, 1879-01-26
WHITFIELD'S PROTEGE,
The Man who Eyns Behind the Scenes 1Yhe1
Commodore Ferry Was III Japan.
Sailors Mdun.fre

a Japanese sailor named John Mangero. in
| Denzu aud Gocman, vas wrecked Oft the Island
Of Niphon, about 1910. For six mouths they
managed to sustain lie on barren island.
They were rescued by Capt. Whitfield, COM
! manding 4 New Bedford ship, aud carried to
Honolulu. Here Mangcro's two companions
remained; but john was taken by Capt. Whit
field to the United States, where he wus taught
tic trade OF q cooper, and was placed il i school
at FairhaTen, Mass, where he quickly attained
proficiency in our language, aud among other
studies gave special attention 10 navigation.
Tie expenses Of his schooling, ETC., were borne
b. the Captain who had originally rescued him,
and who felt 4 strange interest In his Frotcge.
In 1910 Aangero, then about 25 sailed for
California. His success at the mines Was not
great; and very soon he took passage for the
Sandwich Islands, where he met my friend
Chaplain Damon.
His first act was to deposit With the. chaplain
all his money-S60. After a few days OF wan
dcring about the town, be visited THE chaplain
agalu, who, observing j peculiar depression in
nls look and manner. inquired its cause. Man-
zero then told him that he was ho0esick; t.:at
he had M iucxprcssihlc desire 10 see his natiye
land. III yait did his good friend urge the dam
gers Of such Il venture. To the remark, "Nhy,
john, your people will take your head off If
you go bael,'' he only replied, II am anxious
:fnc chaplain asked him il be had maturcd
any plans, wien the young Japanese said: ~
have. II can get good whalcboat, q seStant,
sBowditch's Navigator aud barrel OF bread,
and some Captain will take me near to any of
tho islands OF my country, and put INC over the
ships side, with my boat, I will take The
chances"
Chaplain Damon started out with subscrip-
tion paper, explaining TO his friends the desire
of this poor foreign boy to 20 with his two coun-
trymcn upon tllis strange expedition. In lit
tie while he had secured $50, Which. with the
SUI, was deemed sufficient. ms money the
chaplain invested in good wha!e5oat, copy
Of 'Bowdtch's Navigator" d sextant, and q
barrel of hard bread.
Just ut this time there appeared ut Honolulu
the American bark Sarah Boyd. Capt. Whit
more master, bound from Nazatlan to Shanghai.
His route would naturally bc in the direction
Alangero desired to take. Chaplain Damon
went aboard, told the Captain that he had three
passengers for him, explained the particulars
Of the case, aud urged him to i'lcolnmodc him
sell with the party and thcir luggage and the
result was the warm-hearted sailor consented;
aud on the 18th OF December, 1851, John Man
gero and his companions left Honolulu in the
Sarah Boyd.
Nine years rolled by; but In vain were inqu;-
RIGS made of various shipm:sters and others
that visite1 Honolulu concerning John Manaero.
Meantime, Commodore Perry had, with his
fleet, visited Japan nnd made the famous treaty
by which the ports of that country were opened
rom M con,,;tnn NJ nei;inraI arnation to hat
~ ~, ,a1aaot ~ .,,t.rnr;sc eh. INV nxh;,,;,s
Unoa s ora ns t'a retm tmr, ~ porr,-;s tinos
is oesr. ,vare apou oncstioncd as to any tiiins3
fr,,n, Won,+os' we hi none lad heard If lin
+, Nav ist;1' H.. :Tanan,se corvcttee Cuni7in-
marrah ,rhict, had hncn Commissioned to carry
troe". frI',,, .l t Eore~nrnt of Tenon ~ ,h
Goyernnnt ay ~ 1Ie rinted States on her wav to
san Fronr;sco ttn,c},ed at the mort Of Hono|;11u
1,naa,nn th,. ernr;sn # Dr D,1n,u. when n m
innnor;o1 oi,;.a Viii tbe rank oT ranta;n in ,,e
japanese Navy. aud Acting INTERPRETER OF the