A Narrative of the Mutiny, on Board the Ship Globe, of Nantucket, in the Pacific Ocean, Jan. 1824: And the journal of a residence of two years on the Mulgrave; Islands; with observations on the manners and customs of; the inhabitantsLay, William
History
A Narrative of the Mutiny, on Board the Ship Globe, of Nantucket, in the Pacific Ocean, Jan. 1824: And the journal of a residence of two years on the Mulgrave; Islands; with observations on the manners and customs of; the inhabitants
Lay, William
Globe Mutiny, 1824; Mili Atoll (Marshall Islands)
Towards the close of the next day, (27th,) a canoe came to the Island
which had been boarded by a boat from the schooner. The natives
offered the men in the boat some cocoanuts, which they would not
accept. The boat then proceeded towards the Island of Milly.--The
natives informed me that the men in the boat inquired after the men
who were left there by the ship Globe; but they would not give any
information where they were. The canoe left the Island, and we went to
rest. The next day passed without hearing any thing of the schooner;
but the day following, (29th of Nov.) as I was walking in the woods in
the afternoon, I heard a dreadful outcry for Hussey. I ran to the hut
to learn the cause, and to my unspeakable joy, I discovered that one
of the schooner's boats was on the beach, waiting for me, the men all
armed and equipped for battle. As I approached, the Lieutenant spoke
to me and told me to come to him. I went and sat down by him. He asked
me several questions, but my feelings were so overcome and agitated,
that I know not whether I replied in English, or the language of the
natives. While we were sitting together, the old man whom I had always
called master, but who was now willing to be considered my servant,
asked me if the white people were going to kill him. The Lieutenant
inquired of me to know the purport of the old man's question; I told
him he was afraid of being killed. The Lieutenant replied that he
should not be hurt, if he behaved himself properly.
We then walked round the Island, and I collected what few things I
had, a musket, &c. and made preparations for our departure. My old
master being unwilling to part with me, asked permission to go with
me. I spoke to the Lieutenant on the subject, and he readily
consented. We then set sail, accompanied by my master and his son. We
soon fell in with the 2d Lieutenant, in another boat, who informed
that all the survivors of the Globe's crew were now rescued. The boats
soon lost sight of each other, as night came on, and that in which I
was arrived at the Island about 9 o'clock in the evening. We landed,
cooked supper, and anchored our boat at a little distance from the
shore for the night.
The next morning, (30th,) we got under weigh, accompanied by the other
boat, beat to the windward, for the outside passage, and then ran down
to the schooner, and got along side at 9 o'clock. I will leave it for
the reader, to picture my feelings on entering once more on board of
an American vessel, after having been among unmerciful savages 22
months. We soon had some breakfast, after which my hair was cut, which
was of two year's growth, and I was furnished with clothing, and
remained on board till the next day.
From this date to the time of our arrival in the United States, all
the important incidents and facts which transpired, will be found in
the preceding pages, arranged from the journal kept by Lay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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