New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-22
THEICOOLIE TRADE OF CUBA.
Statement of American Engineer NJ. q
jackson, of the steamer Fafchey.

Statement of American Engineer NJ. O.
jackson, of the steamer Fatchey.
The steamer Fatchoy, formerly the
Vixen BRITISH, was sold at Hong Kong in
July, 1872, and placed under the German
flag. The purchasers, Paul Ehlers & Co,
had her put under the Spanish flag by NOM
inal transfer to Spaniard. She was then
fitted out at Hong Keng, with iron gratings
on the matches, in the between-decks az
at the side ports; iron barricades were also
fitted out on deck. After this work had
been done she took on water and coal, and
proceeded on the first of August to Macao.
On or about the fifteenth of August she
commenced receiving coolies. They were
sent off in lots three times. week, gener-
ally on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Satur-
days, sometimes forty to 100 III lot, but
seldom over fifty. The coolies are never
considered to be finally secured until they
are on board; then their case becomes one
of despair and desolation.
While lying at Macao, the steamer Ro-
sta de Nina which had been dispatched
some six weeks previous, returned to Macao
in distress, and her cargo of 700 coolies
was transferred to the Fatchoy. These
were in most deplorable condition; many
of them had been cruelty fogged during
the time they had been on board the Rosita
de Nina.
With this large accession the cargo was
soon completed to the number of lU0j
coolies. Every one of them gave indica-
cation that the vilest deception had been
practiced upon them, and once having real
lied the utter hopelessness of their situa-
alton, they gave up to frantic despair.
Some would throw themselves overheard
when an opportunity offered, but two boats
were constantly alongside to pick them up
aud return them to the ship. The price
paid the coolie-catchers, as they are called,
is $50 per head, delivered to the barracoons,
but the amount is not paid until the coolie
Is on board the ship. Thus the catcher, or
kidnapper, insures the delivery of the
coole although he is sent off in the ships
boats.
The Fatchoy left Macao August %, with
the 1905 coolies on board. All went well
until the fourth day out. On this day. at
about P. NJ, cry of mutiny forward
was raised. The coolies had attacked the
guards. One OF the guards went over
thrown over by the
coolies; the other took to the rigging. The
coolies made rush for the Chinese galley,
pr Jbably to get knives or other weapons.
The mate and second mate from the bridge
shot into the crowd and wounded three
of the coolies. This checked the
mutiny. The officers rallied and
succeeded in catching number
of the coolies, and tying them by
their long queues to the iron barricades
or to the gratings, and driving the rest be-
low. About $50 or more were put in irons.
The ne xt morning the Spanish captain had
them brought up; some bags of rice were
placed on deck, and the prisoners were laid
across the bags, faces down, stripped to the
skin, and numerically fogged by two men,
keeping time with their whips, the blood
flowing at every blow, when in a short time
the deck was covered with blood. As each
Chinaman was ttogged, he was washed
with salt and water and sent below.
We arrived at Angar, Batavia, Septem
Der 9, remained there two days, proceeding
thence to MauTitias, where we took ON wa
ter and coal, the ship remaining in quaran
tine. From Mauritias we went to th5 Cape
of Good Hope. In all these ports the
he r
was going on, tne matches were put ON and
the hospitals for the sick kept closed. The
heat was intolerable even in the open air.
The voyage for the poor coolies was one of
suffering. They we're logged,
kicked. cutfed, and throughout treated with
the greatest cruelty. The filth and stencil
was something horrible. The hospitals were
not cleansed during the whole voyage. Iven-
ture to say that in the annals OF the African
slave trade all thsahorrors of the "insde
passage" never surpassed those of this
Chinese slave ship. The deaths on this
nurderous voyage reached eighty, or eight
per cent of the number taken on board at
Macao. These deaths doubtless were caused
Dy the foggings and the horribly filthy
condition of the ship. We reached Havana
December l. We were not put into quar-
antine, bat proceeded at once TO discharge
our cargo of live freight.
The vessel is to all intents and purposes
Jerman property. She has been chartered
% the Havana Chinese Importing Company
or two trips, one of which is now fulfilled
There was on board an individual, styled,
n sailor parlance, "paper captain" He
appeared to be the agent OF owners of
he coolies, or something like super
arg0. He had full control of the
oolies-superIntended the fogging and
,ther punishment inflicted on the |
coolies throughout the voyage. A more
nerciiess scoundre. never raised lash. |
The other captain is German. IN the |
hips papers he il styled sailing-master.
The first, second and third mates are Ger
nanso The carpenter 10 German the |
hief engineer is American and the other |
re English and Scotch. The crew was |
omposed i several nations, but all Of |
hem understanding English. There were |
mt two or three on board besides the |
paper captain" who spoke Spanish. The |
anguages used on board among officers and |
rev were English and German, and for |
the ship Engli-h was used eI !
lusively. .. JACKSON.
Death of Mrs. Harrison Gray Otis. !
The telegraph announces the death in |
Boston yesterday OF Mrs. Harrison Gray |