The Wilmingtonian, And Delaware Advertiser

From the Salem Lit. and Com. Gaz.

Narrative of the shipwreck of the English whale ship Rambler, Capt. Graves on the South west Coast of Madagascar, in the month of August, 1825, and of the Massacre of the Captain and several of the crew by the natives.

I sailed from London, early in April, 1825, in the whale ship Rambler, belonging to the Messrs. Enderby's of that city, under the command of Captain A. B. Graves, a native, I believe, of Boston, U. S. We were very fortunate in the first part of our voyage, and killed several large whales, and cruised in the Mozambique channel, till the 11th. of Aug. when we were wrecked off Cape St. Felix. The ship thumped two or three times on the rocks, but at last was raised by the heavy swell of the sea, and driven over into deep water. We let go our anchors and lowered our boats and had succeeded in taking on board of them a little water and about four bags of bread, when our ship filled and sunk. Our crew being distributed among the five boats, the captain ordered us to steer for the Island of Majumba. Soon after we left the wreck one of our boats which contained a great part of our water and nearly all of our bread, filled and sunk. That night we went ashore on a small Island near the main and drew up our boats. After some consultation among the officers, it was thought best to attempt reaching Majumba, as it was a place where English and American vessels most commonly traded. We reckoned the distance to be about 650 miles.—The capt. ordered an equal division to be made of all our bread and water, and we shared a pint of water and three biscuits apiece. The next morning we got under weigh about ten o'clock, and coasted along, till towards night when we went ashore on another small Island, which appeared not to be inhabited though we saw several tracks of human feet on the sand.

About noon, the next day, while sailing along the coast we saw several natives ashore. We rowed in towards them, and made signs to them, that we needed some water, but they were alarmed and ran away. We landed and found on the shore a few pieces of raw turtle, and a small quantity of water, which the natives had left. We greedily devoured them, and searched their huts for more, but without success. We took boat again, and after sailing a few minutes came to a river, which was not laid down in our chart.—Sailed up this river a short distance, in hope of finding some fresh water, but being disappointed, we returned and continued coasting along shore till night, when we again came to anchor. The next day we saw more huts on shore and landed. The natives had run away on our approach. Thinking it not prudent to go far into the country; we searched all their huts, and fortunately found some fruit, a little brackish water, and a few wild beans. We roasted the beans but they made us all sick. Here we spent our fourth night.

The next day we passed another village, and made signs to the natives, that we wanted some water.—They went away and soon after returned with some, which they brought to the shore, and made signs to us that we might have it, if we would give them something for it. The captain gave them his neck cloth, and we handed to them one of our boat buckets, which they returned to us full of water, and some of us gave them a jacket others their trowsers, for the weather was so uncomfortably hot, that we had no occasion for our clothes. We gave them the bucket a second time, and they brought it back full of water, but they refused to give it to us, unless we gave them the remainder of our clothes. On our refusing they emptied the bucket and threw it aside and drove us away. We continued sailing along the coast for three days longer, occasionally landing, for the purpose of searching the sands for shell fish, but generally without success. We at last saw a great number of huts on the shore. Some of the natives launched a canoe from the shore, and came out a little distance towards us. The captain spoke to them, and one of them answered in broken English that there were plenty of Bullock meat and water ashore and that we could have it if we would go ashore. Capt. G. ordered us to land, and to keep our boats at anchor a few rods from the shore, that we might retreat in case we met with any difficulty. We went ashore having the cook in one boat, and two little boys in the other—our fourth boat, with the first mate and two of her crew having separated from us two days before, On our landing, the man who hailed us, told us that the natives had gone into the country for the bullocks. He carried us to a fine spring of water, where we drank as much as we wanted.

We then went back to the huts and found some boiled and dried bananas. In about 2 hours they returned with four bullocks and made signs to us, that we must get a rope for catching the bullocks. One of us brought a boat rope and we went to work, to kill one of the bullocks. We had a great deal of trouble about it, he was so wild and furious.—While we were engaged in killing him, the natives suddenly left us, but we were so intent upon our business, that we did not mind it. Captain G. suspected something and ran towards the shore—in a few minutes he was observed to make signs to us, to leave our work and follow him. We immediately ran towards him, and to our astonishment, we saw nearly two hundred natives armed with muskets and spears, surrounding two of our boats, which they had drawn up on the beach and were plundering. Capt. G. ran in advance of us towards the boat, which was at anchor, and was pursued by six or seven of the natives, as far as the water, when they over took and speared him. When he fell into the water, they left him, and ran back to the boats on the beach. For a few moments Capt. Graves rose and staggered to the shore, where he was again attacked by them, and while raising up his hands to ask mercy of them was speared several times and at last shot. He fell on his back, and was immediately surrounded by the natives, who stripped him of every thing.—While this was going on, we were attempting our escape, but they cut us off and only three of us reached the boat. I was last, and was pursued by two of them, each armed with two spears, as far as the boat, when I seized a rusty musket, and aimed it at them. They immediately sunk, and did not rise again till they reached the shore. Several of our shipmates had waded up to their chins crying for help,—but the natives pursued them, and stabbed them. On getting into the boat I found John Mills and John Adams, who had run down to the beach ahead of me. the cook to whose charge the boat was left, two Portuguese who had come off a few moments before the massacre, and a little boy, John Loft, who ran down with the captain, and swam to the boat.

The whole number we left on shore was fourteen, all of whom were massacred, excepting Charles Fisher, a little boy and two men, who were made prisoners by the natives. Fisher was afterwards ransomed by Capt. Bates, of this town, but soon died in consequence of the ill treatment which he received from the natives. The two men were prisoners at the time Fisher was ransomed. We got under way and steered northerly for Majumba. All we had on board to subsist upon was a little water, and a small quantity of bread dust which we found at the bottom of the bag. We continued thus coasting for ten days, stopping at times in search of shell fish, and only finding three crabs and an eel which we divided among us.—We were frequently pursued by the natives.

On the eleventh day in the afternoon, a brig passed within eight or nine miles of us but we were unable to make known our situation. We sailed up the Bay, and soon discovered several vessels at anchor. We rowed up to one which proved to be the Reaper, belonging to this town, commanded by Capt. Johnson. One of the other vessels was the Syren, Capt. Kinsman, likewise belonging to this town. Capt Johnson received us on board, and to the kind and assiduous attentions which were paid to us by all on board, I feel that we are indebted for the preservation of our lives. The next morning after we arrived, a boat came along side which proved to be our missing boat with the mate's crew. They had arrived a few hours before we came in, and had fortunately succeeded in getting provisions from the natives along the coast.

I shipped on board of the Syren, Capt. Kinsman, and sailed soon after for the East Indies, and thence to this town, where I arrived on the 26th. of last month. Mills and Adams worked their passage to Pulo Penang, and then to London. I left the two Portuguese at Majumba. The other of my shipmates, who escaped the massacre with us, John Loft, was left with Captain Bates of this town, who sent him on board of a British man of war. I was at Vavoo, one of the Friendly Isles, in the same ship, commanded by Capt. Powell, in the voyage before this, when the capt. and our boats crew were cut off by the natives.

HENRY CRUTTENDEN.
Salem, Sept. 12th. 1826.