Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-07
VOLUME vi.
HORRIBLb NARKATIVF.
suiserings and CRnnibnlism of an Amerl.
can WhuIer's Boats Crew.

uhS ll utNOuub VI lub SuUGtl0gS OF JOnQ f..
Sullivan, of Hadley Falls, Mass, and his
companions, deserters from the whaleships
Daniel Webster and AnSeI Gibbs, of New
Bedford, in Cumberland Straits, on the Alb
Of August last. The narrative was written
by sullivan. The writer says that he had
no reason for leaving the ship, only that he
was rot sufficiently provided against the cold
Northern climate, and was afraid of diving
by scurvy. The crew of the Anssl Gibbs
complained of bad treatment. They were
John Giles, boat-steareI John Martin, Hiram
J. Davis, Willard Hawkins, Thomas Golwell,
Jos. Fisher and Samuel Fisher, who, with
Sullivan and his shipmate Warren button,
constituted the deserving party. They
stole boat from the AnseL Gibbs,
into which they managed to place
very small quantity of provisions,
two guns and a little ammunition, and stood
across the straits. They left the vessels in
latitude go 59', about five miles from Pen
ny's harbor. On the fourth day out they
fell in with the bark George Henry, Captain
CuedingtoD, Of New London, who offered to
take them ali on board, but they declined.
He gave them some provisions, which were
augmented by duck and the hind. quarters
Of a white bear they managed to shoot before
they made Resolution Island, where their
provisions became nearly exhausted. On the
10Th of August, at Cape Chideigh, they had
nothing but mushrooms and berries TO live
upon; and here Hawkins and Davis ran
away from the party and carried away every
thing that was useful belonging to the boat.
After an attempt TO leave the place, which
was prevented by stormy weather, they
landed again, and Dutton died of starvation.
The narrative of Sullivan says
The evening he died Samuel Fisher pro. .
posed to eat him; he took his knife and cnt
q N al st IL. e
until it was cooked. Then, next morning.
each one followed his example; after that the
meat was taken off the bones and&ach man
took share. We stopped here three days.
We then made a start; but the wind being
ahead we were compelled to put back. Here
we stopped two more days. During that
time the bones were broken up small and
boiled in pot or kettle that we had; also.
the skull was broken open, the brains taken
out and cooked. We then got fair wind,
but as we got around q point we had the
wind very fresh off shore; we could hardly
manage the boat; at last we drove on to an
island some ways out to sea; we got the boat
under the lee of it; but the same night we
had large hole stove into her. Being uu
able to haul her up, we stayed here eight
days; it was on this island they tried to mur-
der me.
The third day we stopped here I was out
as usual picking berries or any thing could
find to eat. Coming in chanced to pick up
mushroom. | brought in with me also an
aimfal of wood to keep. While kneeling
down to cook the mushroom, received a
heavy blow of club from Joseph Fisher,
and before could get on my feet got three
more blows. | then managed to get on nv
feet, when Samuel Fisher got hold of my
right arm; then Joseph Fisher struck me
three more blows on the arm. l some how
got away from them, and, being half crazy,
| did not know what to do. They made
for me again; kept begging OF them for
Gods sake TO spare my life, but they would
not listen to my cries. They said they
wanted some meat, and were bound to kill
me. l had nothing could defend myself
with but small knite; this / held in my
hand until they approached me. Samuel
Fisher was the first to come toward me; he had
large dirk knife in his hand; his cousin was
coming from another direction With club
and stone. Samuel came on and grasped
me by the shoulder, and had his knife raised
to stab me. | then raised my knife and
stabbed him in the throat; he Immediately
fell, and then made step for Joe, but he
dropped his club and went up to where the
rest were. l then stopped down to see il
Samuel was dead; he was still alive; began
to cry; after little while the rest told me to
come up-they would see there was nothing
more done to me. l received four deep cuts
in the I'd; one of the fellows dressed them
for me and washed the blood off my face,
Next day Samuel Fisher died; his cousin
was the first one to cut him up; his body
was used up the same as my unfortun nate
shipmate's. We were picked off by boats
crew of Esquimaux, on the Goth of Septem.
ber, and brought to Okoke on the Sd of Oc-
tober.
The above thrilling narrative has the air
of romance rather than reality, and some of
the circumstances appear very improbable,
but as the AnSeI Gibbs, which arrived at Ne W
Bedford on the 1lth of last November, re =.
ported the desertion of seven of her crew.
with a whale. boat, in the Arctic regions, at
the date above given, the main facts of the
story are doubtless true. The misguided
seapen suffered fearfully in consequence of
theif folly.