The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-08-18
LAST CHAPTER IN
A PITIFUL STORY
Gilbert islanders Returned From
Guatemala Plantations.
MOST OF ORIGINAL PARTY DEAD.
BIackbirding in the south Seas-Re-
collections of the ''Tahtti - - The
Helen w. Almy Carries Cargo of
Human Freight - The New King.

The bark Helen W. Amy, which was
chartered TO carry home the human
cargo of Gilbert Islanders which the
Inflated "blackbirder" Montserrat took
to Central America more than five years
ago, arrived in port yesterday after
noon from Butaritari, after having long
owners, says the San Francisco Exam
liner of August 8.
1t was in 1890 that Captain Ferguson
conceived the scheme of furnishing
cheap labor to the Guatemalan planters
| from the Gilbert Islands. Ferguson had
sailed in the South Seas and was well
acquainted with the habits of the ma
| tives and with the rulers Of the groups.
He made a contract with the planters
to furnish 300 men, women and children
at so much head, the King of the Gill
berts being one of the parties to the
contract. Ferguson chartered the brig
! Tahiti in San Francisco, ostensibly for
trading voyage in the South Seas, and
left here in command of the vessel in
person.
The fateful voyage of the Tahiti is
still fresh in the memories of men who
have to do with shipping. Very uneX-
pectedly one day she appeared at
brakes bay, having been blown many
miles out of her course. During her
stay in the bay the secret of her mis-
| sion leaked out. Penned up below deck
like so many cattle were 270 Gilbert
| Islanders of both sexes and all ages,
consigned to the planters of Guatemala.
The Government confessed it's lack of
| power to interfere in the traffic of hui
man beings, and the Tahiti sailed away
with her cargo of "blackbirds.
| The vessel was found several months
later, bottom up, off the Central Ameri
can coast. She had been capsized and
not a soul on board was saved.
Captain Ferguson had remained in
San Francisco and made arrangements
| to send a vessel for another cargo of
the islanders. The second venture was
more successful, about 300 natives be-
ing delivered over to their masters.
After this Captain Ferguson went in
to partnership with Captain Blackburn
of the steamer Montserrat, and together
| they landed about 500 more Gilbert
Islanders to the planters.
e
to return the islanders to their homes
at the expiration of their term of SER
vice, and this is how the Helen w.
Almy happened to be chartered for
her mission She left here the latter
part of January for Ocos, and was to
proceed to Butaritari, from whence she
was to return home direct. She should
have been here two months ago. AS the
days wore on and she failed to put in
her appearance, the owners grew I'M
easy lest she should have met with the
fate of the Tahiti. Finally they gave
her up as lost.
The log of the bark touching on the
islanders is a sad chapter to the dra-
matte story of the barter in human
flesh. Out of the 800 natives who were
carried to Ocos, only 225 returned to
their island home. About thirty elected
to remain in Guatemala. The rest had
succumbed to the malarial airs of Cen
trail America and were laid to rest in
the soil.
I'VE expected to have about 400 or 500
passengers" said Captain Peterson,
but when we reached Ocos there were
but 227. The rest had died, except %
or 80 who refused to return to their
homes. On the trip to Butaritari two
of the men died and two children were
born on the voyage. The natives seem
ed pleased with their surroundings on
board ship, but showed no signs as to
whether they were pleased at going
home or not. During the voyage they
were kept below most of the time. be-
ing brought on deck for airing when
the weather was fine. What became of
them after they got ashore l do not
know, for our work was done when we
landed them in the boats.
The old King who had contracted
for the natives had died some time be-
fore we reached the islands. I do not
know how the islanders Jared on the
plantations, but they all seemed to have
money.
The new King is a son of the old
man, and he is about Is years of age.
When he first got into power he pro-
ceeded to run things with a pretty high
hand but he was speedily called down
He strutted about considerably until
the British Commissioner told him that
if he did not behave himself he would
take his throne away from him. This
had the effect of quieting the young
monarch. and he held the throne, and
his peace too.