Chapter I: Preface

The author, in offering his narrative to the public, is conscious of his almost utter inability to the task of giving it a strictly grammatical publication. We, whose march is upon the mountain wave, and whose home is upon the deep, have but little opportunity, however strong the desire, to become adepts in grammatical or orthographical science. We better know the intricacies of our calling than the intricacies of scientific lore.

One object in this publication, (apart from the pecuniary consideration,) is to give the civilized world an insight into the manners and customs of the children of the island of the sea with whom the author was so long associated, and whose manners and customs were so indelibly fixed upon his memory as well as upon his person.

Also to note the manners and customs of the other nations of the earth, into whose society he was often forced in his many wanderings to and fro. In pursuance of which he proposes giving a hasty geographical and historical sketch of each place of importance which he visited, and, to better accomplish this work, he has in many instances consulted the writings of others, as he, as well as all other mariners, was restricted to a certain extent by duties on ship board during the short time he might remain in port, and was therefore unable, through his own observation, to gather many important facts worthy the reader's notice.

There may be many startling incidents narrated in this work--incidents and circumstances which would jar, even upon the ear of credulity itself, to believe; but the author claims one merit, if nothing else, and that is truth.

With these few remarks, he gives his work to the world in expectation of their patronage and sympathy for his sufferings when in bondage among those savages, and, also, in his intercourse with the many other nations of the earth, knowing the indulgent community will kindly overlook all errors which may arise through his inability.

WM. TORREY.

_Springfield, Mass., January 1848._

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

The author's early life. Has a strong desire to remove. Leaves
home. Falls in with a robber by the name of Harris. Goes to
New London. Harris commits many thefts. Is taken, and both
thrown into prison. Trial comes, and Harris is sentenced to
State prison. The Judge takes the author to his own house.
Gives him fatherly admonition, and money to go home. Remains
sometime. Again leaves, and gladly returns. The third time
leaves, and is retaken. Leaves home resolved never to return.
Proceeds to New Bedford. 13

CHAPTER II.

Leaves New Bedford. Touch at the Azores. Description of them.
Encounter a heavy squall. The author is struck by lightning. Goes
on shore at Fernando Po for water. Trade with the natives. Treatment
offered a thief. See a native suffering with the Chiger. Deceive
a British Man-of-War. Have poor success and sail for the
Brazil Banks. Providential escape at Barbadoes. Land at St. Vincent.
Great frolic with the natives. Thrown in prison. Sail
for New Bedford. Storm in the Gulf Stream. Arrive at New
Bedford. 33

CHAPTER III.

Sail from New Bedford. The Crew are put upon allowance. Reach
the Azores. Proceed to the Brazil Banks. Return to the African
coast. Great fear arises from breakers. Prove to be an innumerable
number of canoes filled with natives who come to the ship.
Their awful appearance. Serious difficulty arises with one of the
crew, who is put on shore. Cruise about for whale. Trade with
the natives of St. Thomas. Procure two monkeys, who render
much service in killing cockroaches. The treatment given the
crew at Fernando Po. Kindly interference of British officers.
The crew are obliged to catch their own provision. Sail for
home. I take a few flying fish, which the captain claims as his.
Threw them into the sea. Great rage of the Captain. Reach
New Bedford. The sailors leave the Captain to secure the
sails. 44

CHAPTER IV.

Sail on board the Huntress, bound for the Pacific, on a whaling
Expedition. Encounter a heavy Storm. A Man lost. Reach the
Falklands. Description of them. Storm at the Cape. Icebergs.
Island of Juan Fernandez. Arrive at the Sandwich Islands.
A Sketch of them. 54

CHAPTER V.

Description of the Volcano of Kilauea, at Hawaii. 63

CHAPTER VI.

Sail for the "Off shore ground." Cruise for Whale. Come to
anchor at Payta. Desert the ship. Sufferings in the desert.
Reach the human habitations. Are entertained by an old Spaniard,
who takes us to St. Augustine, and delivers us up to the Governor.
Thrown into a Calaboose. Released by the Captain.
Sketch of Peru. Proceed to the Galapagos. Scenes at that group.
Rock of Dundas. Sail to the Society Islands. Run upon the
Coral Reef. Loose an anchor. Employ natives to dive for it.
Proceed to the Coast of Japan. Description of the Dolphin and
Flying Fish. A violent storm. Sail for the Sandwich Islands.
Touch at Pitcairns. Desert the ship. Ship on board the brig
Doll. Arrive at Magdalena. Proceed to Wytohoo. Phosphoretic
scene. A heavy storm. Seven men lost. Flee to the
boats. The ship runs upon the rocks. 83

CHAPTER VII.

Got on shore among the Cannibals. The reception. Description of
the _Tabu_ ground. Visit the scene of the wreck, after the storm
subsides, accompanied by the king and chiefs. Manner of building.
Manner of bathing. The bread fruit. Description of the
Carver. The Captain proposes leaving for Otaheite. Are taken
around to the other tribes. Death of one of our number from the
sun's heat. Manner in which the dead are disposed of. 108

CHAPTER VIII.

A war breaks out. Its causes. Awful Massacre. The Author is
tattooed. Manner of its accomplishment. An attack is made
upon the Cohapha. Disposition of the prisoners. Continuance of
the war. A ship comes to anchor. Our fond hopes blasted. Purchase
a gun. Departure of the ship. The author builds a hut
and takes a wife. Effect of the gun upon the Cohaphas. They
attempt another night attack. Its results. The grand appearance
of our army. Result of a single shot. The Author is wounded.
Kill the native and take possession of the body and gun. The
king rewards us. The body is roasted. Singular adventure with
a wild hog. The Cohaphas wish for peace. The place of skulls.
Peace is declared. 124

CHAPTER IX.

A visit from the Cohaphas. Our King wishes to learn the use of
the gun. Abandons the idea. Arrival of Captain Fisher. His
inhumanity. Is driven from the land. Manner of fishing. Attempt
to cultivate tobacco. Efficacy of the tabu law. A missionary
ship arrives. Meetings are held. Unbelief of the natives. Narrow
escape of the author. Conduct of Mr. Daylia. He is driven from
the island. Another sail approaches. Recognition of the Captain.
His conduct. Plan of escape. The king is deceived. The author
leaves the island. Secretes himself. Is missed. His unpleasant
situation. Joy at seeing the natives leave the ship. Reflections. 145

CHAPTER X.

Description of the Whale Fishery. Being again on board a whale ship,
I propose giving my readers a brief description of the Whale, and
of the manner of capturing them. 162

CHAPTER XI.

Speak several vessels. Massacre at Keppell's Island. Touch at the
Duke of York's Island. Find a tomb. Electrical eel. Conduct
of a negro, who makes much sport. Land Lobster. Land at
Cohannah. Improper conduct of the captain. A storm off Hawaii.
Anchor at Honolulu. Its description. Scenes on shore. Sports
of the surf. Arrival at Sir Francis Drake's Bay. Scenes on
shore. Cruise about the different islands. Proposed mutiny. The
author leaves the ship. 169

CHAPTER XII.

Sail for the North West Coast. Am required to sign the ship's articles.
Trouble with officers. Anchor at New Archangel. Dogs
trained to the harness. Leave the ship. Fall in with an Indian
hunting party. Their manners and customs. Humanity of an Indian.
Return to St. Lucas. Goes over land to St. Josephs.
Lives with a Catholic priest. Narrow escape. Arrive at San
Blass. Ship for Buenos Ayres. Fearful passage of the straits
of Magellan in a storm. Description of Buenos Ayres. 184

CHAPTER XIII.

Return to San Blass. Description of the Town. Strikes a Spaniard,
and resists the Police. Is placed in the Stocks. Goes on board the
Tammercee. The Captain is employed to take a quantity of Gold
to England. Fight between the Officers. Anchor at Tehuantepec
for Dye-Stuffs. Precaution used against Scorpions, Centipedes,
&c. Arrival at Panama. Scenes on Shore. Arrive at Callao.
Ride to Lima. Description of Lima. Arrival at Valparaiso.
Again double the Cape on the wings of the wind. Arrival at
Liverpool. Sketch of the City. 197

CHAPTER XIV.

Proceed to New Brunswick. Encounter a severe storm. Come
near losing the ship. Arrived at Delhouse. Sickness of the author.
Bleeds himself. His end apparently approaches. Timely
assistance. Sails for Quebec. Description of the Citadel. A
sketch of its history. 210

CHAPTER XV.

Sail in the Borneo for Limerick. A Man is found secreted on
board. Conduct of the Captain. Sympathy of the Crew. Terrible
Storm. Wretchedness of our Situation. Account of the loss
of the Francis Spade. Singular occurrence. The Storm continues.
Reach the Shannon. The rolling of the Killserphine.
Its Tradition. Reach Limerick. Sail for London. Sail for
Egypt. Description of Gibraltar. Arrive at the quarantine
ground off Alexandria. Go to the Dead Sea. Its description.
Return to Alexandria. Curiosities and History of Egypt. Manners
and Customs of the People. 223

CHAPTER XVI.

Sail for London. Arrive at the Downs. Sail for St. Johns. A
dense fog. Bay of Fundy. Come to anchor at St. Johns. Proceed
to London. Sail for the East Indies. Study Navigation.
Arrive at St. Helena. Tomb of Napoleon. Reach Cape Town.
Description of the Country. Of the several Tribes. Arrive at
Calcutta. Description of the Ganges, and its Religious Rites.
Of Calcutta. Sail for Canton. Tiger Island. Straits of Malacca.
Preparations for Pirates. Arrive at Canton. Its description.
Chinese Floating Town. Manners and Customs. Fourth
of July. Sail for England. Misconduct of the Mate. His discharge.
Arrival at London. 243

CHAPTER XVII.

London. Thames tunnel. Bank of England. St. Paul's Church.
Westminster Abbey. The tower. Sail for St. Johns. A storm.
Proceed to Londonderry. Its description. Wolf Rock. Sail for
Holland. Burial at sea. Arrive at Hamburg. Its description.
Come near going upon the sands. Dover cliffs and castle. Pilots.
Eddystone light. A ship in distress with a drunken captain. Return
to my family. Go to New Orleans. Sail for Glasgow. Go
to Edinburgh. Go to St. Johns resolved to quit the sea. Build a
house. Go to Savannah. Meet an old school fellow. Appointed
chief mate. Gulf stream. A storm. Go home. Sail to Cork.
Belfast. Thence to London. Return home. Imminent danger
and narrow escape. 261

CHAPTER XVIII.

Command a vessel. Sail for London. Come near going on the
Goodwin Sands. Anchor at London. Sail for Mobile. Serious
affair with the Seamen. Spirits discharged from the Ship.
A fortune-Teller. Sail for Liverpool. Sail as mate of the
Ashburton. A Storm. Run upon the Rocks. Perilous Situation.
Proceed to St. Johns, and go smuggling. Are taken,
and ship sold. News from home. Go thither, and unknown.
Conclusion. 283

LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF

WILLIAM TORREY.