Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-09-06
American Prisoner In Japap.

The first part of the very voluminous correspon-
dence relative to the visit Of the u S. Ship Preble
70 the port Nangasacki for the purpose of demand
ing sixteen American seamen held in prison by the
authorities of Japan, is published in the Washing
ton Union, filling neary two pages of that paper
we eondense the leading facts of this most Interests
ing narrative
About the beginning of June, 1848, fifteen men,
from the American whaler Lagoda, of New Bedford,
deserted the ship in boats when off the coast of Ja
pan, and on the 18th of June landed on an island
near Matsmai. Their names were Robert Mccoy.
OF Philadelphia, aged % John Martin, Jacob Boyd,
Meichor Bifar, John Bull and Ezra Goldthwait, all
Americans, and Sandwich islanders. On the Sc
cond day. at the island of Yesso they furnished
by the natives with water but refused food. After
some difficulty they got permission to sleep in
village In tents of mats which the natives erected
Tor them On the third day body of armed soldiers
surrounded them, and erected calico screens about
them Rice and wood were also furnished them
They were kept under strict guard, although prom
lsed that they should have boat to leave the coun
try in twenty days. These promises being broken
about the middle of July, Mccoy and Bell escaped
through the roof of their prison but being unable
to ind whae-ship the coast they were re- taken
On the 25th of july Mccoy again escaped, with
Martin. They were pursued into the sea, and were
soon re-taken.
The prisoners, after this were then taken on
board junk, and put into cages five feet high with
wooden bars in front and on top. Here they quar-
relied among themselves. Martin was, on one occa-
fully The junk sailed to Nangasacki where it ar
rived about the LIST of September. Here party of
japanese chiefs and interpreter came on board
and questioned the prisoners closely. They were
taken on shore, in separate edgos short OF sedan
i chair.) They were conducted to the town house,
where each one was made to trample upon the cru
cifx. They were again examined closely as to where
they came FROM and whether they were not spies.
They were then removed to temple mountain
near Nangasacki, and confined. Here the Dutch SUI
! cd fhaoo nd oe
to their country and business. He furnished
them afterwards with coffee sugar, gin, wine and
cotton cloth. Through him, promise was made
that they should be permitted to sail in the Dutch
ship, which to leave in twenty-five days. As
the commerce of Japan with other nations is con-
fined to one Ouch ship per annum, this seemed their
only chance of escape.
Mccoy, who appears to have been the most &C.
tive and intelligent of the party, contrved to escape
again to the mountains, but retaken, confined
again, and with his shipmates put into the stocks
1 Afterwards he was confined separately for three
weeks. Here he began to despair, as the Dutch ship
had sailed. At length he was restored to the prison
of his former shipmates. Here another fruitess at
tempt to escape made, and the prisoners were
bound and put again in the stocks. They were
again confined in two cages, where they suffered i'm
mensely from vermn and filth. One night o
their party, a Sandwich Islander, hung himself il
, the cage. The weather was severe, and snow anc
rain beat in upon them. On the 22d of December
Ezra Goldthwait died from exposure and neglect
Thus they continued until the middle of April 1849
when the Preble arrived The Dutch superinten
dent had notified Com. Geisinger of the prisoners con
diton, and he had sent the Preble, under Comman
der Gwinn, to demand them. On the Goth of Apri
they were taken to Macao whence they were sen
j, home
Mr.. Levyssohn, the Dutch superintendent at De
! cima is highly complimented by Commodore Gels
niger for his attention to the prisoners and his ex
E ertions in their behalf-PhI. Bulletin.
Il