Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-05-16
ROMANTIC ADVENTURE OF
A SHTPWRECKED PRINTER.

ROMANTIC ADVENTURE OF
A SHTPWRECKED PRINTER.
By the steamer, Cherokee, bringing the Cali
fornia mails, we received letter dated Homo
lulu, Sandwich Islands, Jan. l, 1850, written by
an old friend and fellow printer, whose adven.
lures have been so much out of the common
order that we extlact a part of his letter for the
amusement or our readers. The writer left
New York in 1916, as a full private in Col.
Stevenson's regiment. After the wars were
over, he remained in California, where he was
employed by Gen. Vallejo as a carpenter at the
time when the gold mines were discovered
lie OF course took his chance at gold digging,
but soon abandoned the business. When wa
last heard from him tprevous to the letter receiy.
ed on Frlday) he was one of the publishers Of
the Californian. lie writes that he soon aban.
doned the speculation. He coacluded his ad.
ventures for the present by being wrecked one
day at Honolulu, and marrying the daughter of
the chief OF the village on the following Sun
day. But let HIM speak for himself.
"The paper was slow pay in those times, 50
sold out my interes and gained only two or three
thousand dollars, which spent Speculated
little, however, and did well-failed in some
things, but made up in others. On the 9th Of
October last, in company with seven, left San
Francisco on a visit to the " Beautiful Tslands.n
intending afterwards to sail to China, make our
way overland to Russia, where have an uncle.
and the IN Euulan1 ubo I IA.
age for home. On the 23th at noon, when we
were within two leagues of the harbor of Hon.
oIu'u, it came on To blow gale. We stood off
and succeeded in worrying out the gale, but
Just as we were entering the mouth of the har-
Dor 1t came on to blow very hard from the
Northwest, and in five Minutes we were hard
and fast on the shore. | rushed to nv chest
for my dimes, and had barely time to secure
them when the hull parted, keeed over and fill.
ed. secured a spar, and clung to it and the
dust like grim death to deceased African
After being in the water about three quarters
Of an hour, lashed by the surf and bruised bv
the spar, gained the shore. kissed the earth
where first stopped, and determined never to
leave 1t Having sixty five pounds of gold
dust about my person, besides thee or four
hundred dollars in gold coin. was completely
exhausted, and turned in for the night (for
night ii began to be under cocoa nut tree,
where slept soundy till twelve or one O'Clock,
when awoke so cold and sore from nv bruises
that could scarcely move. To my great iov
discovered fire about half mile to the
, West. 1t proved to be village of the natives
hanakas, who, Oh learning, by signs, my mis-
0''""e' 9N''eu up t"e me, guvv me some poiled
. Por<' bread 'F"'t, yauis and u variety eating
II ul'tter' After had disPosed THIS. turneT
: IN on some mats, where | slept sonndly until
0 sunrise, when arose. After had made nv
e toilette | IVES introduced to the chief of the
e village. He is of high rank and much Icssect-
e ed. His name is Kanni, and he is related to the
y King of the Islands. He is very polite, and
: speaks English huenty, off1red Inc house,
s some land, and his daughter in marriage, if /
k would live with his tribe and instruct them. "a
d far as was able, in the arts of civilization. /
4 thanked him for his offer and told him would
! think over the NATTER
!. After this interview went down to- the beach.
: accompanied by party of the natives. to look
q after the wreck but nothing could be seen save
= the spar in which came ashore. When I dis.
e covered the sad result Of The storm, sat down
e on the beach and wept like child. had lost
r the only friends that have had since left my
e home. But tears are Of no avail, so made I'D
0 my mind to bear it, and accept the offer OF the
8 chief and become his son. / accordingly, on
# my return to the village, informed the chief that
n | would accept his offer, He Immediately in.
d troduced me to the fair one. Her name is Nj.
s. aara Mary She is of a light copper color,
fourteen years old five feet four inches hgh,
small hand and foot, black hair and eyes, and
above all very atfectionae. Her dress consist
q OF faded blue satin skirt, coming no lower
IS than the knees, moccassirs and cggings, and a
+. curlousy wrought beed head dress. She was
,s by no means bashtul, and none too molest.-.
n She sat on my knee and kissed me, and when |
q asked her if she would marry me she sand yes,
Is without the slightest hesitation, and expressed
d wish that the ceremony should take place on the
O. following Sunday, saying that missionary
J. would be there on that day. This agreed to,
v when she rewarded me with kiss, and ran of
n, 10 her father.
j. The following day visited the capital and
IS purchased the wedding dress for my lady and
e myself, together with some presents for the
,s blide, and on Sunday I'VE twain were made one
ia fesh.'
IF On Monday my father.in, law, at my request
Te set several men at work getting out cocoa. nut
% logs to build my house, ami in the course of ten
days, a very substantial dwelling, 40 feet front
% feet deep, and IS feet high, was completed
This is the only building of the kind in the
village, all the others being built Of reeds and
=. mud. This chief is very much pleased with it
~ and hope that within year the whole villags
viii be of log houses ! have offered to furnish
axes and other tools, and ! think the native;
- will buildthemselves better houses.
, am perfectly cCnented with my situation
, and think mine peculiar happy lot. After 81
. long struggle with the world poor as a rat
sticking type fol living--to be cast ashore
> with pocket full of rocks among the friendly
. savages, in this lovely climate.
=, am still good whig, and if my second cir
g turns out 10 be boy, he shall be called Henry
# Clay By the way, think of agitating tn,
81 project of annexation of his Hawaan majesty
~ y, dominion to the United States"
10
I'd ToAsr.-fhe following st was given a
re the late Medical Supper at Columbus, Ohio:
IS, The Ladtes-The only successful Homno
at pathists. They cure mans greatest malady.-.c