if this was the case, there was a probability that not only my bosom friend, was about to be sacrificed, but I should be left alone to drag out a weary existence, with beings, strangers to the endearing ties which bind the hearts of civilized man.

Whether Payne and his a.s.sociates offered any resistance to the course now pursued by the natives or not, I do not know. Suffice it to say, that all at once my ears were astounded with the most terrifying whoops and yells; when a ma.s.sacre commenced but little exceeded by the one perpetrated on board the Globe. Our men fled in all directions, but met a foe at every turn. Lilliston and Joe Brown (the Sandwich Islander,) fell within six feet of me, and as soon as down, the natives macerated their heads with large stones. The first whom I saw killed, was Columbus Worth. An old woman, apparently sixty years of age, ran him through with a spear, and finished him with stones!

My protectors, for now they were truly so, shut out the scene by laying down upon the top of me, to hide me from the view of the merciless foe! I was however discovered, and one of the natives attempted to get a blow at me with a handspike, which was prevented by them; when, after a few words, he hurried away.

As soon as the work of death had been completed, the old man took me by the hand and hurried me along towards the village. My feet were very much laccerated in pa.s.sing over the _causeways_ of sharp coral rock, but my conductor fearing we might be pursued, hurried me onward to the village, where we arrived about noon. In a few minutes the wigwam or hut of the old man, was surrounded, and all seeming to talk at once, and with great excitement, I antic.i.p.ated death every moment.

Believing myself the sole survivor, the reader must pardon any attempt to describe my feelings, when I saw a number of the natives approaching the hut, and in the midst, Cyrus M. Hussey, conducted with great apparent kindness.

Notwithstanding we had both been preserved much after the same manner, we could not divest ourselves of the apprehension, that we perhaps had been preserved, for a short time, to suffer some lingering death.

Our interview was only long enough to satisfy each other that we alone survived the ma.s.sacre, when we were separated; Hussey being taken away, and it seemed quite uncertain, even if our lives were spared, whether we ever saw each other again.

CHAPTER IV.

On the following day, however, accompanied by natives, we met at the scene of destruction, and truly it was an appalling one to us. The mangled corpses of our companions, rendered more ghastly from the numerous wounds they had received, the provisions, clothing, &c.

scattered about the ground, the hideous yells of exultation uttered by the natives, all conspired to render our situation superlatively miserable.

We asked, and obtained leave from our masters, to bury the bodies which lay scattered about. We dug some graves in the sand, and after finis.h.i.+ng this melancholy duty, were directed to launch the canoes, preparatory to our departure, (for we had come in canoes) when we begged permission, which was readily granted, to take some flour, bread and pork, and our respective masters a.s.sisted us in getting a small quant.i.ty of these articles into the largest canoe. We also took a blanket each, some shoes, a number of books, including a bible, and soon arrived at the landing place near the village. As the natives seemed desirous of keeping us apart, we dare not make any inquiries for each other, but at my request, having boiled some pork in a large sh.e.l.l, Hussey was sent for, and we had a meal together; during which time, the natives a.s.sembled in great numbers, all anxious to get a sight, not only of our _novel mode of cutting the meat and eating it_, but of the manner in which we prepared it. One of them brought us some water in a tin cup, as they had seen us drink frequently when eating.

The natives now began to arrive from distant parts of the islands, many of whom had not yet heard of us, and we were continually subjected to the examination of men, women and children. The _singular colour_ of our skin, was the greatest source of their admiration, and we were frequently importuned to adopt their dress.

On the 28th Feb. early in the morning the whole village appeared to be in motion. All the adults commenced _ornamenting_ themselves, which to me appeared to render them _hideous_. After greasing themselves with cocoanut oil, and hanging about them numerous strings of beads, they set off, taking us with them, to a flat piece of ground, about half a mile distant, where we found collected a great number, and all ornamented in the same fantastic manner.--Knowing that many of the natives inhabiting Islands in the Pacific Ocean, are cannibals, we were not without our fears that we had been preserved to grace a feast! Our apprehensions, however, were dissipated, when we saw them commence a dance, of which we will endeavour to give the reader some idea. The only musical instrument we saw, was a rude kind of drum; and the choristers were all females, say twenty or thirty, each having one of these drums. The music commenced with the women, who began upon a very low key, gradually raising the notes, while the natives accompanied them with the most uncouth gesticulations and grimaces.

The precision with which about three hundred of these people, all dancing at a time, regulated their movements, was truly astonis.h.i.+ng; while the yelling of the whole body, each trying to exceed the other, rendered the scene to us, not only novel, but terrifick.

The dance ended near night, and those natives who lived in a distant part of the Island, after gratifying their curiosity by gazing upon us, and even _feeling of our skins_, took their departure.

After our return to the village, we cooked some meat upon the coals, and with some bread, made a hearty meal. One source of regret to us, was, that the natives began to like our bread, which heretofore they had scarcely dared to taste; and particularly the woman whom I called mistress, ate, to use a sea phrase, her _full allowance_.

The natives expressed great dislike at our conversing together, and prohibited our reading, as much as possible. We never could make them comprehend that the book conveyed ideas to us, expressed in our own language.

Whether from a fear that we might concert some plan of escape, or that we might be the means of doing them some injury while together, we know not;--but about the first of April, we discovered that we were about to be separated! The reader may form some idea of our feelings when we were informed that Hussey was to be taken by his master and family, to a distant part of the Island! Not having as yet become sufficiently acquainted with their language, we were unable to comprehend the distance from our present location.

It now becomes expedient to present the reader with our _separate accounts_, in which we hope to be able to convey an idea of the manners and customs of these people. We had experienced in a very short time so many vicissitudes, and pa.s.sed through so many scenes of distress, that no opportunity was afforded to keep a journal, and notwithstanding we had even lost the day of the week and month, yet with such force, were the princ.i.p.al incidents which occurred during our exile, impressed upon our minds, that we can with confidence proceed with our narrative, and will commence the next chapter with an account of the adventures of _William Lay_.

CHAPTER V.

Early in the morning of the day on which Hussey left me, preparations were made for his embarkation with his _new_ master and family. We were allowed a short interview, and after taking an affectionate leave of each other, we parted with heavy hearts. The tender ties which bound me to my companion in misfortune, seemed now about to be forever broken asunder. No features to gaze upon, but those of my savage masters, and no one with whom I could hold converse, my heart seemed bursting with grief at my lonely situation.--On the departure of my companion, the "star of hope" which had often gleamed brightly mid the night of our miseries, seemed now about to set forever! After watching the canoe which bore him from me, until she was hid from my view in the distance, I returned to the hut with my master, and as I had eaten but little during the day, the calls of nature induced me to broil my last morsel of meat, with which, and some bread, I made a tolerable supper. The natives began to be very fond of the bread, and eat of it as long as it lasted, which unfortunately for me, was but a short time.

I informed my master that I should like to have some more of the meat from the place where the s.h.i.+p had lain. On the following morning, my master, mistress, and four or five others embarked in a canoe, to a.s.sist me in procuring some provisions. Observing that they carried with them a number of clubs, and each a spear, I was apprehensive of some design upon my own person; but happily, was soon relieved, by seeing them wade round a shoal of fish, and after having frightened them into shoal water, kill a number with their spears. We then proceeded on, and when we arrived at the _tent_, they cooked them after the following manner. A large fire was kindled, and after the wood was burned to coals, the fish were thrown on, and s.n.a.t.c.hed and eaten as fast as cooked; although they were kind enough to preserve a share for me, yet the scene around me, prevented my enjoying with them, their meal. The tent which had been torn down, had contained about forty barrels of beef and pork, two hogsheads of mola.s.ses, barrels of pickles, all the clothing and stores belonging to the s.h.i.+p, in short, every thing valuable, such as charts, nautical instruments, &c. &c. The latter had been broken and destroyed, to make ornaments, while the beef, pork, mola.s.ses and small stores lay scattered promiscuously around. They appeared to set no value upon the clothing, except to tear and destroy it. The pieces of beef and pork, from the barrels, (which had been all stove,) were scattered in every direction, and putrifying in the sun. After putting into the canoe some pork and a few articles of clothing, we commenced our return;--but a strong head wind blowing, we had considerable difficulty in getting back.

For some considerable time, nothing material occurred, and I led as monotonous and lonely a life, as could well be imagined. It is true, I was surrounded by fellow beings; and had all hope of ever seeing my country and friends again, been blasted, it is probable I might have become _more_ reconciled to my condition, but I very much doubt if ever perfectly so, as long as reason and reflection held their empire over my mind. My books having been destroyed from a superst.i.tious notion of their possessing some supernatural power, I was left to brood over my situation unpitied and alone.

Sometime in July, as I judged, _Luckiair_, son-in-law to my master, _Ludjuan_, came from a distant part of the groupe, on a visit, and during the week he remained with us, we became much attached to each other. When he told me, that on his return he should pa.s.s near the place where Hussey lived, my anxiety to accompany him thus far, was so great, that after much persuasion, _Ludjuan_ gave his consent for me to go. On our way we stopped at the tent, and I procured for the last time, a small quant.i.ty of the _s.h.i.+p's provisions_, although the meat was some of it in a very decayed state.

In consequence of head winds, we were compelled to stop for the night upon a small Island, where we found an uninhabited hut; and after cooking some meat, and baking some wet flour (for it was no other) in the ashes, we took our mats into the hut, and remained until next day.

The wind continuing to blow fresh ahead, we gathered some green bread fruit, and cooked some meat, in the same manner as they cook the largest of their fish, which is this.--A hole is dug in the ground, and after it has been filled with wood, it is set on fire, and then covered with stones. As the wood burns away, the heated stones fall to the bottom, which, when the fire is out, are covered with a thick layer of green leaves, and then the meat or fish is placed upon these leaves, and covered again in a careful and ingenious manner, and the whole covered with earth. This preserves the juices of the fish, and in this way do they cook most of their fish, with _hot stones_.

In the afternoon the weather proving more favourable, we left our encampment, and at sun down arrived at a place called Tuckawoa; at which place we were treated with the greatest hospitality. When we were about to leave, we were presented with bread fruit and cocoanuts in great abundance. As we approached the place of Hussey's residence, I discovered him standing on the beach. Our joy at meeting, I will not attempt to describe.--We had a short time, however, allowed us, in which to relate our adventures, and condole with each other; for in _an hour_ we were once more separated; and we pursued our course for the residence of Luck-i-a-ir. After encamping another night upon the beach, we at length arrived at the house of my conductor, which was at a place called _Dillybun_. His family consisted of his wife and one child, whom we found busily engaged in making a fis.h.i.+ng net. When near night _Luckiair_ and myself went out and gathered some breadfruit, and after making a hearty meal, slept soundly upon our mats until morning.

A little before noon on the following day, two natives with their wives, arrived from Luj-no-ne-wort, the place where Hussey lived, and brought me some flour, and a piece of meat. The natives would eat of the bread, but would not taste of the meat. I remained here about a week, when _Ludjuan_ came for me. Nothing occurred of note, during our pa.s.sage back to _Milly_, (the place of my residence,) where I was welcomed by the natives with every demonstration of joy. I was sent for by one of the chiefs, who asked many questions, and as a mark of his friends.h.i.+p for me, when I was about to return, presented me with a kind of food called _cha-kak-a_. My present consisted of a piece about two feet long and six inches in diameter. It is made of a kind of fruit common among these Islands, and called by the inhabitants, _bup_. The fruit is sc.r.a.ped very fine, and then laid in the sun until perfectly dry. Some of the leaves of the tree bearing the fruit, are then wrapped round a piece of wood, which is the _mould or former_, and when securely tied with strings, the former is withdrawn, and into this cylinder of leaves is put the _bup_, which is of a sweet and pleasant taste.

At the urgent request of the natives, I now adopted their dress.

Having but one pair of trowsers and a s.h.i.+rt left, I laid them by for bad weather, and put on the costume of a Mulgrave Islander. This dress, if it may be so called, consists in a broad belt fastened round the waist, from which is suspended two broad ta.s.sels. The belt is made from the leaves of the _bup tree_, and very ingeniously braided, to which is attached the ta.s.sels, which are made of a coa.r.s.er material, being the bark of a small vine, in their language called _aht-aht_.

When the dress is worn, one of the ta.s.sels hangs before and the other behind. The sun, as I expected, burned my skin very much; which the natives could not account for, as nothing of the kind ever happened among themselves.

One day there was seen approaching a number of canoes, which we found were loaded with fish for the chiefs, and to my great joy, Hussey was one of the pa.s.sengers. My master accompanied me to see him; and we antic.i.p.ated at least a mental feast in each other's society. But of this enjoyment we were deprived by the natives, who were always uneasy when we were conversing together.

I learned, however, from Hussey, that the natives had been kind to him; but before we had an opportunity to communicate to each other our hopes and fears, he was hurried away. Having now gained considerable knowledge of their language, I learned that they were afraid that if we were permitted to hold converse, we should be the means of provoking the _Supreme G.o.d_, _Anit_, to do them some injury.

The bread fruit beginning to ripen, we were all employed in gathering it; and I will endeavour to give the reader an idea of the process of preserving it. After the fruit was gathered, the outside rind was sc.r.a.ped off, and the seeds taken out; which are in size and appearance like a chesnut. The fruit is then put into a net, the meshes of which are quite small, taken into the salt water, and then beat with a club to pummice. It is then put into baskets made of cocoanut leaves, and in about two days becomes like a rotten apple; after which the _cores_ are taken out, and the remainder after undergoing a process of kneading, is put into a hole in the ground, the bottom and sides of which are neatly inlaid with leaves, and left about two days; when it again undergoes the same process of kneading, and so on, until it becomes perfectly dry.--This occupied us a number of days; and when we were engaged in gathering another, and a larger kind, a small boy came running towards us, and exclaimed, "_Uroit a-ro rayta mony la Wirrum_," that is, the chiefs are going to kill William. Ludjuan seeing that I understood what the boy said, he said "reab-reab!" it is false. From the pains taken by the natives to keep Hussey and myself apart, it was evident that they were in some measure afraid of us; but from what cause I had yet to learn. After pa.s.sing a sleepless night, we again in the morning pursued our labors, but I was continually agitated by fearful apprehensions. About midnight I overheard some of the natives in the tent talking about me, and I was now convinced that some injury was contemplated. I then asked them what I was to be killed for. They seemed surprised when I told them I had been listening; yet they denied that I was to be killed, and one of them who had frequently manifested for me much friends.h.i.+p, came to my mat, and lay down with me, a.s.suring me I should not be injured.

The harvest being ended, a feast was had, and the chiefs were presented with considerable quant.i.ties of this fruit, after it had been prepared and baked, which in taste resembled a sweet potatoe, sending presents of it in all directions about the Island.