Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-03-04
T H E RET URNED GITIyE.
THE DARK DEEDS OF THE OCEAN.


The natives of the Sandwich Islands don't
like to be interrupted while they are cooking
dog for dinner. Howsoever hospitable they may
be on other occasions, the roasting of dog is
an important operation, in which foreigners are
not expected to take part.
While the process of cooking 4 DOG is going
forward, the operators attend closely to their
business, and ignore the presence of spectators
They VIII not deign you a nod of recognition
not even look. Like the prophet of old, they
are doing a great work, and cannot come
down" They "know no man ;" they know on
ly the hot stones, the little pit, and the plump
body of the dog who has been fatteued for the
express purpose of consoling the stomachs OF his
owners.
All this may account for the fact that when
the hue and cry was raised for Sam Hurley, a
Marthas Vineyard Indian, who had run away
from our ship and reward was offered for his
apprehension, not one of the natives then on the
wharf started in pursuit Of the fugitive Not
even TO obtain ten dollars would one of those
industrious dog roasters leave his work-no. not
for moment. Therefore Sam got clear off
Our captain very mad and took great pains
to catch the Indian. Sam was a good sailor
and therefore great loss to the ship. The cap
tain was very sorry to lose him, and greatly IN
censed because he carried off his useful body
We lay there at Honolulu. farring rigging and
recruiting ship. We Were near the shore. and
news came off to us frequently. At one time.
1t was confidently stated that Sam had left the
island, and that he bad gone in company with
a terrible fellow called Hewlett who was a rllr-
derer and Of whom the most dreadful stories
were told. 1t was said that those two persons
had gone to another island Somebody saw
them depart in a double canoe with natives.
Afterwards it was positively related that Sam
was the mountains, backing scandal wood
report that the runaway had been seen about the
streets of Honolulu, disguised as 4 native, and
wearing nothing but a taPpa. BY this time our
Indian had become quite hero Of romance
To desert from a ship is sufficient to give man
a name among the crew, but such extraordinary
pains had been taken to recover Sam, and 50
many stories had been told of his various shifts
to escape his pursucrs, that our crew came, at
length, to regard him as a second edition Of Sir
William Wallace or Baron TreBck 1t must be
understood that several men have. at various
times, left other ships then in Earbor and after
a very brief stay on shore had been run down
by native hunters and captured. Taken on
board their several ships, these men presented
wretched appearance. The most of these had
carried sandal wood, back IN the mountainous
district, and had been nearly starved and work
ed TO death. They had become heartily tired
ofliberty, and were glad to get back TO the bread
casF1. Therefore the wonder grew, what had
become of Sam Hurley the Indian? Had he
indeed, left the island? How did be live p
Where did he hide himself? Native runners
had been sent into every corner OF Oadu /; the
island had been ransaclzed, mountain, dell, cave
and hut. The reward offered for his capture
had been doubled, then trebled, and finally fifty
dollars had been held out as the price of Hur-
leys apprehension.
The captain turned red and stormed foriously
whenever anything was said about the runaway
The officers never mentioned his name TO the
crew. But they and the captain were angry at
finding themselves baf1ed by Hurley 1t was
delicate subject" and it was like treading
on their corns even 10 look as if you Were think
ing about the fugitive Indian. Although the
captain seemed to persist in the belief that Sam
was secreted in some part Of the island, yet the
crew were unanimous in the belief tEat be had
fed from the island, and that lie had gone with
the terrible Hewlett to some adjacent island Of
the group, there perhaps, to engage IN robbery,
or something worse.
When We were about to get ZIP the anchor,
however. a note was put into the hands Of our
captain by native. He was standing on the
quarter deck at the time. He opel ed the note
and had scarcely read line. when he started as
if shot with an arrow through the heart. He
crushed the paper in his hand and stamped up
en- the deck.