St. Blas has no king, but is a kind of Patriarchal government, being
ruled by the old men and the sookerman of the Island, whose laws are
obeyed in the strictest manner. The sookerman acts as physician, and
also foretells future events. Theft or adultery is seldom known in that
country. The civilized world talk of liberty, but these savages alone
truly enjoy it. They pay no tithes or taxes, require no locks to protect
themselves from thieves, have neither taverns nor boarding houses, every
traveller being made welcome at whatever house he may happen to stop.
There he will receive such entertainment and fare as is provided for the
family. Their hospitality is the same, whether he remains a day, a
month, or longer. I never heard of but one woman of that tribe who had
issue by a white man. The father of the child was a captain of a Jamaica
trading vessel. When the Indians discovered her situation, she was
separated from the tribe, placed in a house built for her in the woods,
entirely deprived of all kind of intercourse with them; being considered
as an outcast. When the child was three or four years of age it was put
on board of a Jamaica vessel and banished from the country.
In describing my next voyage I shall narrate many of the customs and
manners of this region. The Indians brought their canoes alongside of
our vessel and piloted us safely into the harbor, called Little Cordee,
where we found good anchorage; we were immediately visited by some
thirty or forty canoes. One of the Indians asked the privilege of
trading for me. I told him he might if he got permission from the old
men and sookermen, as we had not yet their leave so to do. He paddled to
the shore, and returned in a short time with three old men and a
sookerman, from whom we received the license which we desired.
I gave them plenty to eat and drink; they in return invited me on shore,
where I was well entertained. My Indian trader then commenced the
business for me by fathoming off cloth, many articles of staple goods,
such as shirting, check, powder and shot, &c. all of which had been sold
at one uniform price for many years. The Indians also had always
received one dollar per pound for tortoise-shell. When any goods
differed from such as the English traders had sold them, my Indian agent
would ascertain the price from me and proceed in his usual way in
bartering and selling. It was entirely unnecessary for me to trouble
myself about his bargains. He would come to me with his hands full of
silver change, saying, here captain, is so much money, and without
further remark would again turn to his business of salesman.
After remaining three or four days, my clerk asked me if he might be my
trader during the season of taking turtle, which lasted four or five
months. His price was ten pounds Jamaica currency, about thirty dollars.
This being pretty reasonable, I answered him in the affirmative, telling
him to select such goods as he wished for his trade, I at the same time
taking an account of them, although I dared not let him know that I had
done so. I furnished him with the means of preserving his goods from the
rain, supplied him with steelyards, and every article necessary for the
trade on that coast. The goods amounted to about six hundred dollars. He
then volunteered to pilot us along the coast free of expense, except his
board and liquor.
We at length got under weigh, having about twenty canoes in tow,
proceeded a few miles and came too at night under the lee of an island.
In the morning we started again, and arrived at the River Caledonia;
here we obtained permission to trade, the inhabitants giving us a hearty
welcome. After remaining here two or three days we sailed for the River
Mona, opening our trade immediately on our arrival, having obtained such
license from the proper authorities, remained but a few days, and sailed
for the River De Ablo, or River Devil. Here I engaged an Indian named
Billy, who had sailed with Captain Humphrey, an English trader, some two
years before. Billy was much pleased to see me, and immediately
commenced trading in my service, upon the same terms as those on which I
had engaged the former Indian, Campbell; he selected his goods and took
about the same quantity as Campbell had, and was fitted out much in the
same manner, having everything necessary to carry on the trade during
the season. After remaining here three or four days, we sailed back to
the River Cordee, where I had ordered Captain Soper to meet me with his
sloop.
I remained at Cordee about two weeks, waiting for the appearance of the
vessel. On her arrival we took out all the cargo she had collected along
the coast, and put it on board the Price, and took what was left on
board the Price and put it on board the Traverse, and, according to my
letter of instruction, gave Captain Soper command of the Price, with
directions to proceed to New-York; he took Mr. Warner with him. On
taking charge of the Traverse myself, I retained Mr. Tefts, my Indian
apprentice boy, also an Indian lad who was one of the Musquitto king's
brothers with me, and one of the St. Blas Indians, who acted as seaman.
The schooner soon sailed for New-York, and we for Corn Island, where we
arrived in four days. After touching at Corn Island, we sailed from
thence to Cape Gracios a Dios, where we were visited by the king, who
invited us to his house, which I accepted of. Remaining here some days,
my little sloop was overloaded with Indians, eating and drinking, the
king being constantly intoxicated. He gave me directions not to trust
any Indian on his account without a written order from him. He came on
board one day and asked me for the amount of his account, which was
near one hundred dollars. He examined it silently, then ordered his men
into his canoe and abruptly left the vessel. I felt somewhat surprised
at his leaving in this manner without an explanation.
In the afternoon some Indians came on board who had been in the habit of
bringing the king's verbal orders for goods, and said the king had sent
them to get a ten gallon keg of rum for him; not wishing to offend him,
I asked the Indians where he, the king, was, they replied, "We must
paddle up the river a little bit, and then ride horse a little bit."
Determined to know if there was any fraud in the verbal order, I started
with the Indians to see the king.
We paddled up the river about four or five miles, when we landed. A
horse was brought for each man; our leader mounted, taking his ten
gallon keg up before him; each was supplied with a bunch of plantain
leaves for a saddle. The night being dark, and the rain falling in
torrents, we groped our way through thick woods, my horse acting as my
guide. I kept my hand extended before my face to protect my eyes from
the limbs of the trees for some distance, when we arrived at a small
creek; we dismounted and crossed over in a canoe, the Indians swimming
their horses across. Being mounted again we rode about three miles
further through a level prairie land. The foot-path being covered with
water about four inches deep, and the rain falling incessantly. At
length we arrived at the king's house, his majesty not having a dry
thread of clothes about him. On entering I found an Indian by the name
of Thompson, an old acquaintance, acting as door-keeper, who conducted
me into the house and presented me with a hammock; and being very much
fatigued, begged him not to tell the king that I had arrived. He
promised he would not. Soon after I got in my hammock, the king, who lay
in an adjoining room, called for a drink of water, which was brought.
The servant at the same time telling him that the American captain had
arrived (that being the name by which I was known on the Indian coast.)
He immediately arose, told his servants, called quarter-masters, to
bring the women for a dance. To please him I had to put on an Indian
dress, have my face painted, and my head ornamented with feathers. The
king took the lead in the performances, which lasted until morning; he
ordered a bullock to be killed for breakfast, which made a very good
repast, after which I retired, much fatigued, to a hammock, where a
sound sleep soon refreshed me. The king retired to rest, slept until
dark, when, springing up suddenly, he ordered his quarter-masters to
bring the horses. I remonstrated with him, saying, "For pity sake, king,
do not take me through that wilderness this night." Rubbing his eyes, he
declared, "It is not night, but morning." After some time, being
convinced of his mistake, he ordered the quarter-masters to collect the
women again for another dance, which was kept up until 11 o'clock that
night, when I begged permission to retire.
Next morning the king apologized to me by saying, since he had detained
me so long, I should be remunerated with some tortoise-shell, for "I
know," said he, "you would willingly stop any where, two or three days,
if you could get a few pounds of tortoise-shell." Our horses were soon
brought, rigged as usual, with a bunch of plantain leaves for a saddle,
and a bridle made of bark. The king mounted, one of his queens being
placed behind him on the same horse; the gristle of his horse's ears
being removed, caused them to lap down on his head much like a
long-eared hog. I mounted the other. The mud and water was at least four
inches deep on the road, being the rainy season. We proceeded about a
quarter of a mile, when the king dismounted, and getting up behind me,
called to his waiters to get him a large stick, which he applied to my
poor old horse's flank without mercy; off we went in a smart gallop, the
mud and water flying in every direction. Having proceeded about a mile
we came to a small lane leading from the main road, which we were
travelling, along which were three small houses to be seen. The king
halted, saying to me, "Go up here and I will get you some shell." I rode
with the king to the front of the house, where a young Indian girl,
apparently eighteen years of age, stood near the door. The king
addressing me, asked if I did not think her handsome. My answer, of
course, was in the affirmative. The king then commanded his
quarter-masters to catch her and throw her on behind me. The girl having
an old dress on, ran into the house and returned with a clean one, the
quarter-masters then lifted her on behind me astride the horse. The king
kept in the rear to drive my horse into a canter, the mud and water
flying into our eyes at such a rate that I could hardly keep the road.
When we came to the creek the horses swam across, while the king, the
two women, and myself crossed in a canoe; the king trying to upset us,
which I prevented almost by main force, as the creek swarmed with
alligators. Having passed it, we travelled through woods for two or
three miles, when we embarked in a canoe for the Cape. Gladly did I
return to my vessel. The king, not unmindful of his promise to make me
some remuneration for my detention, sold me some thirty or forty pounds
of shell, which he owed to an English trader.
[Illustration: Mosquito King and Captain Dunham taking an airing.]
There was at the time two English trading vessels lying in the harbor. I
had one passenger on board, belonging to Corn Island. One day the
English captains, my passengers, and myself, being overtaken by a rain
storm on shore, took shelter under an old woman's roof, where she was
engaged in frying fish for her dinner. Her house was built like many
houses in that country, simply of a thatched roof, supported by
crotches, having no sides. As we were assembled here, the notion got
into our heads to try the old lady's temper and placing ourselves at
the four corners of her domicile, clapped our shoulders under the
roof and bore it off, leaving the poor old woman frying her fish in the
rain, which soon put out her fire, while we received a volley of curses
for our sport. We, however, returned it to its proper place, breaking
the poor old creature's crockery in so doing, which was all she
possessed. We invited her on board our vessels the next day, telling her
we would make good her loss; nor were we unmindful of our promise when
she made her appearance. We supplied her with plates, cups, saucers,
knives, forks, &c. so that her house was better furnished with these
articles than any in the town. We also threw in a bottle of rum to make
the affair perfectly satisfactory to her.
After remaining at the Cape a few days, where I purchased some shell, a
considerable quantity of India rubber, gum copal, deer and tiger-skins,
and deer-horns, paying for them in goods, we proceeded to Sandy Bay,
where, after bartering four or five days for such articles as we got at
the Cape, we next sailed for Great River, continuing our bartering for
the same articles, and then started for Corn Island, intending to take
in provision there, it being decidedly the best place for that purpose
in the country. From thence we sailed for the Lagoon, where having
landed such goods as were needed to keep a good assortment in our store,
we proceeded along the coast, touching at Bluefields, Martina,
Buckatora, and some other small ports, and then returned to Corn
Island. Here I met the schooner Price, which had arrived two days
previous, direct from New-York, with a new supply of goods. Captain
Soper informed me that he had lost one man overboard on his passage
home. I found on board the Price a man named Mores, who had some
interest in the cargo. I gave the command of the sloop to Mr. Tefts, and
took charge of the schooner again. I supplied Captain Tefts with a new
assortment of goods, and ordered him to proceed along the Musquitto
coast and procure all the return cargo he could, and from thence to St.
Blas, where he could meet me in the Price. I proceeded with the Price
direct to St. Blas, where I repainted her. Here Mr. Morse was taken sick
and died, and we buried him on an uninhabited island, and then sailed
for the harbor of Cordee, where I found my Indian trader, Campbell, who
came on board and brought the returns for the goods I had left with him
to sell. He brought on board a quantity of shell, a few bags of cocoa, a
purse of money, and the remnants of the goods, and told me he had three
or four canoe loads of fustic, laying on the beach, which he had
purchased for me. He laid the shell, cocoa, return goods, and the purse
of money down on the deck, telling me that was all he had. I asked him
if he had taken out his wages. He said he had, and we considered all
accounts between us settled, without making any figures. We remained
here two or three days, and purchased a few thousand cocoa-nuts, and
then sailed for the River De Ablo, where I met my other trader, Billy,
who came on board with his returns, which being the same as Campbell's,
I settled his account in the same manner, with one exception. I asked
him if he had taken out his wages, he answered, "Not all," when I handed
back the purse of money to him, and he took out fourteen dollars, and
then returned it, saying, "Now we are even," which was as good as a
receipt.
Campbell was on board acting as pilot, and he and Billy told me they
must go and see my country, which request I readily granted. I purchased
more cocoa-nuts, and took them on board when the Traverse arrived. I put
all the goods I had left of her cargo on board the schooner Price, and
prepared to sail the next morning. That evening we were visited by all
the old men and sookermen in that vicinity, together with forty or fifty
young men; the bottle of rum was passed round among them often during
the night by Campbell or Billy, the old men relating stories and giving
their charge to my traders, who were going to New-York with me. The St.
Blas Indians have a peculiar custom about talking: when an old man is
speaking, all the company are silent, not one lisp is heard from any
other person, except at the end of every sentence, when each listener
says, "Ah!" When one old man has ended his story another commences
without any interruption. I laid down to sleep at eleven o'clock and
slept till five in the morning, when I awoke and found them talking.
Some time after, I called one of the Indians aft who spoke English, and
asked him why this talk had continued all night: he answered me by
saying, "The old men had told Campbell and Billy that they would be the
first of their tribe whoever visited my country; that they must keep
sober and honest, and conduct themselves like gentlemen."
Having all things ready for sea, I took leave of the old patriarchs by a
hearty shake of the hand, and proceeded on my voyage.
Nothing material occurred until we got into the latitude of 24 deg., when
our main-mast was carried away and we rigged a temporary jury-mast:
having a long fore-sail, we were enabled to keep the schooner on her
way; and being a sharp Baltimore clipper, she made pretty good headway
under her fore-sail. Three days after, while laying too in a gale of
wind, we lost one of our seamen, named William Latch, overboard. After a
passage of thirty-five days we arrived in New-York. My Indians knew not
what cold meant, and having some flannel on board, I made them some
shirts on the passage, and gave them some old cast-off woollen clothing
to protect them from the wintry weather of our coast. When we approached
the cold latitudes we had a warm south-east wind, which brought us into
the harbor of New-York without experiencing much of the severity of the
weather. The first night after our arrival I went to my boarding house,
where I tarried until early next morning, when I went to visit the
schooner. As I approached the wharf where she lay, I saw Campbell
looking at his fingers, turning his hands over and viewing them very
closely. I accosted him in his accustomed manner of speaking, saying,
"Campbell, what de matter?" he replied, "My God! captain, somet'ing bite
me and I can't see 'im." His own country being infested with
musquittoes, sand-flies, fire-ants, and sundry insects, which he could
see, this invisible sting of cold he could not account for. I took them
to a clothing store and rigged them with winter dunage. I then took them
to a boarding house, and in the evening the mate escorted them to the
play-house, thinking he could astonish them. The next morning I asked
Campbell how he liked the play, he replied, "Too much fight; one old man
go dead." In spite of all my efforts to the contrary, they would follow
me at a distance. One day being near the City Hall, my two Indians
following, as usual, I thought I would stop and let them overtake me,
and have a view of the building, knowing that Campbell had never seen
even a frame house, previous to his arrival in New-York. As they came up
with me the keeper came out, and invited us up into the picture gallery,
where we saw full-length portraits of all the governors of the State,
and many other distinguished men, which the Indians viewed without any
manifestation of surprise. We soon after went down Broadway, and as we
approached St. Paul's Church, Campbell observing the covered figure of
the Saint, set in the wall of the building, stopped, and looking at it
some time, said, "Captain what dat old man tand dare for?" We passed on
a little further, when I met my old acquaintance, Doctor Samuel L.
Mitchell, who had visited me on my return from every voyage since I had
been in this trade, in consequence of my furnishing him with roots,
plants, and Indian curiosities. He was pleased at seeing the Indians,
and asked what country they came from, their customs, manners, &c. I
gave him a brief explanation, and he then insisted upon my going home
with him, saying, "Mrs. Mitchell must see them," to which I consented.
We repaired to his house, where I made a short visit, and he agreed to
let me retire, provided I would come to the college at two o'clock that
day, as he was to lecture there at that hour. On my return from the
doctor's I passed through Maiden Lane, where many of the windows were
decorated with toys. My Indians stopped to view them, and I could not
get them any further until I entered the stores and purchased some
whistling birds, swimming geese, &c. which they looked upon as the
greatest curiosities in the whole city. At two o'clock I repaired to the
college with my Indians. The doctor felt of their heads, looked down
their throats, &c. and said they belonged to the same species as those
who inhabit the Sandwich Islands and a part of Asia. The students gave
them a donation of eight dollars, and we returned to our respective
boarding houses.
A few days after, General Jackson visited New-York, which caused
considerable noise and bustle. My Indians called on me to conduct them
to the place of his landing, which was Whitehall, saying, "Me want to
see dat big big American gineral." I conducted them to the place of
landing, and the first object which attracted their attention was the
military officers forming the procession, with long feathers on their
hats, and they begged me very hard to go purchase some of those feathers
for them. These Indians had every temptation to get intoxicated, having
plenty of money given them by the owners of the Price and myself, and a
donation of eight dollars from the students of the college: in addition
to which the cartmen daily put up six-penny pieces for them to shoot at
with their bows and arrows, which they generally got. We made them
acquainted with a number of pleasant liquors which they had never before
tasted, such as wine, cordial, beer, &c. but nothing could induce them
to get drunk, having received a strict charge from the old men of their
own country before they left home to keep sober until they returned.
After going through the necessary forms at the Custom House, the vessel
was unloaded, and I obtained a furlough of two weeks to visit my family
at Catskill, whom I found in good health. At the appointed time I
returned to New-York and made the necessary preparations for another
voyage.