Cyrus M. Hussey

“ 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 pass 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 quantity of the ship’s provisions, although the meat was some of it in a very decayed state. ”

“ The boat then gave chase to a canoe, paddled by two of the natives, which were fired upon when within gunshot, when they immediately ceased paddling; and on the boat approaching them, discovered that one of the natives was wounded. In the most supplicating manner they held up a jacket, manufactured from a kind of flag, and some beads, being all they possessed, giving their inhuman pursuers to understand, that all should be theirs if they would spare their lives! ”

“ 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 shell, Hussey was sent for, and we had a meal together; during which time, the natives assembled 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. ”

“ With regard to a future state of existence, they believe that the shadow, or what survives the body, is, after death, entirely happy; that it roves about at pleasure, and takes much delight in beholding everything that is transacted in this world;—and as they consider the world as an extensive plain, they suppose the disembodied spirits travel quite to the edge of the skies, where they think white people live, and then back again to their native Isles ”

“ The productions are breadfruit in its proper season, and cocoanuts, which they have throughout the year; and a kind of fruit different from any that grows in America, which the natives call Bup—all growing spontaneously. Of the leaves of the trees the women manufacture very elegant mats, which they wear as blankets and clothing; of the bark of a vine they make men’s clothing; and of the husks of the cocoa they make ropes and rigging for their canoes, and for almost every other purpose. The waters round the Islands abound with fish, and the natives are very expert in catching them. ”

“ During our cruise to Japan the season before, many complaints were uttered by the crew among themselves, with respect to the manner and quantity in which they received their meat, the quantity sometimes being more than sufficient for the number of men, and at others not enough to supply the ship’s company; and it is fair to presume, that the most dissatisfied, deserted the ship at Oahu. ”

“ This intelligence having been communicated to the captain, he went on shore, and took myself and Hussey for interpreters; but we found on our arrival, that the natives had been practising a piece of deception—the chiefs not having returned. Very much displeased at this perfidious treatment, the captain made a demand of the chiefs before sunset, threatening, if it were not complied with, to go on shore with fifty men, well armed, and destroy every person he could find. ”

“ On the 17th Feb. when night came, the watch was set consisting of two men, whose duty it was to guard against the thefts of the natives. At about 10 P. M. all hands were awakened by the cry; “The ship has gone, the ship has gone!” Every one hastened to the beach and verified the truth of the report for themselves. Some who were ignorant of the intention of Smith and others, to take the ship, were of opinion that the strong breeze then blowing, had caused her to drag her anchor, and that she would return in the morning. ”

“ When the foregoing message was received from Payne, Comstock commanded his presence immediately on shore, and interrogated him, as to what he meant by sending such a message. After considerable altercation, which took place in the tent, Comstock was heard to say, “I helped to take the ship, and have navigated her to this place.—I have also done all I could to get the sails and rigging on shore, and now you may do what you please with her; but if any man wants any thing of me, I’ll take a musket with him!” ”

“ The captain told them he had been sent out by the Head Chief of his country, to look for the men that had been left there by the ship Globe—that he had been informed they murdered all but two—that, as it was their first offence of the kind, their ignorance would plead an excuse—but if they should ever kill or injure another white man, who was from any vessel or wreck, or who might be left among them, our country would send a naval force, and exterminate every soul on the Island; and also destroy their fruit trees, provisions, &c. ”

“ It may not be amiss to acquaint the reader of the manner in which whalemen keep watch during the night. They generally carry three boats, though some carry four, five, and sometimes six, the Globe, however, being of the class carrying three. The Captain, mate, and second mate stand no watch except there is blubber to be boiled; the boat-steerers taking charge of the watch and managing the ship with their respective boats crews, and in this instance dividing the night into three parts, each taking a third. ”

“ The king had long before heard of our being at the Mulgraves, and told Hussey he had been repairing his canoe, in order to go to those Islands, with a view to induce us to live with him, who, had that been the case, would undoubtedly have used us well. The king was about 70 years of age, and had a daughter on the Island where we had resided, wife to Luttuon. [118] He inquired if his daughter was alive and well, with tears in his eyes and trembling form, for it was a long time since he had received any intelligence of her ”

“ The captain went immediately on shore, taking Hussey for his interpreter. He was gone till nearly night, when he returned, bringing with him Luttuon and several other natives. The captain gave orders to beat to quarters, to exhibit the men to the natives, and explain to them the manner of our fighting. Those untutored children of nature, seemed highly gratified with the manoeuvres, but were most delighted with the music, probably the first of the kind they ever heard. We informed them we always have such music when we are fighting an enemy. ”

“ The reader will also please to bear in mind, that Samuel B. Comstock, the ringleader of the mutiny, was an officer, (being a boat-steerer,) and as is customary, ate in the cabin. The conduct and deportment of the Captain towards this individual, was always decorous and gentlemanly, a proof of intentions long premeditated to destroy the ship. Some of the crew were determined to leave the ship provided she touched at Fannings Island, and we believe had concerted a plan of escape, but of which the perpetration of a deed chilling to humanity, precluded the [18] necessity. ”

“ Instead of going prepared to bring home a ship load of oil, it was customary to bring only the blubber, and instead of trying the oil out and putting it into casks on board, the fat of the whale was cut up into suitable pieces, pressed hard in tubs carried out for the purpose, and in this situation was the return cargo received at home.
Of so great consequence was the whale fishery considered to Great Britain, that a bounty of 40s. for every ton, when the ship was 200 tons, or upwards, was given to the crews of ships engaged in that business in the Greenland seas, under certain conditions. ”

“ If any one refused to fight a ship he should be put to death; and the manner of their death, this—They shall be bound hand and foot and boiled in the try pots, of boiling oil!” Every man was made to seal and sign this instrument, the seals of the mutineers being black, and the remainder, blue and white. The raft or stage being completed, it was anchored, so that one end rested upon the rocks, the other being kept sea-ward by the anchor. During the first day many articles were brought from the ship in boats, to the raft, and from thence conveyed on shore. ”

“ Many of the ignorant natives still insisted that their sickness and drought were occasioned by suffering us to live upon their Islands; but this gross ignorance was counterbalanced by most of the chiefs, who believed differently, and to their more liberal opinion we are indebted for our lives.
About this time the Islands were [156] refreshed by plentiful showers of rain, and the natives assembled at Milly to sing for the breadfruit to come in abundance. They said their singing would please Anit, and that he would reward them with a very great crop. ”

“ We immediately made all sail for the Island, but having a head wind, we did not arrive at the landing till near the middle of the day. A boat was sent on shore to learn what had befallen the crew of the whale boat, and shortly returned with all the men except the captain and one man that could not swim. ”

“ I informed the natives the vessel was a war vessel, and that if molested by the natives, they would shoot them. The natives said they would take the vessel and kill all the men on board. I told them their safety consisted in friendship, and that any hostile attack on the crew of the schooner would lead to their own destruction.—They then set sail for Milly, to inform the chiefs of the arrival of the vessel at the head Island. The chiefs of Milly gave orders to launch the canoes, 15 in number, to go and take the schooner. These canoes were manned by 200 natives. ”

“ The larger the ear, the more beauty the person possesses!
About a fortnight after I saw the ship pass, Hussey came with his master, on a visit. His disappointment was great, and we could only cheer each other, by hoping for the best, and wait patiently the pleasure of Heaven.
Hussey again left me, but we parted under less bodings of evil than before, for the kindness of the natives began to [94] increase, and their suspicions to be allayed. ”

“ 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 [84] 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 passage back to Milly, (the place of my residence,) where I was welcomed by the natives with every demonstration of joy. ”

“ A boat at this time from the schooner, was seen approaching the shore. She landed at about a hundred yards distant from where I was confined; but it being near night, I soon found she was making the best of her way towards the schooner. Night came, and I was [101] sent for by the principal chief, and questioned closely concerning the schooner. My fears and apprehensions were now excited to a degree beyond human expression, and the kind reader will pardon all attempts to express them.
The natives seeing the whites so bold, excited in them a fear which induced them to flee the Island. ”

“ But the doom of Humphreys had been sealed the night before, and kept secret except from [33] the jury, who returned a verdict of Guilty.—Preparations were immediately made for his execution! His watch was taken from him, and he was then taken forward and seated upon the rail, with a cap drawn over his face, and the rope placed round his neck.
Every man was ordered to take hold of the execution rope, to be ready to run him up when Comstock should give the signal, by ringing the ship’s bell! ”

“ On our return, we commenced catching a kind of fish called by the natives kierick. They are about the size of a small codfish; and the manner of taking them is very curious—they make a line of the husk of cocoanuts, about the size of a cod line; they then in the canoe pass round the fish to the windward of the flat, then lie to till a considerable quantity of them get on the flat, then square away by the wind and run down and go round the flat with this line, and thus catch [152] them, men, women, and children being employed. ”

“ They do this to invigorate the system, and render the skin of their children thick and tough by exposure. Their living consists simply of breadfruit, cocoanuts, and bup; but cocoanuts are all they can depend on the year round—the two other articles being common only a part of the year.
Their diversions consist in singing, dancing, and beating time with their arms, in a manner similar to the amusements of the natives at the Sandwich Islands; in which they appear to take great delight. ”

“ The whole group is entirely destitute of mountains, and even hills, the highest land not being more than six feet above the level of the sea at high water. By the accounts given me from the natives, it appears that some parts have been overflowed by the sea. Their being so low, makes the navigation near them very dangerous in the night, both because they would not be easily seen, and because the water is very deep quite to the shores; and a place for anchoring can scarcely be found on the outside of the Island. ”

“ 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. ”

“ We told him it was good for nothing; but he said we must do the best we could with it. As we were afraid to offend him, we went to work with the powder, and dried it in the sun, and [159] prepared our muskets for battle.—The next morning we launched 15 or 16 canoes, containing in all about 200 natives, and set sail for Alloo; where we arrived and landed, and proceeded to a village in order to give battle to the enemy. On learning that the chief of Alloo and his family had fled in a canoe, we returned to our canoes, made sail in pursuit of the chief, but did not overtake him. ”

“ No duty was done during the remainder of the day, except the selection by Payne, of six men, to go on board the ship and take charge of her, under the command of Smith; who had communicated his intentions to a number of running away with the ship. We think we cannot do better than to give an account of their escape in the words of Smith himself. It may be well to remark, that Payne had ordered the two binacle compasses to be brought on shore, they being the only ones remaining on board, except a hanging compass suspended in the cabin. ”