Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-03-30
capt. WHlTFlELD'S WAIF
ROMANCE OF A JAP LAD WHO BE
CAME IMPORTANT IN THE ORIENT.

Marcellus P. Whitfield, of Fair
haven, Mass, received handsomely
engraved invitation to be present at
the recent reception given on board
the new japanese cruiser Kasagi built
by the Cramps at Philadelphia. The
invitation was from the officers of the
cruiser, and included Mr.. Whitfeld'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 let
ter from Keizaburo Nakahama, Chief
Paymaster of the ship. The writer
stated that he was the third son Of
Maniiro Nakahama, of Toxic, Japan,
who had been taken care of and edu
Gated by Mr.. Whitfield father, master
of the ship John Howland, in 1S41.
"Under this circumstance, he says,
81 have been commissioned to find
your address by my father, as I have
been sent in official service, and to re-
port all about the Captains family"
1t seems that Captain William Fl.
Whitfield, master of ship John How.
land, of Fairhaven, while cruising in
the Japan Sea in 1910 OF 1871 sighted
n bare rock in the midst of the sea and
found five nearly starved Japanese
sailors clinging to it for dear life.
They had been there something like
seventy days, and all the food they
had been able to get was such birds as
they could knock down with clubs and
stones. The Captain rescued them
and carried them to Honolulu. The
youngest of them, boy about fifteen
years old, begged to be allowed to re-
main aboard the ship, and the Captain
finally consented. He was bright
boy, learned the language rapidly and
soon became quitea favorite on board.
BY the time the ship reached Fair
haven Captain Whitfield was consid.
erably attached to the boy, and deter
mined to give him such an education
as the town afforded. And in that
decision Captain Whitfield conferred
far greater benefaction on Japan and
the whole OF civilization than he
imagined.
The boy was Nakahama Maniiro,
though he had received the American
nickname "John Num-" 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 GOV.
cred period of about six years, but
before he left the town he had become
naturalized American citizen. There
was always some prejudice against
him, for he was looked upon as coll
ored lad, and the color line was sharp.
ly drawn in those days. When he
sought to attend church with Captain
Whitfield, for,instance, lie was refused
permission till he went to the Unitar-
ian, and there he was taken in with
something like equality, though not
till committee had been appointed
to look into the question of his color
and standing.
In 1916 or 1S47 he made voyage
whaling in the bark Franklin, and be-
came somewhat of navigator. Then
came the gold fever in Califo mia,
and the young Jap-American sailed
for San Francisco. But he remained
in the mines only few months. Be-
ing SO far on his way to the land of
his birth led him to long for one more
look at the old life, and once more to
visit his parents. But tho law of
Japan at that time placed death
penalty on any native who had left his
country and returned after visiting
foreign lands. Still he determined
to brave the consequences and boldly
set sail, stopping at Honolulu, where
he was joined by four of his country
men, two of them of the same party
with him when rescued by Captaia
Whitfield.
Nakahamas s accomplishments caused
him to be made Samuri, or wearer
or two swords. He translated Bow
ditch's Navigator" logaritthius and
all, into his native language, and was
of immediate service to his country as
an interpreter in treaty making. He
developed the navy, and was the first
native japanese to navigate ship out
of sight of land in accordance with
the laws of navigation. He was stead
lily advanced by royal order, and dur
ing the Franco -Prussian war was one
of the seven commissioners sent by
the Mikado to observe war move
ments in Europe. He at this time
bore the 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 friends in New
Bedford aud Fairhaven. He was
warmly received, and one can imagine
the feelings of Captain Whitfield as
he grasped the hand of the Japanese
statesman whom he had saved, a poor
sailor boy, from sure death in the
Pacific.
Since his visit to tais country moth
ing has been heard from Nakahama.
Now be is an old man, retired and liv-
ing at ease on his estate in Japan, with
an honored and progressive family
of sons growing up around him.
Captain Whitfield died several years
ago, but the japanese nobleman has
E.. -. L T