Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

A
NARRATIVE
Of the sufferings and escape of Capt. J.O.
GERRISH.
Many of our readers may recollect, says
the Newburyport Herald, that Capt. Gerrish,
commander of the brig Retrieve, of
this port, was captured by the savage natives
of Java, when passing over land from
Batavia to Samarang, in 1818. The following
is an extract from one of his letters, which
has just come to hand, detailing the
particulars of the savage treatment he
received, and of his almost miraculous
escape from captivity—it is dated
"Samarang, Feb. 9, 1818."
Dear Brother.
Since writing you last I have gone thro'
a scene of anxiety and distress, which I
had no expectation I should survive. On
the 22d January, on my return from Batavia
(where I had been obliged to go over
land to obtain my port clearance and
certificate) I was made a prisoner by a
band of natives who had ventured upon
the public road—a narrative of which I
relate to you—at one o'clock of said day.
I discovered a band of about 100 men armed
with pikes, knives, and muskets, immediately
on which the driver left his seat and escaped,
leaving the horses running towards the
savages, and before I could gain the reins,
I was within ten paces of their advance when
the horses stopped and I jumped from the
carriage, upon which a musket was instantly
presented to my breast, but missed fire, I then
seeing their intention gave myself up, begging
for life—when they instantly rushed upon me
and seized me by the throat and arms, and
after using me in the most savage manner,
they rifled my pockets; they then put a cord,
made of bark, around my neck, and pinioned
my arms with the same cord, drawing them
so close behind my back, as to put me in the
greatest agony; after which they tied my
wrists aclose, so as to completely stop the
circulation of the blood; they then (it being
the heat of the day) commenced a march
with me, without any hat, often pulling
the cord which led to my neck; after
walking about two miles in that distressing
condition they made a halt, when they
set up a most horrid yell, at which there
instantly appeared from the edge of the
woods, a detached party bringing two naked
bodies, one of which they brought by
the side of me, pierced in a shocking manner—the
other appeared to show symptoms
of life—they then turned into the woods on
the opposite side with the dead body; with a
part of the patrol with me The other party
kept on with the other body, and carriage
and horses: we had not gone far into the
woods when they slightly buried the corpse,
naked as it was, and continued on with me;
my anxiety was so great, and the agony I
was in so extreme, that the sweat ran off at the bottom
of my garments. After going several
miles in that condition, they came to
a small village by a river, over which
they had to pass on a log, except those
who led me, making me wade through. I
asked for water to drink, but was inhumanely
denied; we then came to an extensive
paddy ground, where instead of going on
the dykes, they made me wade through the
mud about a foot deep; after crossing this
extensive plain, we came to a second river
over which they made me wade as before,
when we came to the village where they
belonged.
I was then seated on the wet ground
in the stocks, where I remained until the
chief came: I was then taken out, placed
on a bench, and 15 men called who following
their hands, kneeled and kissed his
feet. After which they were brought before
me, and their knives examined, in which
place I supposed I was to be executed, but
hearing the chief say Hollander, I
immediately said American, from which
he appeared to look earnestly at me, and
I as earnestly at him, repeating the word
American; when after a few moments,
he ordered the knives to be returned, and
commanded me to be taken off the bench
and put into a shed, it raining violently.
After I was seated he wished to ascertain
where I was from, where going, and
to what country I belonged: all which I
gave him to understand. I then showed
him my hands and neck how they were
swollen, and what misery I was in; when
he ordered me again to be searched and
finding nothing, commanded the cords to
be taken off, having been in that painful
situation seven hours. He then gave me
some rice, and ordered me to be conducted
to a place prepared in which to remain
during the night, where I was closely
after several examinations, he brought most
of my papers and clothes which he permitted
me to use, by having one of his men
observe me shift, and see that nothing was
misplaced. He likewise gave me rice enough
to eat; though my place was very
wet and uncomfortable. I then from day
to day endeavored to be permitted to give
some information of myself, but he denied
me that privilege, positively declaring
I should never give any information where
I was, and that I should never be released.
I then endeavored a ransom but without effect.
From that moment I was determined
to make my escape, or lose my life
in the attempt.
For several nights I kept wakeful, but
was so closely watched that there was no
possibility of escape—when on the ninth
night after my capture I obtained some information
through a Chinese, that the Government
were about sending a force against
them. They then had their spies out every
day, and the Chinese, being treacherous to
them, gave me every information respecting
the Dutch troops, how they advanced, and
what position they were in from day to day.
I then determined to wait the event of the
troops coming and endeavor to make the
event, of an engagement, my opportunity.—Accordingly
keeping myself in constant readiness I was
as it were upon the tenter hooks of Death
for 24 hours—when on the morning of the
4th of Feb. about day-light, I heard muskets.—The
whole village was instantly alarmed,
the women running in all directions, and the
men marching to meet the enemy, except
three armed men to take me into the woods,
I then found I should have no other opportunity,
I endeavored to keep in the village
as long as possible, to ascertain the event
of the attack: but in vain. they being anxious
began to use force, where I was obliged
to go with them, and having nothing to
defend myself, I was determined first to
try some deception, and if unsuccessful,
then to take hold of the first weapon I could
find and resist them. I accordingly approaching
the woods feigned faintness and fell,
when they stopped to raise me, I at the same
time endeavored to get the men to stay by
me, that I might not be taken by their enemies—when
a gun was fired which so alarmed
them that they ran a few paces from me,
when I instantly jumped up and ran from
them.—I had not gone far before I was again
intercepted by one armed, and obliged to
flee into a wood in an opposite direction from
the Dutch troops, and being so closely pursued
I was obliged to hide in a thicket where
he passed me within a few yards, without
discovering me. After which I was six times
more chased and very closely searched after.
I once lay in the water seven hours with savages
searching many times within twenty paces
of me when it came dark, I made another
attempt but being lost and benildered, got
into the water, where it was with a great
deal of difficulty I could get out, it being
so extremely dark. After getting out I was
again discovered in the woods by the savages,
who searched until towards morning
with torches, sometimes almost near enough
to reach me with their spears. At about 4
o'clock in the morning they gave up the
search, when I again endeavored to find
the way towards the troops, and by means
of a star which appeared soon after 4 o'clock,
which, by placing a stick and watching
it, I found which way it rose, and which
way to direct my course.
At 11 o'clock the 5th I reached the troops
having been 40 hours without any nourishment
and without any clothes. My feet
and legs as well as my body, were torn by
the bushes and so exhausted, that when I
reached the troops it was with difficulty I
could stand. I could write much more but
the recollection of my sufferings, and the
anxiety of my mind on account of the derangement
these events have thrown my
business into that I can hardly connect my
ideas.
[Thus, after undergoing the utmost hardships,
and experiencing the most barbarous
treatment, was Capt. Gerrish providentially
rescued from captivity and death—and
proceeded on his voyage to Europe. But
other trials and difficulties, it seems, were
reserved for this unfortunate Gentleman;
for after proceeding to Holland, thence to
Russia, and being on his passage home, it
will be recollected his vessel was cast away
in the North Sea and entirely lost, and he
a second time narrowly escaped with his
life.]