Part 1

[Illustration: SHIP GLIDE OF SALEM

From a water-color painted at Marseilles in 1823 by Anton Roux, Jr.]

WRECKED AMONG CANNIBALS IN THE FIJIS

_A NARRATIVE OF SHIPWRECK & ADVENTURE IN THE SOUTH SEAS_

BY WILLIAM ENDICOTT Third Mate of the Ship _Glide_

_with Notes by_ LAWRENCE WATERS JENKINS Assistant-Director of the Peabody Museum of Salem

[Illustration]

MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 1923

PUBLICATION NUMBER THREE OF THE MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY SALEM, MASS.

COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY THE MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES THE SOUTHWORTH PRESS PORTLAND, MAINE

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 5

INTRODUCTION 7

WILLIAM ENDICOTT’S NARRATIVE 15

A CANNIBAL FEAST AT THE FIJI ISLANDS 55

VOCABULARY OF THE FIJI ISLANDS 71

VOCABULARY OF WALLIS ISLAND 75

LIST OF OFFICERS AND CREW ON THE SHIP _GLIDE_ 76

ILLUSTRATIONS

SHIP GLIDE OF SALEM _Frontispiece_

From a water-color painted at Marseilles in 1823 by Anton Roux, Jr.

WILLIAM ENDICOTT 15

From a photograph made about 1860.

FIJIAN MEN 20

From a photograph made in 1898.

SHIP ANN ALEXANDER OF NEW BEDFORD 29

From a water-color in the possession of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society, New Bedford.

FIJI WAR CLUBS 34

Presented to the East India Marine Society of Salem between 1823 and 1834. Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.

FIJIAN HOUSE 40

From a photograph made in 1898.

MODEL OF A FIJI DOUBLE CANOE 44

Brought to the United States in 1856 by Capt. Thomas C. Dunn, while on the bark _Dragon_ of Salem. Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.

SHIP CHINCHILLA OF NEW YORK 50

“Scrimshawed” on a whale’s tooth. Presented to the East India Marine Society of Salem in 1825, by Capt. William Osgood. Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.

A SHOAL OF SPERM WHALE OFF THE ISLAND OF HAWAII IN 1833 52

From an engraving by J. Hill after a painting by T. Birch. The picture shows the famous Roach (Rotch) whaling fleet,--the _Enterprise_, _Wm. Roach_, _Pocahontas_ and _Houqua_, all from Nantucket.

FIJIAN WOMEN 56

Wearing “maiden locks” indicating that they are unmarried.

TOOTH OF A FIJIAN CANNIBAL 66

Presented to the Essex Institute in 1851 by Capt. John H. Eagleston who stated that it was “A tooth from Na Massa Ngaloa, the greatest cannibal that ever lived, head chief of Rewa, Fiji Islands. Twenty years since conquered most of the islands in the archipelago; since died aged about sixty years. Eleven years ago became Christian--baptised Ratu Mill.” Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.

MODEL OF A BURE OR FIJI TEMPLE 66

Such models were presented to the temples as offerings. Given to the East India Marine Society of Salem, by Capt. Joseph Winn, Jr., in 1835. Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.

OBJECTS FROM FIJI 68

Presented to the East India Marine Society of Salem and The Essex Institute between 1831 and 1860. Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.

INTRODUCTION

A hundred years ago the young men and boys living in New England seacoast towns could easily find in the forecastles of locally built ships, an opportunity to gratify a desire for adventure and a sight of foreign lands. Many of their shipmates would be neighbors or come from nearby towns and all who intended to follow the sea looked forward with anticipation and pride to the day when they might be able to ship as an officer or be given the command of a vessel. It was no unusual thing at that time for officers and captains to be under twenty years of age and the ship and the sea then possessed a romance and a lure not to be found in the present-day age of steam. The following narrative describes in matter-of-fact language, the experiences of one of these twenty-year old lads who shipped out of Salem, Massachusetts, as third officer in a fine ship bound for the South Seas.

The ship _Glide_, of 306 tons burden, was built in Salem in 1811 for Joseph Peabody and Samuel Tucker and made thirteen voyages to the Mediterranean, Archangel, South America, India and the East Indies. In 1829 she was sent on a trading voyage to the South Seas under the command of Capt. Henry Archer. Most of her crew were young men and some were green hands. After doubling the Cape of Good Hope a course was set for New Zealand where fresh provisions, wood and water were taken aboard. At that time it was possible to obtain for a small piece of tobacco or some trading article of trifling cost, finely carved and ornamented war-spears and canoe paddles and curiously figured shawls made from the native flax,--articles now highly valued by museums and collectors. While there the ship was visited by Pomare, the principal chief in that part of the island, who brought with him his favorite wife. He was a fine-looking man wearing a blanket fastened over his right shoulder and his face and thighs were tattooed in graceful scrolls. She was handsome for a New Zealander, wore a blanket fastened over her left shoulder and her lips and chin were tattooed.

After a voyage of 142 days from Salem, the _Glide_ reached Narai, one of the Fijis, where fresh provisions were taken aboard. A common musket worth only two or three dollars could be traded for a dozen large hogs and a pair of scissors or a jackknife was valued at a bunch of plantains or forty cocoanuts. When it came to exchanging trading goods for the native labor necessary to obtain the beche-le-mer--the principal article of trade in the islands--a common chisel made by the blacksmith on board from old hoop iron could be bartered for a day’s labor. To earn a chisel the islander must leave his hut early in the morning, sail fifteen or twenty miles to the reef and then work knee-deep in the water for six or eight hours gathering the beche-le-mer, a species of sea snail; after which he must carry his spoil to the ship--and all for a barrel-hoop chisel! The trading goods most esteemed in the Fijis at that time were iron tools, knives, scissors, whale’s teeth, beads and trinkets, but especially muskets, pistols and ammunition.

The place selected for trade was reached about the middle of October, 1829, and after negotiating with the local chief, his people were employed in building three houses,--a “batter house,” a hundred feet long, thirty wide and twenty high, where the beche-le-mer were dried and cured after boiling; a “pot house,” open on all sides, in which the forty-gallon pots were placed to boil the sea snails; and a “trade house,” a building about fifteen feet long, ten wide and eight high, in which trading goods brought in the ship were stored and so made easily available for barter.

The beche-le-mer when found on the reefs are about eight inches long and three inches thick. They are of a dark brown color, have a rough skin which is thickly covered with slime, and are easily taken. Exposure to the air has little effect upon them. After having been purchased by the trading master they are placed in a shallow pool made near the shore where the sea-water flows in at high tide and here the snails are cleaned of slime and then taken to the pot house and boiled about forty minutes. After drying they become hard and are then sent aboard the ship, packed in matting bags and stowed away. When properly cured beche-le-mer will remain in good condition for several years. It requires the Chinese palate to wholly appreciate the peculiar delicacy of its flavor when cooked and served as a table dainty and it was to the Chinese market in Manilla that the _Glide’s_ cargo was taken and sold.

As the natives were a warlike race and the different tribes were constantly engaged in fighting, the dozen men who remained on shore in charge of the trading house and the curing of the beche-le-mer, went fully armed. The _Glide_, also, presented a warlike appearance. Heavy cannon loaded with cannister and grape-shot appeared at every port-hole and on deck and below weapons were placed so that they were available at an instant’s notice. In each top there was a chest of arms and ammunition and “boarding nettings, eight or ten feet wide, were triced up around the ship by tackles and shipping lines suspended from the extremities of the lower yardarms.”[1] This seemed very necessary as nearly two thousand natives were employed in gathering and curing the beche-le-mer to complete the cargoes of the _Glide_ and the _Quill_, a brig hailing from Salem, that came in not long after the _Glide_ reached Miambooa Bay.

Severe storms at times prevail in the Fijis and twice the _Glide_ narrowly escaped shipwreck. On the evening of March 21, 1831, a hard gale came up unexpectedly and all night the shrill voice of the leadsman called at intervals, “She drags! She drags!” The next morning at about eleven o’clock, after having dragged her anchors for a distance of nearly eight miles, the ship drove on a shore-reef projecting from the island of Vanua Levu and soon became a total wreck. In the following pages, William Endicott, the third officer of the _Glide_, describes the events of the voyage and gives an interesting account of the natives among whom he lived for several months; supplying also a short vocabulary of their language.

William Endicott, who wrote this narrative, was the son of Israel and Betsey (Rea) Endicott of Danvers, Mass., and was born there July 7, 1809. He came of a family of sailors and shipmasters and at the age of fifteen went to sea for a voyage to the west coast of South America, in the ship _China_, Capt. Hiram Putnam. There the ship was loaded with copper and the voyage home made by way of Manilla, China and Calcutta. It was during the homeward passage through the South Seas that Endicott learned of the trade in beche-le-mer. The first officer of the ship was Henry Archer, Jr., a Salem man, and on reaching home he proposed to Joseph Peabody, the great Salem shipowner and merchant, that a voyage be made to the South Seas to obtain beche-le-mer to be traded for Chinese goods. The venture promised large profits and Archer was given command of the ship _Glide_ and he shipped young Endicott as his third mate. This was Endicott’s last voyage to sea and on reaching home he engaged in the morocco leather business and in 1861 was commissioned an inspector in the Salem Custom House. He died Sept. 25, 1881, in Danvers.

The journal of the voyage to the Fijis, kept by him, was given to the Peabody Museum of Salem by his children and is now printed for the first time by the kind permission of the Museum authorities who have also supplied valuable material to illustrate the volume. Accompanying the journal was a log book, kept during the voyage, from which additional information has been abstracted and is included among the footnotes. Mr. Israel O. Endicott, a son of William Endicott, has obligingly furnished biographical information. Thanks are also due to Mr. Charles C. Willoughby, Director of the Peabody Museum of Archæology and Ethnology, Cambridge, Mr. Perry Walton, Boston, The Essex Institute and Mr. Henry W. Wright, Salem, for assistance in illustrating the book.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] See _Wreck of the Glide_, Boston, 1846.

WILLIAM ENDICOTT’S NARRATIVE

[Illustration: WILLIAM ENDICOTT

From a photograph made about 1860.]

WILLIAM ENDICOTT’S NARRATIVE

On May 21st, 1829, I went on board the ship _Glide_, then lying in Salem harbour, having engaged to perform a voyage in her to the South Pacific Ocean for the purpose of procuring a cargo of beche-le-mer, tortoise shell and sandalwood. At meridian, all hands being on board, we got underweigh with a moderate east wind, and stood out to sea with all sail set. At 5 P. M. we were obliged to anchor outside the harbour where we lay until the following day at 11 A. M. when we weighed again and succeeded in getting to sea. We shaped our course for the Cape de Verde Islands in order to be sufficiently to the eastward where we expected to meet the South East trades, and soon lost sight of the American shores.

Nothing of importance occurred on the passage till the 15th of June, when we saw one of the Cape de Verdes. We passed it and steered to the southward till the 1st of July when we first met the South East trade wind. We continued to steer to the southward, by the wind, until we reached the latitude of 32° south, when the wind becoming more variable, enabled us to proceed more directly on our course; to double the Cape of Good Hope, proceed to the eastward and touch at New Zealand, as was determined by the Captain, and to endeavour to procure some fresh stock. After arriving into the latitude of 40° south, we experienced a succession of gales and blowing weather, which lasted with but little cessation until the 31st of August, when we saw Van Diemens Land,[2] from whence we steered direct for the northern part of New Zealand.

The wind and weather proved favourable and on the 14th of Sept. we saw the island of New Zealand and on the 17th anchored in the Bay of Islands,[3] 117 days from Salem, with one man sick.

We found in this place three English whale ships[4] and one merchant brig.[5] The natives, although engaged in wars and fighting with themselves and being exceedingly fierce and savage, treated us very well and sold us hogs and vegetables in great plenty for muskets, powder, tools, cloth and tobacco. We generally were well pleased with them excepting the strong propensity they had to steal.

The English Mission has a large establishment in this place guarded by a fort, and have succeeded tolerably well in informing the natives and in particular in putting a stop to the horrid practice of eating the dead bodies of their enemies.[6]

We purchased six of the natives from one of the Chiefs, who we intended to employ in procuring our cargo; and after getting a supply of fresh stock, wood and water, we sailed from this port and steered to the north west intending to touch at the Tonga Islands before we went among the Fegeis, in order to lay in a good supply of vegetables and hogs which are in greater plenty at the Tonga Islands than at New Zealand.

After leaving the land we found the weather boisterous for a few days until we reached the south east trades when it proved mild and pleasant and on the 6th of October, we saw one of the group called Friendly Islands[7] by Capt. Cook and Tonga by the natives. We ran in near to the shore when the natives came off in great numbers in their canoes bringing great quantities of cocoanuts, yams, plantains, hogs and fowls, besides different kinds of fruit, which they readily sold for cloth, beads, etc. As we had plenty of trade which we brought from the United States for the purpose we soon purchased a sufficiency of fresh stock and vegetables.

The natives were of a copper complexion and were of very handsome features and appeared very friendly to us and well pleased with our trade. They were nearly naked having only a small covering over the middle and a few small ornaments round their necks and in the ears.

On the 8th, having purchased a sufficient quantity of stock, we left the Islands and steered for the Fegee Islands,[8] our destined port, where we expected to procure our cargo and where we should be obliged to stop some months.

These are a cluster of islands situated in the Pacific Ocean between the latitudes of 15° and 18° south and the longitudes of 178° and 180° east and very much resemble the West Indies, being very fertile and producing nearly all the fruits and vegetables found at those islands and being situated between the Tropics, the climate is much the same.

Mountains of considerable size are to be found among them though they would be generally considered as low islands. They are surrounded by coral reefs and shoals of sand which renders navigation extremely dangerous though they serve to protect many harbours and bays from the sea. Although situated in the immediate vicinity of the S. E. trade wind, the wind does not prevail at any particular point, but is generally very variable and subject to frequent changes.

These islands are inhabited by a race of people who differ very much from the other uncivilized nations in the South Pacific Ocean, in customs, language and particularly their complexion which is much darker and approaches very near to the Negroes. In stature they are larger than most Europeans and like other Indians are very straight and well built and it is not uncommon to see persons of elegant figure.[9] They are extremely fierce and savage, frequently at war[10] with each other and are addicted to the horrid practice of eating their enemies when killed in battle.[11]

On the 10th of October, 1829, we arrived among the group and passed Turtle Island,[12] the southernmost of the cluster, steering to the northward intending to anchor in Miamboo Bay, which lay about 100 miles distant, where we expected to commence trading for our cargo. We continued sailing through the passages between the islands (which by reason of the imperfection of our chart, and the islands being improperly surveyed, was rendered extremely dangerous and difficult), until the 18th of the month, when we started from an island (under the lee of which we had to lay by through the night, it being too difficult to proceed till daylight) and steered for the passage through a very large reef of coral.

[Illustration: FIJIAN MEN

From a photograph made in 1898.]

At 11 A. M. we found our ship safe through the reef but in a very dangerous situation being surrounded by sunken rocks and shoals. We continued sailing for the Bay which was about 40 miles distant, avoiding the rocks as soon as they could be seen, until 1.30 P. M. when a rock was seen directly ahead of the ship. Every effort was made to avoid the danger but it proved of no avail and she immediately struck on her larboard bow about 12 miles from the Bay. We lay’d the sails aback and she went off when we sounded the pumps and found she leak’d 1400 strokes per hour.

After getting clear of the rocks we anchored with the stream and sent the boat well arm’d to examine the Bay. The boat returned in the evening and at daylight we proceeded to get the anchor up but found it impossible without great danger to the ship. Accordingly the cable was cut and at meridian we arrived in Miamboo Bay, Oct. 19th, 1829, Civil Account.[13]

On examining the leak we found the keel split badly and the ship injured so much as it would become necessary to repair her before we could prosecute our voyage, but we found no place where we could heave her down or haul her on shore with safety. Having understood from the natives that there was another vessel at a place 90 miles distant, called Bow,[14] we dispatched a boat to procure assistance and also any information that would be of service to us in our unfortunate situation.

Meanwhile we proceeded to stop the leak, as well as circumstances would permit, until the 20th, when to our great joy we discovered a sail standing for the Bay. At 5 P. M. she anchored and proved to be the brig _Quill_[15] of Salem, Capt. J. Kinsman, from the Island of Bow. They informed us of the danger of our boat from the natives when another boat was immediately dispatched in charge of the first officer[16] of the _Quill_, to find the other boat. Oct. 23rd, both boats arrived safe.

Finding it impossible to repair the ship on the shore it was determined to construct a raft from the ship’s spars and the lumber in the ship and to heave the ship down in the Bay, to the raft, Capt. Kinsman kindly offering us his assistance and protection from the natives.

Got underweigh on October 22nd and anchored near to the brig where we commenced transhipping our cargo, stores, provisions, etc., on board of the brig. After this was accomplish’d we proceeded to strip the ship and construct the raft with the spars, etc. We had an interview with the principal Chief of the Island, on Oct. 25th, and purchased some cocoanut trees of him for our raft by means of which, on the 1st of November, we completed it to our satisfaction. After securing and preparing the ship we attempted to heave her down but found no rope in either vessel of sufficient strength. The next day, however, we succeeded in making a rope and hove the ship keel out and found the stem started over to starboard, the wood-ends started considerably, the keel split, etc.

As it was impossible to right the stem in our present circumstances, it was determined to secure it as it was by means of iron clamps, which the armourers of both vessels proceeded to make on board of the brig, and to stop the leak as much as possible with wedges, sheathing and tar.

On Nov. 9th, 1829, we received a visit from Capt. Maurice of the brig _Morliana_ of Woaho,[17] lying about 60 miles distance.

On the 19th of November, after much trouble and after surmounting many difficulties we succeeded in finishing the repairs and when we righted the ship, found we had stopped the leak. We also found that two of our New Zealanders had run away from us and gone to live with the Fegee natives. In the meantime the brig _Quill_ had commenced curing beche-le-mer.

By the 24th we had succeeded in getting all our cargo, provisions, ballast, etc., on board and commenced rigging the ship. The Captain then contracted with one of the principal Chiefs to build three houses on shore for the purpose of curing beche-le-mer at a place called Sub-a-Sub, and on the 9th of December, the first and third officers, with 10 men, went on shore, the houses having been completed, and commenced purchasing beche-le-mer of the natives.

The beche-le-mer[18] is a sort of animal found on the sandy reefs, which very much resembles a leech or blood-sucker in shape, but is much larger. They are supposed to get their sustenance from the slime, which collects on the reefs and shoals so numerous among these islands. The natives obtain them by going onto the reefs when the tide is low, collecting them in baskets made for the purpose from the leaves of the cocoanut tree. They brought them on to the beach near to our house where we purchased them. We then carried the fish into the pot-house and boiled them; then into the drying-house where they were dried by means of fire. When they are considered as cured they are much reduced in size and very hard, but when stowed in the ship they soon become more soft and very much resemble India rubber.

We employed great numbers of the natives, frequently upwards of 80 canoes averaging 10 men each, besides great numbers on shore procuring wood (of which we used great quantities) and assisting us in curing the cargo. The principal articles of trade were muskets, ammunition, whales’ teeth, iron tools, beads and ornaments. Tortoise shell and sandalwood we also purchased of the natives. The turtles they catch with large nets made of the fibres of the cocoanut husk in the making of which they are very expert.