Kidnapping in the Pacific; Or, The Adventures of Boas Ringdon / A long four-part Yarn

by William Henry Giles Kingston

“We had a dead beat to windward for the best part of a month, and by that time our cargo, as may be supposed, hadn’t much improved in appearance.

“As ill luck would have it, when we arrived off the port we were bound for, what should we see but a man-of-war at anchor. As we were short of provisions and water, we were compelled to run in and make the best of it. Before long the captain of the man-of-war came on board, and not only rated our skipper and supercargo for the condition the blacks were in, but declaring that our papers were irregular, which it must be confessed they were, landed the blacks and took possession of the craft. I and the rest of the crew lost our wages, and had to go on shore again and look out for ourselves.

“I hadn’t been there long before a fine brig came in with only a dozen natives. The owner was on board, and he and the captain had had a quarrel because the latter had refused to receive any passengers who did not come of their own free will, and sign the agreement with a full understanding of the meaning. The captain, who was, I thought, a fool for his pains, had to give up the command, and two or three of the men who were of his opinion, were landed with him. I having no such scruples was glad enough to join her as second mate. Most of her crew were either Sandwich Islanders or Tahitians. The owner having got another master who was accustomed to the trade, we sailed to the northward to visit a number of islands lying on either side of the line, intending also to cruise about the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands, where we hoped before long to get a full cargo.

“The owner said his vessel would carry three hundred at least, and that number he was determined to obtain.

“I have told you before how the vessels engaged in this trade are accustomed to pick up their cargo. Our owner was a man for dodges of all sorts, and there was not a device he left untried to obtain men. At one place he pretended that the brig was a sandal-wood trader, and offered to give double the price which had ever been given before, provided it could be brought on board the next day. His hope was that a number of natives would go and cut it, and that each man would come back with the result of his labour. He was not disappointed. The next morning we had a score of canoes alongside. He would only let one man at a time come on deck, and as soon as he appeared he was invited below to receive payment. The first two or three who came received even double what the owner had promised, and were allowed to return to their canoes. This made all the rest eager to come up, and as soon as they had gone below they were gagged and pinioned, and passed into the hold. By this means we got sixty men, even the very last not suspecting the trick that had been played. The first three were also enticed on board, supposing that their companions were receiving even more than they had. We towed the canoes out to sea, where we sank them, and continued our voyage.

“When we approached a place where Christian natives were to be found, we hoisted a missionary flag, and the interpreter going on shore told the people that one of their dear missionaries was on board, when a number eagerly came off to visit him, and were somewhat surprised when they found themselves handed down into the hold.

“This dodge answered so well that we tried it several times, generally with the same success. The owner having heard that a bishop, or a man of that sort, who wears a long gown and preaches, was in the habit of visiting many of the islands, determined to find out where he had most friends, hoping, by a dodge he had thought of, to make a grand haul. He had had a coat and hat made which he said was just like the bishop’s, and another for the interpreter. Rigged in these they went one day on shore, and began preaching to the natives who collected round in great numbers. What they said I don’t know, it must have been something curious, I fancy; but the savages who had never had a visit from the bishop before, though they had heard of him it seemed, were mightily pleased. Some wanted to come off at once, but the owner replied that he should be happy to see as many as chose to visit him next morning, and that he had a number of things he should like to give them.

“Pretty nearly a hundred came alongside the next morning in their canoes; the difficulty, however, was to secure them. At last the interpreter thought of a plan. He told them that the bishop was sick in his cabin and that he could only see three or four at a time; but that there were praying men in another part of the vessel who would be happy afterwards to talk to them. By this means, a few at a time being got below, the greater number were secured. At last the remainder began to grow suspicious, and one of those below shouting out, they made a rush to the side, and leaped overboard. A few were secured, but several made their escape, when the owner ordered us to fire on them. Several were hit and sank, but the rest reached the shore, thinking, I have no doubt, that it was an odd way for a bishop to treat them, and vowing that the next time they caught sight of him they would make him sorry for what he had done.

“We played a trick like this at several other places, but, as the bishop was known, the interpreter, rigged as a parson, going on shore, told the people that the bishop was ill on board, but would still be very glad to see them if they would come off and pay him a visit.