The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1862-01-17

SUFFERING AND CANNIBALIsM OF AN AMERI>
...s CAN wHALER's BOAT CRsw

ri
The St. John Daily Nevs has an account
of the suferiDgs of John F.. Sullivan, of
Hadley Falls; Massachusetts,, and bis com.
pani0ns, deserters from the whale ships
Daniel Webster and ,Ansel Gibbs, Of New
Bedford, in. Cumberland Straits, on the 4th
OF August last. The writer says that he
had no reason for leaving the ship only that
be was not sufficiently provided against the
cold northern climate, and was afraid be
would die Of the scurvy. The crew of the
Ansel Gibbs complained of bad treatment.
They were John Giles, boatsteerer; John
Martin, Hiram j. Davis, Willard Hawkins,
Thomas Colwell, Joseph Fisher and Sam
uel Fisher, who, with Sullivan, and bis ship
mate Warren Dutton, constituted the de-
serting party. They stole boat from the
Ansel Gibbs in which they managed to
store small qusntity of provisions, two
guns and little ammunition, and stood
across the straits. They left the vessel in
latitude $3.50, about five miles from Pen
ny's harbor. On the fourth day out, they
fell in with the bark George Henry, Cap
tain OuddiDgton, of New London, who OF.
fered to take them on board, but they de-
clined. He gave them some provisions,
which were augmented by duck and the
hindquarters Of q bear they managed to
shoot before they made Resolution Island,
where their provisions became completely
exhausted. On the Goth of August, at
Cape Ohidleigh, they had nothing but ber-
ries and mushrooms to live upon and here
Hawkins and Davis ran away from the
party, and carried away everything useful
belonging to the boat. After an attempt to
leave the place, which was prevented by
stormy weather, they landed again and Dut.
ton died of starvation. The narrative Of
Sullivan says -H'''
The evening be died Samuel Fisher pro-
posed to eat him. He took bis knife and
cut piece off the thigh, and held it over
the fire until it was cooked. Then, the neat
morning, each one followed his example.
After that the meat was taken off the bones
and each man took share. We stopped
here three days. We then made 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 ket.
tie that we had also, the skull was broken
open and the brains taken out and cooked.
We then got fair wind but as we
got around point of the land 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 q large hole stove into
her. Being unable to haul her up, we staid
here eight days. 1t was on this island they
tried to murder me. .sa .-ag
The third day we stopped here, I was out
as usual picking berries or anything l could
find to eat. Coming in ! CHANGED to pick
up mushroom. / brought it in with me;
also an armful of wood. While kneeling
down to cook the mushroom received a
heavy blow of club from Jackson, and be-
fore / could get on my feet I got three
more blows. l then managed to get on my
feet, when Samuel Fisher got hold of my
right arm then Joseph Fisher struck me
three more blows on the arm. ! somehow
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 nothipg.I could defend myself
with but q small knife this 1 held in my
hand until they approached me. n Samuel
came on and grasped me by the shoulder and
had bis knife raised to stab me. ] ther
raised my knife, and stabbed him in the
throat he Immediately fell, and then
d made q step for Joe, but he dropped his
club and went up to where the rest we're.
then stopped to see ii Samuel was dead ;
be was still alive began to cry after a
little while the rest told me to come up
they would see that nothing more was done
to me- l had received four deep cuts in the
head one of the fellows dressed them tor
me and washed the blood off my face. Next
day Samuel Fisher died his cousin was the
first one to cut him up /; bis body was used
up the same way as my unfortunate ship
mates. s. GsE &40'L 81
After while, we managed to repair the
boat and leave the island. We ran in where
we thought it was mainland, but it proved
to be an island here we left the boat and
proceeded on foot, walking about one mile
day. At last we reached the other side
of the island in ABOUT four days; then put
back again to the boat. 1t took US four
days to get back. When we got there we
p, found the boat stove very bad since we left
her. We tried to get around the island 10
her. but she sunk when We got into her;
we then lett her and went back again to
the other side OF the island, to remain there
D, until we should die or be picked up. We ate
our belts, boots, and sheaths, and q number
of bear and seal skin articles we had with
us. To add to our misery, it commenced
to rain, and kept up for three days; it then
began to snow. 10 this miserable condi.
tion we were picked up by a BOATS crew of
Esquimaux on the 29th Of September, and
brought to OkOke on the Sd of October.
The missionaries did all in their power to
help us along, and provided us with food
and clothing, then sent US to Main, where
/, we met g the doctor" Davis who was
!, picked up three days before we were. He
reported that his companion died, and told
many false stories after be was picked up.
The above thrilling narrative has the air
of romance rather than reality, and some
of the circumstances appear very improbaa
BILE, but as the Ansel Gibbs, which arri rived