The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-05-30
From the Nantucket Inquirer.

Snfp WILLIAM PENN. An Jerron eous
satement respecting the Whaling ship
hJn. Penn, Capt Swain, of Falmouth,
Vas copied among the mar ine memoranda
Il the Inquirer of Feb. til last, in the
Rords following
Ship VIM Penn. Swain (late Lincoln
off almouth, was at Rio Janerio Dec.
2lst, in charge Of a U. 5. Officer, to sail
Scxt day"
We know not where this paragraph orig
Mated. The most charitable conclusion
ftbat it proceeded iromthe over ofiicious-
Mss Of some newsmonger, who manu-
Ea,ured it from the bare fact that ship
.yen. Pean had arrived at Rio Janeiro
AZ ia the same column Of ship news con-
-aivAg the above extract, we lind this
item =
+, uM Baltimore, Feb. 3. ship William
.penp, Rl'Cleish, irop, Rio Janerio."
Those two notices would 'ni explain each
other, so far as the btunder might need ex-
planalion i; but it is still difficult to ac-
count for the Motipe which could prompt
so deliberate and manifest such perver-
sion of facts. Other reports, of Il nature
calculated, and TO all appearance, pur-
posely intended, to injure the credit oI
Capt. s. or to wound the feelings of his
friends aud connexions in this his native
place, have been circulated from time to
time. These, if it were orth the pains,
could probably be traced to some descrter
from the ship, ANXIOUS to justify his own
departure from duty, by exciting suSplc-
1 ion agnst the oilicers--an eXpedient not
unlrequently employed by those who
would shift their own sin TO the shoulders
of their betters.
! We have it now in our power, and are
happy in being able, through the 'instru-
mentality of Capt. Worth of the ship
Howard, just arrived from the Pacific o.
cean, to controvert those idle miscaievous
rumol s,by plain narrative such occur
rences to the vessel in question, as may
have furnished partial ground for the fab
ricatons which have been imposed upon
the community.
In November last, when Capt Worth
arrived at Oahu, he found the William
Penn there endeavorlng to procure officers
and seamen for the prosecution OF her
voyage. Capt. Swain stated that he
had lost two boats and their crews at the
island of Oteewby Zone Of the Navigators
Isis. land presumed that the men had
been massacred. The VIM. Penn hav-
! ing obtained a sufficient number Of men
though of Inferior capacity, to'supply this
deficiency. Lcl Oahu IN due time, in
order TO complete her voyage. As Capt
Worth had visited Oteewhy five months
previous, and met with very civil treat
ment from the natives, procuring water
and supplies without diiliiculty-and as
he had found sperm whales i'll the vicinity,
he concluded to make another call for the
purpose of obtaining such vegetables &c.
as might DO needed on his homeward pas
sage-as well as 10 acquire further inior-
nation of the fate OF Capt. Swan's men.
Accordingly he made for the island,
and on his passage fell in with ship Le-
vi Starbuck, Freeman, ot this place,
which vessel accompanied hm. They ar
rived in January last, aud were boarded
by the two head chiefs, together with
two English residents there, who acted as
interpreters. These white men were be-
fore known to Capt. w. VINO considered
them honest and trustworthy, though OF
rather limited Intelligence. From them
however. he learned thai Capt. Swain,
when he hove in sight stood in for the
". point OF the island, aud went on shore
with his boat. That while there, .hi'