THE TRAGEDY OF THE “FRIENDSHIP”
(1831)
The first American vessel to load pepper on the coast of Sumatra was
the Salem schooner _Rajah_ in 1795, and the last ship under the stars
and stripes to seek a cargo on that coast was the _Australia_ of Salem
in 1860. Between these years the trade with that far off island was
chiefly in the hands of the merchants and shipmasters of Salem. When
the United States frigate _Potomac_ was ordered to the East Indies
seventy-five years ago with instructions to prepare charts and sailing
directions of the Sumatra coast to aid American mariners, her commander
reported that “this duty has been much more ably performed than it
could have been with our limited materials. For this important service
our country is indebted to Captain Charles M. Endicott and Captain
James D. Gillis of Salem, Massachusetts. The former, who was master of
the _Friendship_ when she was seized by the Malays at Qualah Battoo has
been trading on this coast for more than fifteen years, during which
period he has, profitably for his country, filled up the delay incident
to a pepper voyage, by a careful and reliable survey of the coast, of
which no chart was previously extant that could be relied on.”
Captain Endicott of the _Friendship_ not only risked his vessel amid
perils of stranding along these remote and uncharted shores, but
also encountered the graver menaces involved in trading with savage
and treacherous people who were continually on the alert to murder
the crews and capture the ships of these dauntless American traders.
Notwithstanding all of Captain Endicott’s precautions and shrewdness
born of long experience, he was at length overtaken by the fate which
befell others of these pioneers in Malaysian waters. The story of
the tragedy of the _Friendship_ is typical of the adventures of the
Salem shipmasters of the long ago, and Captain Endicott, like many of
his fellow mariners, possessed the gift of writing such a narrative
in a clean-cut, and vigorous fashion which makes it well worth while
presenting in his own words. Perhaps because they told of things
simply as they had known and seen and done them, without straining
after literary effect, these old-fashioned sea captains of Salem were
singularly capable writers, self-taught and educated as they were,
jumping from school to the forecastle at twelve or fourteen years of
age.
For the entertainment of his comrades and friends of Salem, Captain
Endicott put pen to paper and told them what had happened to him
and his ship on the coast of Sumatra in the year of 1831. Somewhat
condensed, this virile chapter of salt water history runs as follows:
“The ship _Friendship_, of this place, under my command, sailed from
Salem for the west coast of Sumatra, with a crew of seventeen men,
including officers and seamen, on the 26th of May, 1830. On the 22d
September following we touched first at the port of Qualah Battoo
(_i.e._, in English, Rocky River), in Lat. 3.48 m. North. This place
is inhabited by natives from the Pedir coast, on the north of the
island (of Sumatra), as well as Acheenise, and is therefore governed
jointly by a Pedir and an Acheenise Rajah. We remained here for the
purposes of trade, until the 5th of November following, at which time,
having obtained all the pepper of the old crop, and the new pepper not
coming in until March or April, we left that port, and in prosecution
of our voyage visited several others, and finally returned to Pulo Kio
(_i.e._, in English, Wood Island), about two miles from Qualah Battoo,
the latter part of January, 1831, intending to remain there until the
coming in of the pepper crop.
“One bright moonlight night, shortly after our arrival at this place,
I was awakened by the watch informing me that a native boat was
approaching the ship in a very stealthy manner, and under suspicious
circumstances. I immediately repaired on deck, and saw the boat
directly in our wake under the stern, the most obvious way to conceal
herself from our observation, and gradually approaching us with the
utmost caution, without the least noise or apparent propelling power,
the oars being struck so lightly in the water that its surface was
scarcely ruffled. Having watched their proceedings a few minutes, we
became convinced it was a reconnoitering party, sent to ascertain how
good a look-out was kept on board the ship, and intending to surprise
us for no good purpose.
“We therefore hailed them in their own dialect, asking them where they
came from, what they wanted, and why they were approaching the ship in
such a tiger-like manner. We could see that all was instantly life and
animation on board her, and after a few moments we received an answer
that they were friends from Qualah Battoo, with a load of smuggled
pepper, which they were desirous to dispose of to us. We, however,
positively forbade them to advance any nearer the ship, or to come
alongside; but, after considerable discussion, we at length gave our
consent for them to come _abreast_ the ship at a respectful distance,
and we would send some of our own men on board to ascertain if their
story was correct, and if there was nothing suspicious about her, on
their giving up their side arms we would rig a whip upon the main
yard, and in this way take on board their pepper, and allow one man to
come on board ship to look after it.
[Illustration: An old broadside, relating the incidents of the battle
of Qualah Battoo]
“All our own crew had, in the mean time, been mustered and armed, and
a portion of them placed as sentinels on each side the gangway. In
this manner we passed on board some fifty or sixty bags of pepper. We
were afterwards informed by the second officer, that while this was
going forward, the chief officer, who subsequently lost his life, was
secretly scoffing at these precautions, attributing them to cowardice,
and boasting he could clear the decks of a hundred such fellows with a
single handspike. This boat, we ascertained, was sent by a young man
named Po Qualah, the son of the Pedir Rajah, for the express purpose
which we had suspected; the pepper having been put on board merely as
an excuse in case they should be discovered. It was only a sort of
parachute, let off to see from what quarter the wind blew, as a guide
for their evil designs upon us.
“Ascertaining, however, by this artifice, that the ship was too
vigilantly guarded, at least in the night, to be thus surprised, they
set themselves at work to devise another plan to decoy us to Qualah
Battoo, in which, I am sorry to say, they were more successful.
“A few days after this occurrence, a deputation was sent to invite
us to Qualah Battoo, representing that the new crop of pepper was
beginning to make its appearance, and they could now furnish us with
from one or two hundred bags per day, and would no doubt be enabled
to complete loading the ship in the course of forty days. Being in
pursuit of a cargo, and having been always on friendly terms with the
natives of this place, whom I did not consider worse than those of
other parts of the coast, and feeling beside some security from the
fact that we had already been warned by some of our old friends not to
place too much confidence in any of them, we considered the danger but
trifling, and therefore concluded a contract with them, and proceeded
at once with the ship to Qualah Battoo.
“Strict regulations were then established for the security and
protection of the ship. In the absence of the captain, not more than
two Malays were to be permitted on board at the same time; and no
boats should be allowed to approach her in the night time upon any
pretence whatever, without calling an officer. Then mustering all
hands upon the quarterdeck, I made a few remarks, acquainting them
with my apprehensions, and impressing on their minds the importance
of a good look-out, particularly in the night, and expressed my firm
conviction, that vigilance alone would prevent the surprise and
capture of the ship, and the sacrifice of all our lives. Having thus
done all we could to guard against surprise, and put the ship in as
good a state of defence as possible, keeping her entire armament in
good and efficient order, and firing every night an eight o’clock gun,
to apprise the natives that we were not sleeping upon our posts, we
commenced taking in pepper, and so continued for three or four days,
the Malays appearing very friendly.
“On Monday, February 7, 1831, early in the morning, while we were
at breakfast, my old and tried friend, Po Adam, a native well-known
to traders on this coast, came on board in a small canoe from his
residence at Pulo Kio, in order to proceed on shore in the ship’s
boat, which shortly after started with the second officer, four seamen
and myself. On our way Po Adam expressed much anxiety for the safety
of the ship, and also an entire want of confidence in Mr. Knight, the
first officer, remarking in his broken English, ‘_he no look sharp, no
understand Malay-man_.’
“On being asked if he _really_ believed his countrymen would dare to
attack the ship, he replied in the affirmative. I then observed to
the second officer that it certainly behooved us, the boat’s crew,
who were more exposed than any of the ship’s company, to be on our
guard against surprise and proposed when we next came on shore to come
prepared to defend ourselves.
“When we reached the landing we were kindly received, as usual. The
natives were bringing in pepper very slowly; only now and then a
single Malay would make his appearance with a bag upon his head, and
it was not until nearly three o’clock in the afternoon that sufficient
was collected to commence weighing; and between three and four o’clock
the first boat started from the shore. The natives were, however,
still bringing in pepper, with a promise of another boat load during
the day. This was a mere subterfuge to keep us on shore.
“As the boat was passing out of the river, I noticed her stop off one
of the points, and believing it to be the object of her crew to steal
pepper, and secrete it among the neighboring high grass, two men were
sent down to look after them. They soon returned, remarking that there
appeared to be nothing wrong. The ship lay about three-fourths of a
mile from the shore, and between the scale-house and the beach there
was a piece of rising ground, so that standing at the scales we could
just see the ship’s topgallant yards.
“I had observed a vessel in the offing in the course of the day,
apparently approaching this place or Soosoo, and, being at leisure, I
walked towards the beach to ascertain if she had hoisted any national
colours. The instant I had proceeded far enough to see our ship’s
hull, I observed that the pepper-boat, which was at this time within
two or three hundred feet of her, appeared to contain a large number
of men. My suspicions were instantly aroused, and I returned to
question the men who were sent down to the mouth of the river.
“I was then informed, for the first time, that as they had approached
the boat six or seven Malays jumped up from the high grass and rushed
on board her; and as she passed out of the river, they saw her take
in from a passing ferry boat about the same number; but as they all
appeared to be ‘_youngsters_,’ to use their own expression, they did
not think the circumstance of sufficient importance to mention it.
They were reprimanded for such an omission of duty, accompanied with
the remark:
“‘Your youngsters, as you call them, will, I suspect, be found old
enough in iniquity, to capture the ship, if once admitted upon her
decks.’
“The words of Po Adam, that morning, that ‘_Mr. Knight no look sharp,
no understand Malay-man_,’ now struck me with their full force and a
fearful foreboding, and I appealed to Mr. Barry, the second officer,
for his opinion as to what would be Mr. Knight’s probable course,
remarking ‘_he certainly will not disobey his orders_.’ Mr. Barry,
however, expressed his fears as to the result, remarking he knew so
well the contempt which Mr. Knight entertained for these people,
‘that he will probably conclude your precautions to be altogether
unnecessary, and that he can allow them to come on board with
impunity, without your ever knowing anything of the circumstances, and
no harm will come of it.’
“This view of the case certainly did not allay my anxiety, and I
observed, ‘if your predictions prove correct, the ship is taken,’ but
concluding it to be altogether too late for us on shore to render any
assistance to the ship, and still clinging to the hope that Mr. Knight
would, after all, be faithful to his trust, Mr. Barry and two men were
directed to walk towards the beach without any apparent concern, and
watch the movements on board.
“I should have remarked, that on my own way up the beach, just before
I passed near a tree under the shade of which a group of ten or twelve
natives were apparently holding a consultation, all conversation
ceased. The object of this meeting, as I was afterwards informed, was
to consider whether it would be better to kill us _before_ attempting
to take the ship or _afterwards_; and the conclusion arrived at was
to be sure of the ship _first_, the killing of us appearing to them
as easy, to use their own simile, as cutting off the heads of so many
fowls; the manner _how_ had already been decided, the time _when_ was
all there was to be considered—a native having been already appointed,
and the price fixed for the assassination of each of the boat’s crew.
The price set upon my life was one thousand dollars, for the second
officer’s, five hundred dollars, and for each of the seamen one
hundred dollars.
“As soon as Mr. Barry has reached an elevation where he could fairly
see the ship’s hull, he turned short round, and walked, without
hastening his steps, directly towards me—passing me, however, without
discovering any emotion, and said, ‘there is trouble on board, sir.’
“To the question ‘What did you see?’ he replied, ‘men jumping
overboard.’
“Convinced at once, of our own perilous situation, and that our escape
depended on extremely cautious and judicious management, I answered:
“‘We must show no alarm, but muster the men, and order them into the
boat.’
“We deliberately pushed off from the shore, the Malays having no
suspicion of our design, thinking it to be our intention, by our
apparently unconcerned manner, to cross the river for a stroll in the
opposite Bazar as was our frequent custom. The moment the boat’s stern
had left the bank of the river, Po Adam sprang into her in a great
state of excitement, to whom I exclaimed:
“‘What! do you come, too, Adam?’
“He answered: ‘You got trouble, Captain, if they kill you, must kill
Po Adam first.’
“He suggested we should steer the boat as far as possible from the
western bank of the river, which was here not more than one hundred
feet wide, when I remarked to the boat’s crew:
“‘Now spring to your oars, my lads, for your lives, or we are all dead
men.’
“Adam exhibited the utmost alarm and consternation, encouraging my men
to exert themselves, and talking English and Acheenise both in the
same breath—now exclaiming in Acheenise, ‘di-yoong di yoong hi!’ And
then exhorting them to ‘pull, pull strong!’
“As we doubled one of the points we saw hundreds of natives rushing
towards the river’s mouth, brandishing their weapons, and otherwise
menacing us. Adam, upon seeing this, was struck with dismay, and
exclaimed ‘if got blunderbuss will kill all,’ but luckily they were
not provided with that weapon.
“A ferry-boat was next discovered with ten or twelve Malays in her,
armed with long spears, evidently waiting to intercept us. I ordered
Mr. Barry into the bows of the boat, with Adam’s sword, to make
demonstrations, and also to con the boat in such a manner as to run
down the ferry boat, which I concluded was our only chance to escape.
With headlong impetuosity we were rushing towards our antagonist,
nerved with the feeling of desperation. With profound stillness and
breathless anxiety we awaited the moment of collision.
“The points of their pikes could be plainly seen. Already I observed
Mr. Barry with his sword raised, as if in the act of striking. But
when we had approached within some twenty feet, her crew appeared
completely panic-struck, and made an effort to get out of our way.
It was, however, a close shave—so close that one of their spears was
actually over the stern of our boat. The Malays on the bank of the
river appeared frantic at our escape, and ran into the water to their
armpits in their endeavors to intercept us, waving their swords above
their heads, and shouting at the top of their voices.
“We had now time calmly to contemplate the scene through which we
had just passed, with hearts, I trust, grateful to God for his
kind protection and safe guidance in the midst of its perils. This
was the part of their plan, otherwise well conceived, which was
defective—they had taken no measures to prevent our escape from the
shore, never doubting for a moment that our lives were at their
disposal, unprotected and defenceless as they saw us.
“Our doomed ship lay tranquilly in the roads, with sails furled, and
a pepper boat alongside, with a multitude of natives in every part of
her, and none of her own crew visible, with the exception of a man on
the top gallant yard, and some ten or twelve heads just even with the
surface of the water.
“The pirates were conspicuous in every corner of the _Friendship’s_
deck, waving their cloths, and making signals of success to the
natives on shore. My first impulse was to propose boarding her but I
was very properly reminded that if the ship with her full armament had
been taken with so many of her crew on board, we could do nothing in
our unarmed state toward her recapture.
“We continued, however, to row towards the ship until we could see
the Malays pointing her muskets at us from the quarterdeck, and they
appeared also to be clearing away the stern chasers, which we knew to
be loaded to their muzzles with grape and langrage. At this moment,
three large Malay boats crowded with men were seen coming out of
the river, directly towards us. While debating whether it would not
be best to proceed at once to Muckie for assistance, which was some
twenty-five miles distant, where we knew two or three American vessels
were laying, heavy clouds commenced rolling down over the mountains,
and the rumbling of distant thunder, and sharp flashes of lightning
gave sure indications that the land wind would be accompanied with
deluges of rain, rendering the night one of Egyptian darkness, in
which it would be almost impossible to grope our way safely along
shore towards that place.
“Under these discouraging prospects, Po Adam advised us to proceed to
Pulo Kio, and take shelter in his fort. Submitting ourselves almost
wholly to his guidance, we at once pulled away for that place, but
before we reached it his heart failed him, and he represented his
fort as not sufficiently strong to resist a vigorous assault, and he
would not therefore be responsible for our lives, but suggested we
should proceed to Soosoo, some two miles further from the scene of
the outrage. We accordingly proceeded for Soosoo river, which we had
scarcely entered when Po Adam’s confidence again forsook him, and he
advised us not to land. We therefore only filled a keg with water from
the river and came out over the bar, intending to make the best of our
way to Muckie.
“The night now came on dark and lowering, and just as we left Soosoo
river, the land wind, which had been some time retarded by a strong
sea breeze overtook us, accompanied with heavy thunder and torrents
of rain, which came pelting down upon our unprotected heads. Sharp
flashes of lightning occasionally shot across the gloom, which
rendered the scene still more fearful. We double manned two of the
oars with Mr. Barry and Po Adam, and I did the best I could to keep
the boat’s head down the coast, it being impossible to see any
object on shore, or even to hear the surf by which we could judge
our distance from it. Having proceeded in this way until we began to
think ourselves near North Tallapow, off which was a dangerous shoal,
it became a matter of concern how we should keep clear of it. We
frequently laid upon our oars and listened, to ascertain if we could
hear it break. Directly we felt the boat lifted upon a high wave,
which we knew must be the roller upon this shoal, which passing, broke
with a fearful crash some three or four hundred feet from us.
“Having thus providentially passed this dangerous spot in safety, the
weather began to clear a little, and here and there a star appeared.
The off shore wind, too, became more steady and the rain ceased.
We ripped up some gunny bags which were left in the boat, and tied
them together for a sail, under which we found the boat bounded along
quite briskly; we therefore laid in our oars, all hands being quite
exhausted, and proceeded in this way the rest of the distance to
Muckie, where we arrived at about one o’clock, A. M.
“We found here the ship _James Monroe_, Porter, of New York, brig
_Governor Endicott_, Jenks, of Salem, and brig _Palmer_, Powers,
of Boston. On approaching the roads, we were first hailed from the
_Governor Endicott_, and to the question ‘What boat is that?’ the
response was ‘the _Friendship_, from Qualah Battoo,’ which answer
was immediately followed with the question ‘Is that _you_, Capt.
Endicott,’ ‘Yes,’ was the answer, ‘with all that are left of us.’
“Having communicated with the other vessels, their commanders repaired
on board the _Governor Endicott_, when it was instantly concluded to
proceed with their vessels to Qualah Battoo, and endeavor to recover
the ship. These vessels were laying with most of their sails unbent,
but their decks were quickly all life and animation, and the work
of bending sails proceeded so rapidly that before 3 o’clock all the
vessels were out of the roads and heading up the coast towards Qualah
Battoo. It was our intention to throw as many of the crews of the
_Governor Endicott_ and _Palmer_ on board the _James Monroe_, as could
be prudently spared, she being the largest vessel, and proceed with
her directly into the roads, and lay her alongside the _Friendship_,
and carry her by boarding—the other vessels following at a short
distance. But as soon as we had completed all our arrangements, and
while we were yet several miles outside the port, the sea breeze
began to fail us, with indications that the land wind, like that of
the day before, would be accompanied with heavy rain. We, however,
stood on towards the place until the off shore wind and rain reached
us when all three vessels were obliged to anchor and suspend further
operations until the next morning.
“Before dark I had taken the bearings of the ship by compass,
intending, if circumstances favored it, to propose a descent upon her
during the night; but the heavy rain continued the most part of it and
we were baffled in that design.
“Daylight found us upon the decks of the _Monroe_, watching for the
ship, which, in the indistinct light, could not be discovered in the
roads. The horizon in the offing was also searched unsuccessfully with
our glasses, but we at last discovered her close in shore, far to the
westward of her late anchorage, inside a large cluster of dangerous
shoals, to which position, as it then appeared, the Malays must have
removed her during the night. One thing was certain we could not carry
out our design of running her alongside in her present situation; the
navigation would be too dangerous for either of the ships. At this
moment we saw a prou, or Malay trading craft, approaching the roads
from the westward, with which I communicated, hired a canoe, and sent
a messenger on shore to inform the Rajahs that if they would give the
ship up peaceably to us we would not molest them, otherwise we should
fire both upon her and the town.
“After waiting a considerable time for the return of the messenger,
during which we could see boats loaded with plunder passing close in
shore from the ship, this delay seemed only a subterfuge to gain time,
and we fired a gun across the bows of one of them. In a few minutes
the canoe which we had sent on shore was seen putting off. The answer
received, however, was one of defiance: ‘that they should not give her
up so easily, but we might take her _if we could_.’
[Illustration: The _Glide_ (See Chapter XXVI)]
[Illustration: The _Friendship_]
“All three vessels then opened fire upon the town and ship, which was
returned by the forts on shore, the Malays also firing our ship’s guns
at us. The first shot from one of the forts passed between the masts
of the _Governor Endicott_, not ten feet above the heads of the
crew, and the second struck the water just under her counter. This
vessel had been kedged in close to the shore within point blank shot
of the fort, with springs upon her cable, determined on making every
gun tell. The spirited manner in which their fire was returned soon
silenced this fort, which mounted six six-pounders and several small
brass pieces.
“It appeared afterward, by the testimony of one of my crew, who was
confined here, that the firing was so effectual that it dismounted
their guns and split the carriages. The other two forts, situated at
a greater distance from the beach, continued firing, and no progress
was made towards recapturing the ship, which, after all, was our only
object. It was now between three and four o’clock, and it was certain
that if the Malays were allowed to hold possession of the ship much
longer, they would either get her on shore or burn her. We then held
a council of war on board the _Monroe_, and concluded to board her
with as large a force as we could carry in three boats; and that the
command of the expedition should, of course, devolve upon me. At this
juncture the ship ceased firing. We observed a column of smoke rise
from her decks abreast the mainmast, and there appeared to be great
confusion on board. We subsequently ascertained that they had blown
themselves up by setting fire to an open keg of powder from which they
were loading the guns after having expended all the cartridges.
“The ship lay with her port side towards us, and, with the intention
of getting out of the range of her guns, we pulled to the westward
at an angle of some 33 deg., until we opened her starboard bow, when
we bore up in three divisions for boarding, one at each gangway, and
the other over the bows. We were now before the wind, and two oars
in each boat were sufficient to propel them; the rest of the crew,
armed to the teeth with muskets, cutlasses and pistols, sat quietly
in their places, with their muskets pointed at the ship as the boats
approached.
“The Malays now, for the first time, seemed to comprehend our
design, and as we neared the ship, were struck with consternation,
and commenced deserting her with all possible dispatch, and in the
greatest confusion. The numerous boats of all descriptions alongside
were immediately filled, and the others jumped overboard and swam for
the shore. When we reached the ship, there was to all appearances no
one on board. Still fearing some treachery, we approached her with
the same caution, and boarded her, cutlasses in hand. Having reached
her decks and finding them deserted, before we laid aside our arms a
strict search was made with instructions to cut down any who should be
found and give no quarter. But she was completely forsaken—not a soul
on board.
“Her appearance, at the time we boarded her defies description;
suffice it to say, every part of her bore ample testimony to the
violence and destruction with which she had been visited. That
many lives had been sacrificed her blood-stained decks abundantly
testified. We found her within pistol shot of the beach, with most
of her sails cut loose and flying from the yards. Why they had not
succeeded in their attempts to get her on shore, was soon apparent.
A riding turn on the chain around the windlass, which they were not
sailors enough to clear, had no doubt prevented it. There had been
evidently a fruitless attempt to cut it off. While we were clearing
the chain, and preparing to kedge the ship off into the roads, the
Malays, still bent upon annoying us and unwilling to abandon their
prize, were seen drawing a gun over the sandy beach upon a drag
directly under our stern, which, being fired, it jumped off the
carriage and was abandoned. It was the work of a short time for us
to kedge the ship off into deep water and anchor her in comparative
security alongside the other ships in the roads.
“The next morning a canoe was seen approaching the _James Monroe_ from
Pulo Kio, with five or six men in her whom we took, as a matter of
course, to be natives; but we were soon hailed from that ship, and
informed that four of the number were a part of our own crew. Their
haggard and squalid appearance bespoke what they had suffered. It
would seem impossible that in the space of four days, men could, by
any casualty, so entirely lose their identity. It was only by asking
their names that I knew any of them. They were without clothing
other than loose pieces of cotton cloth thrown over their persons,
their hair matted, their bodies crisped and burnt in large, running
blisters, besides having been nearly devoured by musquitos, the poison
of whose stings had left evident traces of its virulence; their flesh
wasted away, and even the very tones of their voices changed. They had
been wandering about in the jungle without food ever since the ship
was taken. Their account of the capture of the ship was as follows:
“When the pepper-boat came alongside, it was observed by the crew that
all on board her were strangers. They were also better dressed than
boatmen generally, all of them having on white or yellow jackets, and
new ivory-handled kreises. No notice appeared to be taken of these
suspicious circumstances by the mate, and all except two men, who were
left to pass up pepper, were admitted indiscriminately to come on
board. One of the crew, named Wm. Parnell, who was stationed at the
gangway to pass along pepper, made some remark, to call the mate’s
attention to the number of natives on board, and was answered in a
gruff manner, and asked if he was afraid. ‘No,’ replied the man, ‘not
afraid, but I know it to be contrary to the regulations of the ship.’
“He was ordered, with an oath, to pass along pepper and mind his own
business. The natives were also seen by the crew sharpening their
kreises upon the grindstone which stood upon the forecastle, and a
man named Chester, who was subsequently killed while starting pepper
down the fore hatch, asked them in pantomime what so many of them
wanted on board and was answered in the same way, that they came off
to see the ship. He was heard by one of the crew to say, ‘we must look
out you do not come for anything worse,’ at the same time drawing a
handspike within his reach.
The Malays had distributed themselves about the decks in the most
advantageous manner for an attack, and at some preconcerted signal
a simultaneous assault upon the crew was made in every part of the
ship. Two Malays were seen by the steward to rush with their kreises
upon Mr. Knight, who was very badly stabbed in the back and side,
the weapons appearing to be buried in his body up to their very
hilts. Chester at the fore hatch, notwithstanding his distrust and
precaution, was killed outright and supposed to have fallen into the
hold. The steward at the galley was also badly wounded, and was only
saved from death by the kreis striking hard against a short rib, which
took the force of the blow. Of the two men on the stage over the
ship’s side, one was killed and the other so badly wounded as to be
made a cripple for life.
“The chief officer was seen, after he was stabbed, to rush aft upon
the starboard side of the quarterdeck and endeavor to get a boarding
pike out of the beckets abreast the mizzen rigging, where he was met
by Parnell to whom he exclaimed, ‘_do your duty_.’ At the same instant
two or three Malays rushed upon him and he was afterwards seen lying
dead near the same spot, with a boarding pike under him.
“On the instant the crew found the ship attacked, they attempted to
get aft into the cabin for arms but the Malays had placed a guard
on each side of the companionway which prevented them; they then
rushed forward for handspikes and were again intercepted; and being
completely bewildered, surprised and defenceless, and knowing that
several of their shipmates had already been killed outright before
their eyes, and others wounded, all who could swim plunged overboard,
and the others took to the rigging or crept over the bows out of
sight. The decks were now cleared and the pirates had full possession
of the ship.
“The men in the water then consulted together what they should do,
concluding it certain death to return to the ship; and they determined
it would be the safest to swim on shore, and secrete themselves in the
jungle; but as they approached it they observed the beach about Qualah
Battoo lined with natives, and they proceeded more to the westward
and landed upon a point called Ouj’ong Lamah Moodah nearly two miles
distant from the ship. On their way they had divested themselves of
every article of clothing, and they were entirely naked at the time
they landed.
“As it was not yet dark, they sought safety and seclusion in the
jungle, from whence they emerged as soon as they thought it safe, and
walked upon the beach in the direction of Cape Felix and Annalaboo,
intending to make the best of their way to the latter place, with
the hope of meeting there some American vessel. At daylight they
sought a hiding-place again in the bushes, but it afforded them only
a partial protection from the scorching rays of the sun from which,
being entirely naked, they experienced the most dreadful effects.
Hunger and thirst began also to make demands upon them; but no food
could anywhere be found. They tried to eat grass, but their stomachs
refused it. They found a few husks of the cocoanut, which they chewed,
endeavoring to extract some nourishment from them but in vain.
“They staid in their hiding-place the whole of this day, and saw
Malays passing along the beach but were afraid to discover themselves.
At night they pursued their journey again, during which they passed
several small streams, where they slaked their thirst but obtained
no food. About midnight they came to a very broad river, which they
did not venture to cross. The current was very rapid, and having been
thirty-six hours without food of any kind, they did not dare attempt
swimming it. Here, then, they were put completely _hors de combat_;
they found for want of food their energies were fast giving way, and
still they believed their lives depended on not being discovered.
“Since further progress towards Annalaboo appeared impossible, they
resolved to retrace their steps, endeavor to pass Qualah Battoo in
the night without being discovered and reach the hospitable residence
of Po Adam, at Pulo Kio. They accordingly took up their line of march
towards that place, and reached, as they supposed, the neighborhood of
Cape Felix by the morning, when they again retreated to the jungle,
where they lay concealed another day, being Wednesday, the day of the
recapture of the ship, but at too great distance to hear the firing.
At night they again resumed their journey, and having reached the spot
where the Malays landed in so much haste when they deserted the ship,
they found the beach covered with canoes, a circumstance which aroused
their suspicions but for which they were at a loss to account.
“They now concluded to take a canoe as the most certain way of passing
Qualah Battoo without discovery, and so proceed to Pulo Kio. As they
passed the roads, they heard one of the ship’s bells strike the hour,
and the well-known cry of ‘_All’s Well_,’ but fearing it was some
decoy of the natives, they would not approach her but proceeded on
their way, and landed at Pulo Kio, secreting themselves once more in
the jungle, near the residence of Po Adam until the morning, when four
naked and half-famished white men were seen to emerge from the bushes
and approach his fort with feeble steps. As soon as recognized they
were welcomed by him with the strongest demonstrations of delight;
slapping his hands, shouting at the top of his lungs, and in the
exuberance of his joy committing all kinds of extravagances. They
now heard of the recapture of the ship, and the escape of the boat’s
crew on shore, who, it had never occurred to them, were not already
numbered with the dead.
“Having refreshed themselves (being the first food they had tasted in
seventy-two hours), they were conveyed by Adam and his men on board
the _James Monroe_ in the pitiful condition of which we have before
spoken.
“In the course of the latter part of the same day, another canoe,
with a white flag displayed, was observed approaching the fleet from
the direction of Qualah Battoo, containing three or four Chinamen
who informed us that four of our own men, two of whom were wounded,
one very severely, were at their houses on shore, where their wounds
had been dressed and they had been otherwise cared for; and that we
could ransom them of the Rajahs at ten dollars each. To this I readily
agreed, and they were soon brought off to the ship in a sampan, and
proved to be Charles Converse and Gregorie Pedechio, seamen, Lorenzo
Migell, cook, and William Francis, steward.
“Converse was laid out at full length upon a board, as if dead,
evidently very badly wounded. The story of the poor fellow was a sad
one. He, with John Davis, being the two tallest men in the ship, were
on the stage over the side when she was attacked. Their first impulse
was, to gain the ship’s decks, but they were defeated in this design
by the pirates who stood guard over the gangway and making repeated
thrusts at them. They then made a desperate attempt to pass over the
pepper-boat, and thus gain the water, in doing which they were both
most severely wounded. Having reached the water, Converse swam round
to the ship’s bows and grasped the chain, to which he clung as well
as he was able, being badly crippled in one of his hands, with other
severe wounds in various parts of his body. When it became dark, he
crawled up over the bows as well as his exhausted strength from the
loss of blood would permit, and crept to the foot of the forecastle
stairs, where he supposed he must have fainted, and fell prostrate
upon the floor without the power of moving himself one inch further.
“The Malays believing him dead, took no heed of him, but traveled
up and down over his body the whole night. Upon attempting to pass
over the boat, after being foiled in his endeavor to reach the ship’s
decks, a native made a pass at his head with his ‘_parrung_,’ a weapon
resembling most a butcher’s cleaver, which he warded off by throwing
up his naked arm, and the force of the blow fell upon the outerpart of
his hand, severing all the bones and sinews belonging to three of his
fingers, and leaving untouched only the fore finger and thumb. Besides
this he received a kreis wound in the back which must have penetrated
to the stomach, for he bled from his mouth the most part of the night.
He was likewise very badly wounded just below the groin, which came so
nearly through the leg as to discolor the flesh upon the inside.
“Wonderful, however, to relate, notwithstanding the want of proper
medical advice, and with nothing but the unskillful treatment of three
or four shipmasters, the thermometer ranging all the time, from 85
to 90 deg., this man recovered from his wounds, but in his crippled
hand he carried the marks of Malay perfidy to his watery grave, having
been drowned at sea from on board of the brig _Fair America_, in the
winter of 1833-4, which was, no doubt, occasioned by this wound which
unfitted him for holding on properly while aloft.
“The fate of his companion Davis, was a tragical one. He could not
swim, and after reaching the water was seen to struggle hard to gain
the boat’s tackle-fall at the stern, to which he clung until the
Malays dropped the pepper boat astern, when he was observed apparently
imploring mercy at their hands, which the wretches did not heed, but
butchered him upon the spot.
“Gregory was the man seen aloft when we had cleared the river,
cutting strange antics which we did not at the time comprehend. By
his account, when he reached the fore topgallant yard, the pirates
commenced firing the ship’s muskets at him, which he dodged by getting
over the front side of the yard and sail and down upon the collar of
the stay, and then reversing the movement. John Masury related that
after being wounded in the side, he crept over the bows of the ship
and down upon an anchor, where he was sometime employed in dodging the
thrusts of a boarding pike in the hands of a Malay, until the arrival
of a reinforcement from the shore when every one fearing lest he
should not get his full share of plunder, ceased further to molest the
wounded.
“The ship, the first night after her capture, according to the
testimony of these men, was a perfect pandemonium, and a Babel of
the most discordant sounds. The ceaseless moaning of the surf upon
the adjacent shore, the heavy peals of thunder, and sharp flashings
of lightning directly over their heads, the sighing of the wind in
wild discords through the rigging, like the wailings of woe from the
_manes_ of their murdered shipmates; and all this intermingled with
the more earthly sounds of the squealing of pigs, the screeching of
fowls, the cackling of roosters, the unintelligible jargon of the
natives, jangling and vociferating, with horrible laughter, shouts
and yells, in every part of her, and in the boats alongside carrying
off plunder, their black figures unexpectedly darting forth from
every unseen quarter, as if rising up and again disappearing through
the decks, and gambolling about in the dark, must have been like a
saturnalia of demons.
“It is the general impression that Malays, being Musselmen, have a
holy horror of swine, as unclean animals; the very touch of which
imposes many ablutions and abstinence from food for several days
together, but, according to the testimony of my men, it was perfectly
marvellous how they handled those on board our ship, going in their
pens, seizing, struggling, and actually embracing them, until they
succeeded in throwing every one overboard.
“The morning succeeding the capture of the _Friendship_, affairs on
board appeared to be getting to be a little more settled, when several
Chinamen came off and performed the part of good Samaritans, taking
the wounded men on shore to their houses, and dressing their wounds
with some simple remedies which at least kept down inflammation. In
doing this, however, they were obliged to barricade their dwellings,
to guard them against the insulting annoyances of the natives.
“Qualah Battoo bazar that day presented a ludicrous spectacle. Almost
every Malay was decked out in a white, blue, red, checked, or striped
shirt, or some other European article of dress or manufacture stolen
from the ship, not even excepting the woolen table cloth belonging
to the cabin, which was seen displayed over the shoulders of a
native, all seemingly quite proud of their appearance, and strutting
about with solemn gravity and oriental self-complacency. Their novel
and grotesque appearance could not fail to suggest the idea that a
tribe of monkeys had made a descent upon some unfortunate clothing
establishment, and each had seized and carried off whatever article of
dress was most suited to his taste and fancy.
“The ship was now once more in our possession, with what remained of
her cargo and crew. She was rifled of almost every movable article
on board, and scarcely anything but her pepper remaining. Of our
outward cargo every dollar of specie, and every pound of opium had, of
course, become a prey to them. All her spare sails and rigging were
gone—not a needle or ball of twine, palm, marling spike, or piece
of rope were left! All our charts, chronometers and other nautical
instruments—all our clothing and bedding, were also gone; as well as
our cabin furniture and small stores of every description. Our ship’s
provisions, such as beef, pork and most of our bread, had, however,
been spared. Of our armament nothing but the large guns remained.
Every pistol, musket, cutlass, and boarding pike, with our entire
stock of powder, had been taken.
“With assistance from the other vessels we immediately began making
the necessary preparations to leave the port with all possible
dispatch, but owing to much rainy weather we did not accomplish it for
three days after recapturing the ship, when we finally succeeded in
leaving the place in company with the fleet bound for South Tallapow,
where we arrived on the fourteenth of February. When we landed at
this place with the other masters and supercargoes, we were followed
through the streets of the bazar by the natives in great crowds,
exulting and hooting, with exclamations similar to these:
“‘Who great man now, Malay or American?’ ‘How many man American dead?’
‘How many man Malay dead?’
“We now commenced in good earnest to prepare our ship for sea. Our
voyage had been broken up, and there was nothing left for us but to
return to the United States. We finally left Muckie, whither we had
already proceeded, on the twenty-seventh of February, for Pulo Kio
(accompanied by the ship _Delphos_, Capt. James D. Gillis, and the
_Gov. Endicott_, Capt. Jenks), where I was yet in hopes to recover
some of my nautical instruments. With the assistance of Po Adam, I
succeeded in obtaining, for a moderate sum, my sextant and one of my
chronometers, which enabled me to navigate the ship. We sailed from
Pulo Kio on the fourth of March, and arrived at Salem on the sixteenth
of July.
“The intense interest and excitement caused by our arrival home may
still be remembered. It being nearly calm, as we approached the harbor
we were boarded several miles outside by crowds of people, all anxious
to learn the most minute particulars of our sad misfortune, the news
of which had proceeded us by the arrival of a China ship at New York
which we had met at St. Helena. The curiosity of some of our visitors
was so great that they would not be satisfied until they knew the
exact spot where every man stood, who was either killed or wounded.
Even the casing of the cabin, so much cut up in search of money or
other valuables, was an object of the greatest interest.
“But the feeling of presumptuous exultation and proud defiance
exhibited by the natives, was of brief duration. The avenger was
at hand. In something less than a year after this outrage, the
U. S. Frigate, _Potomac_, Com. Downes, appeared off the port of
Qualah Battoo, and anchored in the outer roads, disguised as a
merchantman. Every boat which visited her from the shore was detained
that her character might not be made known to the natives. Several
amusing anecdotes were told, of the fear and terror exhibited in
the countenances of the natives, when they so unexpectedly found
themselves imprisoned within the wooden walls of the _Potomac_,
surrounded by such a formidable armament, which bespoke the errand
that had attracted her to their shores. They prostrated themselves at
full length upon her decks, trembling in the most violent manner, and
appearing to think nothing but certain death awaited them.
“A reconnoitering party was first sent on shore, professedly for the
purpose of traffic. But when they approached, the natives came down
to the beach in such numbers that it excited their suspicions that
the frigate’s character and errand had somehow preceded her, and it
was considered prudent not to land. Having, therefore, examined the
situation of the forts and the means of defence, they returned to
the _Potomac_. The same night some 300 men, under the guidance of
Mr. Barry, the former second officer of the _Friendship_, who was
assistant sailing-master of the frigate, landed to the westward of the
place with the intention of surprising the forts and the town, but
by some unaccountable delay the morning was just breaking when the
detachment had effected a landing, and as they were marching along the
beach towards the nearest fort, a Malay came out of it, by whom they
were discovered and an alarm given.
“They pushed on, however, and captured the forts by storm after some
hard fighting, and set fire to the town which was burnt to ashes. The
natives, not even excepting the women, fought with great desperation,
many of whom would not yield until shot down or sabred on the spot.
The next day the frigate was dropped in within gunshot, and bombarded
the place, to impress them with the power and ability of the United
States to avenge any act of piracy or other indignity offered by them
to her flag.
“When I visited the coast again, some five months after this event, I
found the deportment of the natives materially changed. There was now
no longer exhibited either arrogance or proud defiance. All appeared
impressed with the irresistible power of a nation that could send such
tremendous engines of war as the _Potomac_ frigate upon their shores
to avenge any wrongs committed upon its vessels, and that it would
be better policy for them to attend to their pepper plantations and
cultivate the arts of peace, than subject themselves to such severe
retribution as had followed this act of piracy upon the _Friendship_.
“Perhaps, in justice to Po Adam, I ought to remark that the account
circulated by his countrymen of his conniving at, if not being
actually connected with this piracy (a falsehood with which they found
the means of deceiving several American shipmasters soon after the
affair), is a base calumny against a worthy man, and has no foundation
whatever in truth. The property he had in my possession on board the
ship, in gold ornaments of various kinds, besides money, amounting to
several thousand dollars, all of which he lost by the capture of the
ship and never recovered, bears ample testimony to the falsity of
this charge. His countrymen also worked upon the avarice and cupidity
of the king by misrepresentations of his exertions to recover the
ship, thereby preventing them from making him a present of her which
they pretended was their intention. His sable majesty, in consequence,
absolved every one of Po Adam’s debtors, all along the coast, from
paying him their debts. He also confiscated all his property he could
find, such as fishing-boats, nets and lines and other fishing tackle,
and appropriated the proceeds to his own use, so that Po Adam was at
once reduced to penury. All this was in accordance with commodore
Bieulieu’s account, upwards of two hundred years before, viz: ‘If they
ever _suspect_ that any one bears them an ill will, they endeavor to
ruin him by false accusations.’
“The king also sent a small schooner down the coast, soon after, to
reap further vengeance upon Po Adam. Arriving at Pulo Kio, while Adam
was absent, they rifled his fort of everything valuable and even took
the ornaments, such as armlets and anklets, off the person of his
wife. Intelligence having been conveyed to Po Adam of this outrage, he
arrived home the night before the schooner had left the harbor, and
incensed, as it was natural he should be, at such base and cowardly
treatment, he immediately opened a fire upon her and sunk her in nine
feet of water. She was afterwards fished up by the _Potomac_ frigate
and converted into firewood.
“We do not know if Po Adam is now living, but some sixteen years
since, we saw a letter from him to one of our eminent merchants,
Joseph Peabody, Esq., of Salem, Mass., asking for assistance from
our citizens and stating truthfully all the facts in his case. I
endeavored at the time, through our representative to Congress, to
bring the matter before that body but from some cause it did not
succeed, and the poor fellow has been allowed to _live_, if not _die_,
in his penury. We will, however, permit him to state his own case, in
his own language, which he does in the following letter, written at
his own dictation:
“‘Qualah Battoo, 7th October, 1841. Some years have passed since
the capture of the _Friendship_, commanded by my old friend, Capt.
Endicott.
“‘It perhaps is not known to you, that, by saving the life of
Capt. Endicott, and the ship itself from destruction, I became, in
consequence, a victim to the hatred and vengeance of my misguided
countrymen; some time since, the last of my property was set on fire
and destroyed, and now, for having been the steadfast friend of
Americans, I am not only destitute, but an object of derision to my
countrymen.
“‘You, who are so wealthy and so prosperous, I have thought, that, if
acquainted with these distressing circumstances, you would not turn a
deaf ear to my present condition.
“‘I address myself to you, because through my agency many of your
ships have obtained cargoes, but I respectfully beg that you will
have the kindness to state my case to the rich pepper merchants of
Salem and Boston, firmly believing that from their generosity, and
your own, I shall not have reason to regret the warm and sincere
friendship ever displayed towards your Captains, and all other
Americans, trading on this Coast....
“‘Wishing you, Sir, and your old companions in the Sumatra trade, and
their Captains, health and prosperity, and trusting that, before many
moons I shall, through your assistance, be released from my present
wretched condition, believe me very respectfully,
“‘Your faithful servant,
“(Signed) ‘PO ADAM’ (in Arabic characters).”