The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-04-16
The septima, and her Chinese Passengers.

The Septima arrived in Honolulu with about
72O Chinese passengers. During the passage
they were given TO understand that the vessel
was bound to Peru, and that they, the passen-
gers, would never again see their own country.
This rumor was circulated by some few on board,
who, for about sixteen days before the arrival of
the vessel in Honolulu. were virtually masters
of the internal arrangements Of the vessel. The
rest of the passengers being in an excited state
Of mind on this subject, asked Captain Peterson
when they might expect 10 see Honolulu. He
named the day provided all went well. The
vessel duly arrived here. There being smallpox
on board at the time, they were not allowed TO
land, a circumstance which gave rise to much
ill-feeling amongst them. Fortunately there
were some old residents here amongst the
Chinese, who were acquainted with the Board
of Health regulations, and who tried 10 some
what aIlay the fears Of their fellow passengers.
] was requested 10 go on board with three
others 70 quell n mutiny that broke cut In the
harbor. / was told by the Deputy Marshal that
the ribbon around our hats and n -ahrc NY our
side, would scare the Chinese and pnlify them.
We had also each q revolver 20 protect ourselves
in case Of emergency. and that We should not
be killed without haviLs % chance Of making
noise enough to be heard on shore.
On our boarding the vessel the Chinese were
found to be III possession. The few who could
speak the native language soon made their
appearance. We asked them if there were any
sick people on board. They informed me that
there were two sick in the hold but that we
could not see them. The sickness was small
poX. / informed the Captain OF this and told
him that if he did not inform the authorities, /
should. The Captain and Mr.. Ton La Ting,
the supercargo, seemed astonished, but soon the
statement was found to be true. The following
morning the agents were notified Of the facts.
ID HntohinaCr xfaffa1 fha yaggal .VnI gou ~
two people; he gave orders to have them ready
10 disembark as soon as the wagon should be
seen on the wharf, on the appearance of the
wagon the order was given TO clear the boats.
Great commotion then ensued and all the officers
seemed badly scared. The question was put TO
the Chinese, what is the matter ? was told
that the sick men should not be removed from
the ship. / then asked them if they came to
fight, or TO earn some money ? / told them the
sick must be removed, and that the first one
that resisted would be killed. Before they came
TO their Senses, the boats were lowered and
the sick people landed. After this all went well,
until the fifth one was to be removed. One of
the women who had been in Demerara, could
speak English, came crying TO me, and said the
Cinnamon were going to fight for the man that
was then about to be removed, as it would kill
him. She was told he must go and go he did.
he died the next day, and was considered by the
Chinese as murdered by the order of the Board
of Health. l was informed of this by the Chinese
doctors.
Again matters resumed a state OF ~quietness
until the thirty-seventh day since ] boarded the
vessel. There were then about 225 Cinnamon
left, the balance having shipped and gone away.
Mr.. Along and his son then came to the quaran-
tine ground. What they said l do not know, but
in one moment all the Chinese werein confusion
Some of then followed him across the reef and
were roughly handled by the people on the
shore, and this is q brief history Of the Septima
and her people. s.
WAITER EDMUND WooD.