A Narrative of the Shipwreck, Captivity and Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute Part 3

Their mode of salutation is, to clasp each other in their arms, and touch their noses together, as is practised in many other islands.

We found no musical instruments of any kind among them. They sometimes, on particular occasions, would sing or bawl out something like a rude tune; but we could not understand it. We frequently tried to teach them to whistle, and their awkward attempts to do it amused us; but they never were able to learn how it was done.

In their names, I could not find that they had any thing like a family name, but only a single one, (corresponding to our christian names,) as is the case, I believe, throughout the islands of the Pacific. I could not learn, that the names were significant either of animals or other objects, as the Indian names of America are, and I never found any two persons of the same name. The names of the members of the family with which I lived were as follows:--

Pahrahboo'ah, the father of the family.

Nah'kit, the mother.

Buhwur'timar, the eldest child, a son, ten or twelve years old.

Kobaw'ut, the second, a daughter.

Kobahnoo'uk, the third, a daughter.

Wah'rebo, the fourth, a son.

The children do not address their parents by any word corresponding to father or mother, papa or mamma, but by their names. Their parents treat them on the footing of equality; they are generally well behaved, and are never punished, except occasionally when impatient for their food.

Their language appears to be different from those of the other islands in that quarter; we found that the three natives of the Pelew islands, that accompanied us, could not understand any thing they said; though I observed afterwards, occasionally, a resemblance in two or three words.

The reader will, however, be enabled to judge for himself, by means of a short vocabulary of common words which will be found at the end of this narrative. I may add, that the Pelew chiefs had never heard of Lord North's island; but they are acquainted with the _Caroline_ islands.

A detail of all that befell us would serve only to give pain to the benevolent, or at most to show how much human beings can endure. I shall attempt but little more than to describe the sufferings of a day; observing once for all, that for the term of two long years we experienced the same privations, and were subjected to the same brutal treatment; life, during all that time, being no better than the constant succession of the most acute sufferings.

This island, unlike the Pelews, is one of the most horrible and wretched on the face of the globe. The only product of its soil worth mentioning is the cocoa-tree; and those are of so dwarfish and miserable a growth as to bear but very few nuts. These few, however, const.i.tute the food of the inhabitants, with the exception of a species of fish caught occasionally near the sh.o.r.e. The only animals or creeping things known on the island are lizards and mice, and, during our stay there, scarcely a solitary sea-fowl was known to have alighted on the island, and but few fish were taken by the natives.

The character of the inhabitants much resembles that of the island itself. Cowardly and servile, yet most barbarous and cruel, they combine, in their habits, tempers, and dispositions, the most disgusting and loathsome features that disgrace humanity. And, what may be regarded as remarkable, the female portion of the inhabitants outstrip the men in cruelty and savage depravity; so much so, that we were frequently indebted to the tender mercies of the men for escapes from death at the hands of the women. The indolence of the natives, which not even the fear of starvation itself can rouse to exertion, prevents their undertaking the least toil, although a little labor, well applied, might be made to render them infinitely more comfortable.[5]

Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that, notwithstanding they are in this miserable condition, with no prospect of its ever being improved, they are of the opinion that they are highly favored. This can be accounted for in no other way than by the fact, that they are entirely ignorant of all that lies beyond the narrow limits of their observation. They know nothing of any other portion of the globe, than the mere speck of barren land upon which by some accident they were thrown, and where they remain, to drag out a wretched existence. Their traditions do not extend further back than to about a hundred years; and, to their simple minds, it seems like a splendid effort of mind to be able to relate, with tolerable accuracy, the time-hallowed stories told them by their parents. Whether they could in any way be improved by instruction, is a question which it would be difficult to answer. They seem to be doomed to remain, as one of the last links in the chain that connects our race with the mere animal part of the creation.

FOOTNOTES:

[4] They occasionally wore a kind of broad hat, called by them _shappo_, and sometimes _shambararo_; which are evidently derived from the Portuguese _chapeo_ (or possibly the French _chapeau_) and the Spanish _sombrero_.--_Edit._

[5] Some of these remarks are taken from the New York Sun of May 30, 1835; for which paper the substance of them was furnished by Mr. Nute and myself.

CHAPTER VIII.

A s.h.i.+p discovered at a small distance from the island.--The natives prepare to go on board of her.--Captain Barnard and Bartlet Rollins, after being severely beaten, are allowed to go with the natives in their canoes, and thus effect their escape; the rest of the Mentor's people are still forcibly detained on the island.--Their hopes of being taken on board of the same s.h.i.+p are suddenly blasted.--Their despondency on that disappointment.--Return of the natives from the s.h.i.+p; their rage, and quarrels about the division of the articles procured on board of her.--They threaten to wreak their vengeance on the Mentor's people that remained with them.--Their cruel treatment of them.--A storm destroys the cocoa-nut trees and causes a scarcity of food.

We were captured and taken to the island December 6, 1832; and on the third day of February, 1833, two months wanting three days, captain Barnard and Bartlet Rollins effected their escape. Compared with the remainder of our captivity, our privations and sufferings up to that time were less severe. But at no time did we have sufficient food to satisfy the cravings of hunger! The very crumbs that fall from an ordinary table would have been to us a luxury; the swine of America are better fed than we were, on the most fortunate day of our residence upon that island.

It was on the day above mentioned that a s.h.i.+p was discovered a short distance from the island, and the natives immediately collected, and prepared to go to it, in order to obtain iron, or some other articles of value. Hope once more visited us. To escape was, of course, our strong desire and intention. Accordingly, when the canoes put off we attempted to go. Our savage masters interposed their authority, and by menaces and blows prevented us. Many of us were severely beaten, and all but two were detained by the brutal force of the savages. At length captain Barnard and Rollins, after being severely beaten, were allowed to accompany the natives to the s.h.i.+p, and succeeded in effecting their escape. Trusting to the humanity of the captain and crew, we for some time confidently expected, that they would contrive some way of enabling us to join them. They were in sight about three hours; at one time they were so near that we could distinctly see the hands on board; but judge of our feelings when we saw the vessel pursuing her course! Our expectations were all blasted in a moment, and our minds, which had been gladdened by the hope of once more enjoying the society of civilized beings, of once more reaching the sh.o.r.es of our beloved country, sunk back into a state of despair; we wept like children.

The natives, when they returned from the vessel, brought with them a small quant.i.ty of iron hoops, and a few articles of some little value, but they were highly dissatisfied with the amount received, and greatly enraged. The division of the property caused much difficulty, and they quarrelled about it for several days. Those of us who remained, though innocent, were the greatest sufferers. They held us accountable for the conduct of those who had left, and vented the malignity of their unfeeling hearts upon us. We were given to understand, that now our doom was fixed; that we should remain with them, and die the victims of our tormentors! Alas! it was but too true, that such was to be the fate of all but two of our number! We were destined to see one after another of our fellow-sufferers sink under the constantly increasing severity of the burdens imposed upon them, and perish either from actual starvation, or by the blows of the savages.

After the departure of the captain and Rollins, we were treated with much greater severity than we had been before. Generally we were aroused from our broken slumbers about sunrise, and compelled to go to work; we were usually employed in cultivating a species of vegetable somewhat resembling the yam, and called by them "_kore_." This root is raised in beds of mud, which are prepared by digging out the sand, and filling the place with mould. The whole of this labor was performed with the hands.

We were compelled day after day to stand in the mud from morning till night, and to turn up the mud with our hands. Frequently we were required to do this without receiving a morsel of food till about noon, and sometimes we were left without any thing to eat till night. At best we could get no more than a small piece of cocoa-nut, hardly a common sized mouthful, at a time, and if, either from exhaustion or any other cause, we neglected to perform the required amount of labor, our pittance of food was withheld altogether.

From this plain and unexaggerated account it will be seen, that our condition at best was bad enough; but a misfortune befell us which rendered it still worse. About four months from the time of our landing on that dreary spot, there was a violent storm, which came very near sweeping away the whole of the means of support which remained for the miserable inhabitants. The wind blew down many of the best cocoa trees, and materially injured the fruit on such as were left standing. Besides this, the low places in which they raised the root, by them called "_korei_," were mostly filled with sand, and famine stared us all in the face.

They attributed this misfortune to the anger of their G.o.d, and did not fail to use such means as they thought best calculated to appease him; and the calamity greatly added to our sufferings. Besides subjecting us to still more severe deprivations, we were compelled (though hardly able to drag our limbs from place to place) to labor in repairing the damage done by the storm. We were employed for months in carrying in our arms and on our shoulders pieces of the coral rock, in order to form a sort of seawall to prevent the waves from was.h.i.+ng away the trees; and this drudgery, considering that we were naked, under a burning sun, and reduced to nothing but skin and bones, was too severe to admit of any thing like an adequate description. Our flesh, or, to speak more properly, our skin--for flesh we had none--was frequently so torn by the sharp corners of the rock, and scorched by the sun, as to resemble more that of the rhinoceros than of human beings.

CHAPTER IX.

The natives compel the Mentor's people to be tattooed.--Description of that painful operation.--They also oblige them to pluck their beards, &c.--Another vessel pa.s.ses by the island; and, afterwards, a third comes in sight and remains for three days; the Mentor's people are closely guarded at these times.--The melancholy fate of William Sedon; and the barbarous murder of Peter Andrews.--Attack on H. Holden, who is protected by one of the natives, and escapes.--B. Nute and others are protected by the female natives from the fury of the men.--Death of one of the Pelew chiefs.--Another of the Pelew people is detected in stealing, and is punished in their manner.--Death of Milton Hewlet and Charles C.

Bouket; leaving now only B. Nute, H. Holden, and the other Pelew chief, named _Kobak_, who all remained in a feeble and helpless condition.--Filthy practices of the natives.--Friends.h.i.+p of the surviving Pelew chief.

A new trial now awaited us. The barbarous beings among whom our lot had been cast, deemed it important that we should be _tattooed_, and we were compelled to submit to the distressing operation. We expostulated against it--we entreated--we begged to be spared this additional affliction; but our entreaties were of no use. Those savages were not to be moved, and we were compelled to submit; and that the reader may form some idea of the painful process, I will here give a brief account of it.

We were in the first place securely bound down to the ground, and there held fast by our tormentors. They then proceeded to draw with a sharp stick the figures designed to be imprinted on the skin. This done, the skin was thickly punctured with a little instrument made of sharpened fish bones, and somewhat resembling a carpenter's adz in miniature, but having teeth, instead of a smooth, sharp edge. This instrument was held within an inch or two of the flesh, and struck into it rapidly with a piece of wood, applied to it in such a manner as to cause it to rebound at every stroke. In this way our b.r.e.a.s.t.s and arms were prepared; and subsequently the ink, which was made of a vegetable found on the island called by them the "_savvan_," was applied. The operation caused such an inflammation of our bodies, that only a portion could be done at one time; and as soon as the inflammation abated another portion was done, as fast as we could bear it, till our bodies were covered. It was effectually done; for to this day the figures remain as distinct as they were when first imprinted, and the marks will be carried by us to the grave. They were exceedingly anxious to perform the operation upon our faces; but this we would not submit to, telling them that sooner than have it done we would die in resisting them. Among themselves, the oldest people had the greatest quant.i.ty of tattooing, and the younger cla.s.s less.

Besides the operation of _tattooing_, they compelled us to pluck the hair from different parts of the body, and to pluck our beards about every ten days, which was extremely painful; and at every successive operation the beard grew out harder and stiffer.

About seventeen days after the captain and Rollins left, we saw a vessel to the windward; but the natives did not attempt to visit it. Five months afterwards another came in sight, and remained for three days near the island. At one time we could distinctly see the men on board; but we were kept on sh.o.r.e and closely guarded. Several canoes visited the s.h.i.+p, and brought back a few pieces of iron, fish-hooks, gla.s.s bottles, &c. We tried, but in vain, to escape. It seemed to us, that we were doomed to remain on that dreary spot, to wear out our remaining strength in hopeless bondage, and to submit to the control of brutal masters, whose tender mercies were cruelties. Death, in any form, would have been a relief, and often did we see moments when it would have been welcomed as the best of friends! To some of our companions it did come, though dreadful in the manner, yet as a not unwelcome alternative.

About a year after we first arrived at the island, William Sedon became so reduced as to deprive us of all hopes of his recovery. He looked like a skeleton; and, at last, was so entirely exhausted by hunger, as to be unable to walk, or even to rise from the ground. He continued, however, to crawl from place to place, until all his remaining strength was nearly gone, when the inhuman monsters placed him in an old canoe, and sent him adrift on the ocean! Gladly would his unhappy s.h.i.+pmates have extended to him the last sad offices of friends.h.i.+p; that poor consolation was denied both him and us! My heart bleeds at the recollection of our separation and his melancholy fate--when we saw him anxiously turn his languid eyes towards those who were doomed still to linger on the borders of the grave! Our sighs were breathed almost in silence, and our tears were shed in vain!

It may be observed here, that it is not their custom to deposit the bodies of any of their dead in the earth, except very young children.

The bodies of grown people, after death, are laid in a canoe and committed to the ocean.

It was soon our lot to part with another of our companions, Peter Andrews. He was accused by the natives of some trifling offence, and put to death. The savages knocked him down with their clubs, and then despatched him in the most cruel and most shocking manner. I was at this time at a distance from the place where he was killed. My master was absent; and upon my hearing a noise in the direction of the place where the foul business was transacted, and suspecting that all was not right, I started to see what was going on. I was near the beach when I saw a number of the savages coming towards the spot where I stood, dragging along the lifeless and mangled body of our comrade! One of them approached me behind, and knocked me down with his club. The body of Andrews was thrown into the sea, and it seemed to be their determination to destroy the whole of us. I warded off the blows aimed at me as well as I could, and recovering myself, ran towards the hut of my master. He had not yet returned; but, fortunately, an old man, who had previously shown some regard for me, and who was the particular friend of my master, happened at that moment to be pa.s.sing; and seizing the man who had pursued me, held him fast. I escaped and ran into the hut, and crawled up through an aperture in the floor into the chamber under the roof. I seized an old box and covered up the hole through which I had ascended; but this was not sufficient to detain, for any great length of time, the wretches who were thirsting for my blood. They soon succeeded in displacing the box, and one of them seized me; but just as he was pulling me from my place of refuge, my master returned with several of his friends, and rescued me from the clutches of my enemies.

In the mean time Nute and the rest of our companions were at the "_Tahboo_," a place of public resort, where, for the only time, the females rendered our people any a.s.sistance. They concealed the men under some mats, and kept them there till the fury of the natives had in a measure subsided.

We were next called upon to part with one of the Pelew _chiefs_ who had come with us. He died of absolute starvation, and, according to custom, was committed to the waves in an old canoe. In a short time after this, the Pelew private (who had also come with us) was detected in the crime of taking a few cocoa-nuts without leave; for which offence he had his hands tied behind him, and was put into a canoe and sent adrift; which was their usual method of punishment for offences of different kinds.

About a year and seven months from the commencement of our captivity Milton Hewlet died, and, like the others, was, according to the custom of the natives, committed to the ocean. A short time afterwards Charles C. Bouket, having become so reduced by his sufferings as to be unable to help himself, was (horrible to relate!) placed in a canoe, while still alive, and committed to the mercy of the ocean. Thus did one after another of our companions sink under the weight of their sufferings, and perish without any alleviation of their wretchedness. Nute and myself, with our friend _Kobac_, the other Pelew chief, were all that remained; and we were constantly expecting that the next hour would end our existence.

The idea of death, however, had now become familiar; and often did we desire the release from suffering which that alone could afford.

Nothing, as it now appears to us, but the kind interposition of Providence, could have continued our lives, and have given us the power of endurance to hold out so long as we did. We were frequently so reduced as to be unable to walk, and were forced to drag ourselves on our hands and knees to some place where we could lie down under the shade of a bush, and take rest. But the small comfort to be obtained in this way was greatly lessened by the annoyance of musquetoes, which could attack us with impunity in our helpless and feeble condition.

Besides this, our flesh had so fallen away, that on lying down, our bones would actually pierce through the skin, giving us the most severe pain. After we were tattooed, the parts operated upon were, for a long time, running sores; and when exposed to the sun, the pain was excruciating.

It has been already said, that the natives were indolent, filthy and degraded, but the half has not been told; and some things which we witnessed cannot be related. The intercourse of the s.e.xes was unrestrained by any law; and the decencies of life were almost entirely neglected. Instead of taking pains to keep clean, they seemed to be not unwilling to have their heads overrun with vermin; and however incredible it may seem, it is a disgusting truth, that they are accustomed to eat them; and particular care seems to be taken to keep those loathsome animals in the heads of the children. But I forbear any further particulars.

I have already said, that only two of the crew of the Mentor, namely, Nute and myself, remained alive, with the exception of captain Barnard and Rollins, who had fortunately escaped. The Pelew chief had become strongly attached to us, and we take pleasure in stating the fact, that his faithfulness and affection had greatly endeared him to us. He seemed more like a brother than a barbarian; and most gladly would we have saved him from those sufferings which, no doubt, before this time, have terminated his life. Alas! it was not in our power to administer to his relief; and when we last saw him he was but just alive.