The Portland daily press., 1872-09-24
Seamen's Sufferings-Horrible Brutali-
ties on New Bedford Whaling Vessels.

A Washington despatch says that among the
official dispatches which have lately been re-
ceived from United States Consul Pike, at
Port Louis, Mauritius, are several afidavits of
seamen on New Bedford whaling ships, re-
counting acts of almost incredible hardship and
brutality by the captains of those vessels. They
are forwarded by the consul as part of the evil
dcnce to prove the necessity of the expense
which he incurred in the relief of the suffering
sailors, and, if true, disclose a most deplorable
and dsgraceful state of affairs for civilized
seamen of any country. Some of the most i'm
portant affidavits are those of John Brown of
the barque Osceola, 3D. Capt. Chase, Frederick
G. Loring of the barquc Pacific, Captain Tabor,
and James McGowen of the barque Herald,
Captain Sturgiss,-all of which are certified by
Consul Pike to be true copies of the originals
on file in his Office, and, duly witnessed. We
print the affidavit of John Brown of the Osce-
ola, I'd: -4fa .fs1
U. S. CONSULATE AT PORT LOUIS, I
MAURITIUs, May l, 1872.
On the aforementioned date, personally APP
peared before me, Nicholas Pike, consul Of the
United States of America for Mauritus and
the dependencies, John Brown, late seaman on
board the American barque Osceolo, I'd, of New
Bedford Jonathan Chase, master, and testified
to the following under oath, viz:-
81 shipped on board the Osceola, I'd, in the
latter part of July, 1870, for whaling voyage
not to exceed thirty months. We sailed the
LIST August, and when about seventeen days out,
Captain Chase tied Daniel Ferry sailor in the
rigging, and whipped him with good-sized
rope, with a whipping splice made on the end
of it. One of the sailors counted 1913 lashes
which he gave him on the back The captain
gave him the whipping in three jobs, going be-
low to refresh himself each time. The whip
ping continued nearly an hour 1t commenc-
ed at twenty minutes past o'clock, p. NJ, and
it was between 9 and 10 o'clock when Ferry
was cut down. At this time he could not stand.
Notwithstanding this, he was Immediately put
in irons and remained in that state I'M
til the next morning. He was then placed ON
the quarter and sand and water given him to
scour the deck with. This lasted three days,
but every night he was put in irons and placed
in the main hold with matches closed. We
were all told we should be treated the same
way if we gave him any water. Ferry's back
was raw and bleeding and we all thought he
would die. He was sick for two months and
could not stand his watch, as he could hardly
walk, his back was so sore. There was no rea-
son assigned for this treatment from the hands
of Captain Chase only he did not like the man.
Ferry deserted the ship at St. Helena for fear
of his life. The captain then began a quarrel
with seamen named Charles Adams One |
day we were near merchant ship at sea.
Adams said to the captain, ! will give you an
ofucI ou my idebcf III cyfNVuhc RuUU you
will put me on board that Ship Captain
Chase hauled off and struck him in the face
with his fist and knocked him down
Adams bled very much. This kind of
treatment has been going on the whole Voyage,
the captain abusing the men shamefully. The |
food was bad and scanty. At Tristan d. Acnnha |
we took in hundred bushels of potatoes, and |
one day he saw few cold ones thrown into the |
pigs trough, and he refused to give us any after
this but let them rot and they were thrown
overheard. He frequently kept me on deck for
twepty-four hours, only allowing me four hours
out of every twenty-four This would continue
for two months at time He has often told |
me he would kill me, and was really afraid of
my life and determined to desert the ship on
the first opportunity. had scarcely clothes
enough to cover my nakedness. While we lay |
at anchor at the island of Praschii Seychelles, |
ran away to the mountains, and after the |
ship had gone the Phiemen sent me to Male |
] was there taken before magistrate and sem
fenced to work on the road for seven days. At
ter Ihad worked out my time worked my |
passage to Mauritius in the ship "Ph@be," and |
am now in distress and without clothes, and 1
ask for assistance" his
JOHN x. BROWN.
sal mark. = |