Voyages in the Northern Pacific/Chapter IV
CHAPTER IV.
At Canton, Captain Robson found Mr. Bethune, and sixteen Sandwich Islanders, who had been left by the Isaac Todd. On March 28th, 1815, being quite tired of the northwest coast of America, and determined to go to England, he gave charge of the schooner to Captain Jennings, agreeably to an order from Mr. Bethune. Captain Jennings had left England in the brig Forester, and made an attempt to go round Cape Horn, but he did not succeed. At last they bore up for the Cape of Good Hope, going through the Straits of Tymore, the chief mate, with four of the crew, took the gig and left the ship in the night. After a tedious and troublesome passage, the Forester arrived off the island of Woahoo (Oahu,) one of the Sandwich Islands, the crew being at that time in a state of mutiny. They saw several ships in the harbour, among which was the American schooner privateer, Tameameah (Kamehameha), Captain Porter. A canoe came off, and Captain Jennings intercepted a letter his crew were sending on shore, to say, that if the vessels in the harbour would send their boats out they should find friends. Captain Jennings immediately made sail towards Owyhee (Hawaii). On arriving, he anchored at Tyroa (Kailua), the residence of the king, who came on board with all his family, and on learning from the Captain his situation, promised him every assistance. He accordingly got the Forester under way, and ran to Karakakooa (Kealakekua) bay, where Captain Cooke was killed: here the Indians watered the ship, bringing the water down from the mountains in calabashes.
A very serious accident took place on board the Forester while she lay here. A boy ran away, but was brought back again, having lost all his clothes. One afternoon, when the ship was on the point of sailing, and Captain Jennings had occasion to go on shore, the boy went up to him and told him he wanted his clothes, and would not go to sea without them. The Captain promised that he would try to get them; and if not, some slops should be provided: the boy, however, would not be satisfied, and was extremely impertinent, which at last enraged Captain Jennings so much, that he gave him a box on the ear. Upon this the mutineer took hold of the Captain, who was a small man, and threw him down. The clerk, Mr. Ebbets, immediately knocked the lad down, and the boatswain espousing his quarrel, ran aft and struck Mr. Ebbets so violently as to stretch him on the deck. Captain Jennings then got clear, and called for irons to put on the boatswain, who remained quiet for some time. The irons happened to be too small, and the culprit having called for man's irons, went forward where he procured a long knife, and swore he would stab the first man that attempted to put him in irons. The Captain now seized a musket lying by the poop, presented it, and told him, if he did not keep quiet he would shoot him. The man opened his jacket, and bareing his breast, told the Captain to shoot and be damned; on which the latter fired, and shot him in the shoulder, with a bullet cut in four pieces. He instantly dropped, crying out "he was murdered." The crew were for rigging a whip to hang the Captain forthwith to the yard-arm; but while they were still debating the matter, Captain Jennings sprung from the ship into a canoe, and was paddled by the natives to the shore, where the king, Tameamah (Kamehameha), protected him. The wounded man was also taken on shore, but, from the want of proper assistance, mortification ensued; and as he would not allow his arm to be amputated, in a few days he died. Several of the crew left the Forester, vowing to be revenged. In the meantime, Mr. Biggot, the supercargo, took the command, and got one Adams to navigate and some islanders to work the ship. He then sailed from Karakakooa (Kealakekua) bay for the coast of California, leaving Captain Jennings and five of the crew on shore. Some time after his majesty's ship Cherub, Captain Tucker, touched at Owhyee (Hawaii), under American colours, and the Forester's people, having ventured on board, were detained, while their late captain kept out of the way. The Isaac Todd arrived shortly after, and his voyage to Canton in her led to the arrangement I have just mentioned. I sailed upwards of three years with him on board the Columbia, and found him to be every way a proper person to command a ship in those seas.
Previous to sailing from Wampoa on the 28th of April, we took all the Sandwich Islanders on board; several of whom died shortly after. On the 2nd of May, we weighed from Macao Roads, and made sail for the Columbia River. On the 11th of May, we made the South Bashees; in the afternoon, ran between Grafton and Monmouth Islands: and on the 15th, passed the island of Majecosima, and several smaller islands. At this time, Joseph Ashton, one of the seamen, showed symptoms of insanity, and on the 17th, though he then appeared quite sensible and worked at the sails, he suddenly gave three Indian yells, and leaped from the lee-bow into the sea, where he was drowned. On the 26th, at midnight, we saw Moor's Island; bearing N. by W. 5 miles, latitude 30° 39′ north, longitude 213° 30′ west, on our passage from Canton hither we had the winds variable and much bad weather; passed drift-wood and sea-weed daily: as we approached the N. W. coast, saw many large trees with their branches complete. Between the latitudes of 30° and 46° north, and longitude of 180° and 123° west, we saw many shoals of sperm whale. On the 21st of June we buried two islanders, and on the 1st of July crossed the bar of the Columbia, and anchored. At this time the river was full of Indians, and we were visited by them, bringing plenty of good salmon and berries. After we left the river, in November 1814, the natives had been very troublesome. A blacksmith and two men were sent a short distance into the woods to burn charcoal, where they commenced building a hut; several Indians collected about them apparently in a friendly manner, but the moment an opportunity offered, they took the axes belonging to the party and made a furious attack, cutting and mangling them most barbarously. They then made off, taking the axes with them; and the bodies were found next morning by some of the people. A strict inquiry was set on foot for the authors of this outrage, king Comley offering his services to find them; and at length, by the help of many valuable presents and some threats, two of the men were discovered. One of them was recognized by the Americans; he had on a former occasion been kicked from the fort for theft, and belonged to a tribe in the interior, denominated Soosoonies; and it was to revenge his disgrace that he persuaded some of his nation to join him and murder the men. The prisoners were confined in the bastion, and next morning led out, blindfolded, to be shot. They were placed opposite a 6-pounder, while a party of rifle-men were in the bastion ready to fire through the loop-holes, which manœuvre was made use of in order to make the Indians believe that they were shot by the great gun. The dead bodies were taken down to the wharf in coffins, and exposed for some days, till their friends were allowed to carry them away.
The Columbia now took another trip to Monterey, where we recovered our people who deserted when we were last here, and also four of the men that had deserted from the Isaac Todd. The former returned to their duty; the latter we confined for a while in irons. We found the cooper had not been idle; he had cured plenty of beef, and collected flour, beans, corn, tallow, pease, etc., the farmers bringing these provisions in daily. On our arrival a guard was posted at the landing-place to prevent smuggling; all trade, except through the governor, being prohibited. The Spaniards were not allowed to come on board as formerly, neither were our people allowed so much liberty on shore. The town of Monterey is most pleasantly situated on a beautiful and extensive plain, and nearly half a mile from a sandy beach. It consists of about 50 houses of one story, built in a square, surrounded by a stone wall, about 18 feet high; on the south side of the square stands the church; on the west, the governor's house; and on the east side, the lieutenant-governor's house and king's stores; on the north side is the grand and principal entrance, gaol, and guard-house, and in the middle are two field-pieces, 6-pounders. There are many farm houses scattered over the plain, with large herds of cattle and sheep; on the north side of the bay, is the river Carmel, which is full of excellent salmon and other fish. The fort stands on a hill, about one mile to the westward of the town; and just above the landing place, it is quite open on the land-side, and embrasures thrown up on the sea side mounting ten brass 12-pounders, with, a good supply of copper-shot. At the landing-place, close to Captain Vancouver's Observatory, is a battery of two long 9-pounders, manned by about thirty soldiers. The governor, and a few others, are old Spaniards; the remaining inhabitants are Creoles of the country. They keep the Indians under great subjection, making them work very hard, chained two and two: the whole population of Monterey does not exceed 400 souls. About four miles to the southward, stands the Mission of Carmel; and about twelve miles to the northward, is the mission of Santa Cruz. The bay is sheltered from east to west, lying open to the northerly winds; the best anchorage is in seven fathoms, the fort bearing west, half a mile from the shore. The country is well wooded with pine and oak, but badly watered. There are many bears, wolves, foxes, deer, beavers, etc., and in the winter the ducks and geese are very plentiful. The bullocks are sold at four dollars each, and the sheep at one; two ships touch here annually for tallow, and to bring supplies for the establishments on California.