New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-29
shipwreck of an American Crew upon a
Desolate Island-9tbeir Imprisonment
among Strange People

among Strange People.
About five months ago there appeared in our
columns an extract from the Valparaiso Herald
announcing the loss OF the American brig Chat
ham. From Captain Snow, who comm au!ed
the brig, we learn the following particulars Of
her voyage and loss, AMI the present melan-
choy position Of the crew upon desolate
island
The Chatham sailed from San Francisco Sept,
II, l852-h,r officers and crew numbering four
| teen souls-bound on a trading voyage to the
south Pacific Islands. After touching at the
Society, Marquesas. and Chain Hertey Islands,
aud procuring a cargo Of the productions of
those islands. she sailed from Why lootackey
Dec. IS, on her return voyage. About4 A. M,
Jan. ;, 1858, the brig struck gu reef, and
soon became total wreck When day dawned
the crew found themselves thrown upon small
island, and among savages. Al first they were
apprehensive that they were Mt the mercy of q
tribe of cannibals, but soon aScertait ed them
selves 10 be ohJecrs OF terror to the natives, who,
until that moment, had never looked upon q
white face. For a short time the natives re-
garded the whites as superior beings and showed
them much difference: but they soon berame
accustomed to their presence, and treated them
with Indifference On board the brig Can't,
snow had large number Of hogs and chickens,
great portion of which he succeeded in land
| ing, tut the natives exhibited the greatest
thus depriving the unfortunate sailors OF all
animal food, except fish, the island afford-
ing none other Capt. Snow describes these
people as peculiar race, differing entirely from
the inhabitants of the neighboring islands As
an evidence OF their kindness of heart be re-
lates that whenever himself or any of his people
were sick, or met with any accident, the natives
would gather around the sufferer and manifest
the deepest grief > Yet they seldom allowed the
whites TO follow their own inclination, and even
denied them the privilege of wearing any gar
ments whatever, destroying every thing of the
klnd-rendering their situation any thing but
agreeable, within eight degrees of the Equator,
without any covering for their heads and bodies
The various anecdotes of Capt. Snow, illustra-
ting the character of the people, would fill
volume. The island is lagoon island, being
about twenty five miles long and fifteen miles
wide, extending from N N W. to S. s. e.. and
is peopled by about 2500 savages. Capt. Snow
supposes its position to be in latitude deg. 4S
min. South, and longitude 157 deg 10 min
West Upon the standard charts, the nearest
land to this point is the Penrhyn Islands, dis
tant about sixty miles South by East.
As soon as the natives would permit him, Capt
Snow set about constructing boat of such ma
terials as his wrecked vessel afforded. After six
weeks of unremtting toll, in the burning sun,
he completed crazy thing, hardly worthy of
the name of boat, and with three men, put to
sea in her, hoping to reach some one of the So
cety Islands. or fall in with some vessel. But
his boat proved so leaky that he was compelled
to return, and remained six weeks repairing
March %, 1865, his boat was again ready, and
once more put to sea. On the fourth day follow
ing, made and landed on Humphreys Island
He was we'll received by the missionaries there,
and also by Mr., Williams, agent for Hart s.
Bros, who carry on an extensive pearl fishery
there. Mr., Williams very kind TO Capt
Snow and his companions, though the Captain
thinks much more might have been done for men
situated as himself and friends were. As o ves-
sci was daily expected to arrive to fill with shells
already collected, Capt Snow determined to
wait her arrival for an opportunity to leave the
island, rather than proceed in his frail boat.
After waiting more than a month, he determined
to trust himself again to the boat, and sail for
the Nayigators. Two of his men refused to go,
and himself and second mate concluded to pro-
ceed at any rate, and while engaged procuring
food for the voyage, his boat was destroyed by
one DR.. Burk, who had gone as passenger with
Capt Snow, He was thus compelled to waitfo
Harris vessel, which arrived aoout the middle
of August. After considerable delay, Capt.
Hart. of the brig Caroline Hart, the vessel be-
fore alluded to, consented to carry Capt Snow
and DIR, Burk to Valparaiso, where they arrived
after passage of forty-two days. He inmedi-
ately applied to the U. S. Consul for assistance,
which was meagerly extended The Consul COM
remainer of the crew of the Chatham, and had
proceeded so far as to charter vessel and ap-
point captain ior her.
Capt. Snow left Valparaiso for this place on
account of his family affairs, under the suppo-
sition that his unfortunate friends would soon
be relieved But, to his astonishment and sor-
row, he lately learned that after his departure
from Valparaiso the preparations were dropped
and the project given up, in consequence of
which his companions, twelve IN number, are
left TO eke out a miserable existence on that
barren island, among n savage people-aud he
demands of his Government the adoption OF some
measure to relieve them, if living, or at least to
ascertain their fate. A majority Of the uufor-
tunates have families ut home dependent upon
them for support, who call upon the generosity
OF the Government of the United States TO re-
store to them their husbands ami fathers Some
thing should be done, and the Government has
sufficient means at its disposal for its relief.
Capt. Snow has a large family TO support in San
Francisco, and to his deep regret fnds himself
unable to do any thing towards the relief of his
shipwrecked companions. among whom is his
own brother. The case is one which demands
the humane exertions of the federal authorities
in this city