112
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO
by enticing some young men to leave home and go on board the cooly ships under false pretences
25th-Sailed from Amoy. "I find. we have more than a hundred opium smokers on "board, and God only knows what is to become of them when their opium is exhausted.”
"I have no interpreter. The one engaged affected his escape" in the hurry of sailing. "I have employed one of the coolies, who can speak a little English, to act as
interpreter, but he can do very little good.'
26th-Warmer weather, but still very rough. Got the people on deck with much difficulty.
27th.-Fine weather. No attempts at cooking yet. "To the few who want anything to eat we give biscuit; no cases requiring medicine."
28th--Sunday. Two men fighting; one of them confined on the poop. Many cases of indolent ulcers and scabies.
29th. People arranged into messes of ten men each. An opium smoker attacked with delirium tremens, in consequence of his stock being exhausted;
30th. And died next day.
Dec. 1.-Warm and squally. Most of the people appear to have been impoverished. Many of them now affected with fevers, diarrhoeas, and diseases of the skin.
5th.-A desperate fight about a theft of some opium. In the afternoon the man who has been in irons broke the lock and escaped below. He was soon re-ironed. "We "should not be so rigid with him, but he has been threatening to kill the one with whom "he fought, jump overboard, &e”
7th.-Made the
Islands. One case of bilious fever and five cases of diarrhea constitute the sick list. Fine weather and smooth sea. Coolies 7" almost constantly fighting furiously among themselves, and so reckless and savage, they use any weapon they can seize."
14
Then come suspicions of a meeting. A search was made for weapons, and there were found secreted in their bags "five heavy iron scrapers, two belaying pins, and billets of
firewood, besides other articles which they had picked up about the decks and secreted "in their bags, and on the ledges of the beams.”
8th...
**
24
"The appearance of things on board is assuming rather a serious aspect. "Last evening at 8 o'clock one of the young men, of rather better stamp than the others, "came to me and endeavoured to make me understand something very earnestly. From the few Chinese words I understand and, from his motions, I learned that the boy Jim was a bad man, and that he had plenty more men that were going to kill me, and "everybody else, and then run the ship ashore on some of these islands. All day to-day "Jim has not come aft as usual, and has been with the gang I spoke of yesterday in " earnest conference."
"We are all convinced that the coolies meditate taking "the ship, but we can do nothing now but go well armed constantly."
9th.--Coolies? mostly looking better. Almost calm day, thermometer 86°. Large tubs of water placed on deck, in which the people bathe very generally. "I am well convinced, from the actions of all hands, that a large party of coolies are only awaiting an oppor- tunity of taking the ship."
10 PM. This afternoon the boy Jini asked the serang if he and his Lascars would remain neutral if the coolies (7) were to rise upon the "officers and European crew." And this said Jim promises several boxes of dollars on hoard to the Lascars if they would take the ship luck to Amoy!! or run her ashore. The ship's cook has then a tale of persecution to disclose because "E would not hand "them out the knives belonging to the galley," "All hands are on deck. The fore braces
are led aft upon the poop, and no one need go off except one or two to work ship
We would endeavour to get everybody below and put the hatches on, but it is so hot that they would suffocate. We are all prepared in a moment to meet any outbreak that may occur."
<
"
10th-"We have had an ugly day. During all last night, instead of the usual noise and the various lights, nothing could be heard but a suppressed whispering about the decks, and not a light was burned. We hung lanthorns over the front of the poop, so that they lit up the main deck, leaving us in darkness Everything remained quiet till about four in the morning, when one of the men reported a light close under the lee bow.
We looked over the bows about a minute and mile the light to proceed from a Malay prow, when, upon turning round, we saw the whole port side of the main deck full of men armed with wood, cook's choppers, and other things. We ran to the other side which was clear, and before any one could come round the galley, long boat, &c., we had reached the poop deck." Why it is they did not rise," I cannot tell," but "after looking at the prow and at ourselves, they went below and under the "forecastle."
#
2
#
“We passed Gaspar İsland.” Coolies down below holding an earnest conversation. To inquiries they reply "pil-long," point to the land, and make "me understand exactly what I knew, that those on deck were watching an opportunity to murder us, and run ashore." Then comes a story of Jim's about a threatened mutiny and butchery. "To-night we were to have been butchered, at the time I was making my regular round below, by first killing me below, and then rushing upon the poop with whatever they could lay their hands upon, and by the force of numbers overpower the crew. They then intended to run the ship ashore on one of these islands, which they supposed to be China, rob her
" and burn her." "off Puls
"clewed up."
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
113
"This afternoon, drifted within a mile of the reefs and rocks The anchor was let go immediately in 19 fathoms and the sail
Then comes a narrative of every man, i.e. sailor, being armed and stationed upon the poop.
Mr. Easthorn and the doctor, with half a dozen Lascars, went forward with concealed weapons to the forecastle, and as usual" they "found the two men deep in a "serious discussion. Presenting pistols at the head of each one we suddenly seized them, and in spite of the desperate resistance of one of them, dragged them upon the poop. "The affair was so quickly and silently done that they had no idea of anything of the "kind till it was over, and their surrounding companions seemed so taken by surprise
that they offered no remonstrance or resistance."
Then comes an account of their being placed in irons, and accusing Jin of starting the plot." Jim seems "very much confusedl," but as nothing is to be gained by punishing him, they are tacticians enough "never to let him know but what they think him entirely innocent."
dia-
Next comes a lecture "about the good country where they were going to, where they ✦ would be used well, and not made to work hard," &c. &c. "And also that if "turbance was made on board, we should not do as we had now done, and risk our own
any lives to save theirs, but we should shoot down the actors without mercy. Every one expressed his satisfaction," &c. &c.
+
*
Doubts, however, are still recorded. "The greater part we have on board are quite savage, many of them never having seen a European before coming to Amoy to go away, and having as little idea of right and wrong as the WANDERING SAVAGES OF THE "WILDERNESSES OF AMERICA. They are fierce, cunning, ill-natured, revengeful, apl hypocritical, and we have far more to do to keep anything like order among them than if they were so many monkeys.'
[
+
January 1, 1853-"This morning we found one man dead on the lower deck." Cause of death "supposed to be apoplexy.'
Here also (p. 42) is entered a difference of opinion between the captain and surgeon as
to the duties of the Intter.
2d.-Sick list contains 37 patients:
3d. This day 30 patients.
4th.-27 patients and two deaths, one from diarrhea and the other from hamnorrlage
from the bowels; this latter "enused, I believe, from unnatural intercourse."
5th.
Another death from hæmorrhage.
6th.-30 cases of sickness, and one death from diarrhoea,
7th.-34 cases of sickness, and one death as above.
8th.-33 on the sick list.
9th.-35 cases.
10th-35 cases.
11th-31 cases.
Lat. 25 S. long. 56° E. 28 of the cases are diarrhea.
•
One death from peritonitis.
12th.-"Case of intermittent fever, DEAD" (No. 11); also one opium smoker (diarrhea, (No. 12.)
LL
13th. No new cases,
14th."Two cases of diarrha-an died (Nos. 13 and 14). One man endeavoured to throw himself overboard, but was caught by a Lascar."
15th. "Captain Hurst has thought that emetics would have a good effect upon some
of the cases........ Yesterday I gave a man an emetic, which he picked out as à suitabl case, and he died this morning (No. 15),"
"We mustered, and counted everybody to-day, und find we have but 333 inen on board.
15 have died, and the other four have at different times jumped into the sea when we
have not seen them." ......... "My interpreter says that the men have jumped over- board because they did not want to go away from Amoy.",
16th. Two deaths from diarrhea (Nos. 16 and 17).
17th, 18th, and 19th- Going on much the same; no new cases. Made Ram Head and Brazen Head on coast of Africa, four pan., 19th."
20th. One death from heart disease (No. 18).
21st.-"One case of diarrhoea and prostration, which has resisted all remedies, and who seemed determined to die, and who was only prevented from drowning himself by being unable to get over the side," died this evening (No. 19).
22d.-Heavy head sen. "One man broke his arm going down the ladder to tie lower deck. One case of inflammation of lungs died to-day, caused by his persisting in lying on the wet deck without clothes (No. 20)."
23d.
Fine weather. Thermometer, 72",
24th.-('ase of diarrhea and partial insanity died (No. 21). 25th.-Thermometer, 682. Coolies () suffering from cold. 26th-31 on the sick list.
* 27th.-Passed the "Cape of Gland Hope,”
28th.
A boy died of worms (No. 22).
35 on the sick list.
29th.-31 on the sick list. A case of diarrhcon died (No. 23). For an unnatural crime
a man and a boy received two dozen lashes, besides being well pitched.
30th and 31st.-No alteration in the sick list.
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