The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-26
a ROMANCE OF THE JAPAN SEA.
story of the Rescue of japanese
sailor by Fairhaven shipmaster.

story Oh the Hescue of n japanese
Sailor by a Fairhaven Shipmaster.
From the Boston Transcript
Marceilus p. Whitfield of Fairhaven, on
Oct Is, last, received a handsomely en-
graved invitation to be present at a recep-
ton to be given on board the new Japan
csc cruiser Kasagi at Philadelphia. The in
vtation was by the officers of the cruiser
and included Mr.. Whitheld's whole family
Not knowing any one upon the Kasagi, the
invitation was a mystery until the next
day when an explanation came in the
form Of a letter from Keizaburo Nakahama
chief paymaster of the ship The writer
stated that he was the third son of Man
jiro Nakahama of Toxic, Japan, who had
been taken care of and educated by Mr..
Whitheld's father. master of the ship
John Rowland, in 1871. Under this crcum-
stance" he says, Il have been commits
stoned to find your address by my father
'as ! have been sent in official service, and
to report all about the captains family"
II seems that Capt William II. Whit
field, master of ship John Rowland of
F'airhaven, while cruising in the Japan sea
in 1870 or 1871 sighted a bare rock III the
starved Japanese sailors cHnging to it
for dear life. They had been there some
thing like 70 days, and all the food they
had been able 10 get was such birds as they
could knock down with clubs and stones.
The captain rescued the men and carried
them to Honolulu. The youngest of them
a boy about Is years Old. begged to be al
lowed to remain aboard the ship, and the
captain finally consented. He was a bright
boy learned the language rapidly, and
soon became quite a favorite on board. by
the time the ship reached FairhaVen, Capt
Whitfield was considerably attached to the
boy and determined to give him such an
education as the town afforded. And III
that decision Capt. Whitfield conferred
Ear greater benefaction on Japan and the
whole of civiliza ton, than he Imagined.
The boy was Nakahama Manjiro,
though he had received the American nick
name John Nun" or John Mungero."
He was put into the town schools, where
he was an apt pupil, learning faster than
many of the Yankee lads. His residence
covered a period of about six years but
before he left the town he had become
natutalized American citizen. There was
always some prejudice against him, for he
was looked upon as a colored lad ana the
color line was sharply drawn in those days.
When he sought to attend church with
Capt Whitfield, for instance, he was re-
fused PERMISSION till he went to the Unl-
TARTAN and there he was taken in with
something like equality, though not til
committee had been appointed to look into
The question of his color and standing.
In 1916 or 1S47 he made a voyage whal-
ing in the bark Franklin, and became
somewhat of a navigator Then came the
gold fever in California, and the young
Jap-American sailed for San francisco.
But he remained in the mines only few
so
land of his birth, led him to long for one
more look at his cd life, and once more
to visit his parents. But the law of Japan
at that time placed a death penalty on any
Japan native who had left his country and
returned after visiting foreign lands Still
he determined 10 brave the consequences
and boldly set sail stopping at Honolulu,
where he was Joined by four of his coun-
trymen, two of them of the same party
with him when rescued by Capt. Whitfield.
Nakahamas accomplishment caused
him 10 be made a Samuri or wearer of
two swords He translated Bowditch's
Navigator" ioquathus and all, into his
native language, and was of immense SER
vice to his country an an interpreter in
treaty king. He developed the navy,
and was the first native Japanese to navi-
gate a ship outside of land in accordance
with the laws of navigation. He was
steadily advanced by royal order, and dur
ing the Franco-Purssian war was one of
the seven commissioners sent by the Mi
kado to observe war movements in Eu-
rope He at this time bore che rank Of
post captain in the navy, an office high IN
The admiralty.
At The close of these hostilities, in 1870,
Nakahama took the opportunity to visit
America, and he lost no time in calling on
his old friendsi n New Bedford and Fair
haven. He was warmly received, and one
can imagine the feelings of Capt. Whit
field as he grasped the hand of the Japa-
nese statesman whom he had saved,a poor
sailor boy from a sure death in the Pa
cific.
Since his visit to this country nothing
has been heard from Nakahama Now he
is an old man. retired and living at ease
on his estate in Japan. with an honored
and progressive family of sons growing up
around him. Capt. Whitfe-- died several
years ago. but the japanese nObleman has
not forgotten him or his family. Now thar
one of his sons was 10 visit America he
was specially charged to look up the cap
tain's descendants, which he appears to
have done with some success. The Young
paymaster sent with his letter 20 Mr. Whit
field several large photographs of mem
bers of his family, one of the Old man.
one of an elder son, who wears some sort
of imnerial decoration, and one of himself
also similarly decorated.