The Republican journal., 1880-11-11
A New York Sailors Experience in Pat
agonia.

The family of Alonzo Hewitt, an American sail
or, live in East New York, and he is now at home
Tor few days respite from the arduous duties of
'hie on the ocean wave.h A week ago he
turned from long voyage, and on Friday next he
Will say good-by to his wife and little ones anu sc
before the mast on the sailing vessel William
Lamb which is engaged in the grain carrying
trade between New York and San Francisco
In 1863, Mr. Hewitt belonged to the crew of the
snip Angelica which went ashore during a severe
gale on the Patagonan coast The vessel was
manned BY thirteen men, all of whom were cap
tured by the savageS and taken into the interior.
The men were separated from each other and given
TO different native chiefs as slaves Mr.. Hewitt
never knew what became of his shipmates He
was taken by a savage named Minchoo, and com
peiled TO carry heavy loads OF provisions and hunt
ing materials on long journeys.
At night his hands tied behind his back
and one end of the leathern thong was fastened To
tree, so that he could not run away. No knife
or sharp instrument of any kind was LETT within
his reach, and he was as efiectually prisoner as
though he had been locked up within strong walls
The whole story of his troubles and sutferngs
while IN the hands of the savagcs would fill large
volume, but the most interesting portion. which
can be confined to the limits Of a newspaper ac-
count, is his account Of the manner in which he
was tattooed by the Patagonians
Almost the entire surface of MI Hewitt's body
was covered with lndelible representations of
beasts, birds and reptiles He said that the saw
ages occupied over IL months time in making these
unique pictures. preparation in many respects
resembling India ink used, and the method of
producing the pictures was to puncture the skin
with the points Of small fish bones and then rub
the Ink upon the wound thus producing discol
Grafton of the skin that can never be eiaced
W as the chief proud Of yOu after the work was
done = asked the reporter
He indeed was taken about among the
people and exhibited to admiring eyes. The
young men and maidens would point at the pic
lures and then look at each other and smile Older
savages would admire me by the hour. and | was
one of the greatest objects OF interest in Patagonia
DO you know the meaning OF the pictures :"
= only know that the pictures represent beasts
birds and reptiles, buT Why they were selected as
subjects battles my comprehension. | suppose
that am a sort Of Patagonan obeIsk, and al
though unlike the AlexandrIan monolth am not
5000 or 1000 years OF age. perhaps represent re
hglouS ideas and historical facts
Ihe tatto0ed man brushed his locks Of shaggy
hair back from his forehead, and disclosed blue
and yelowlsh representation OF a bird. Although
tho bird has outStretcLed wings and beak and
claws like an eagle, II is far from being a good
representation OF the glorious American bird of
freedom. IN either side OF the mans face is
tlrI that looks more like Young chicken than
anything else. LengtAWlse on the nose is a tiny
picture Of a blue snake with red eyes A red
81 axe with blue eyes euclrcles the mans neck
Rplllng up hls sleeves and barring his arms, Mr.
Hewitt exhibited to the reporter pictorial repre-
seHtatons OF more than a dozen different kinds OF
animals
Mr. Hewitt thinks that the inks were Of a pois-
oncus nature because they caused his limbs to
swell to twice their normal size while the pictures
were being made
Five years ago Mr. p. T. Baruum, hearing Of Mr.
Hewitt, and thinking that he would prove valuable
us a curiosity for public exhibition, offered him a
liberal salary TO appear iii the greatest show on
earth Mr. Hewitt declined