by C. H. Layman
The first night of this our new voyage we lay at an island which we called Sheep’s Island. Next day the wind came to the south, and we ran to the westward of Montrose Island. This night we lay on our oars for we could not find a harbour for the boat. All this while we were in great want of provisions. On the morrow we went to the bottom of a great bay, where we found our Indian’s hut and his wife and two children. Here we stayed two or three days, and then set out with our guide, his wife, children, and another Indian, a young fellow who was either his servant or partner in the canoe. He carried us to the mouth of a river which we were to go up, but this was found impossible, the stream was so rapid. In this river we were pulling and hauling from eight o’clock in the morning till six in the afternoon. When we came out we were almost dead with fatigue and want of sustenance. John Bosman, seaman, one of the strongest men in the boat, died this evening, being the third day since we left the Indian’s hut, and in the interim we had had nothing to eat but a little boiled tangle.
This evening we had for supper some wild purslane, boiled with small mussels. As I was lying by the fire I heard the people say that it would be well done to go off and leave the Captain behind for his cruelty. For this day as we lay in the river, and were all faint for want of food, he took out before us all a great piece of boiled seal with tangle, and he and the Surgeon ate it without offering a bit to any one of us, though he knew that poor Bosman perished merely for want of something to eat.
The next day I acquainted Captain Cheap with the murmurs among the people, and that Mr Hamilton also heard what they said – at least he might have heard them if he was not asleep, he being as near to them as I was. Upon this the Captain called Mr Hamilton aside, and taxed him with conspiring to take the command from him.
This day the Indian with his wife and children went out in their canoe to get some seal, for we had nothing to eat; but at the same time he left us the other Indian, his partner, to carry us to a place where we might get some shellfish. As soon as we got thither, everyone went along shore, except Mr Elliot the Surgeon, who was very ill. The men got back to the boat before the officers, and Mr Elliot desired them to go off a little and try if they could shoot him a gull. Hereupon they all, being six in number, got into the barge, taking the young Indian with them for their guide; and we never saw them again, nor could we conceive whither it was that they thought proper to convey themselves.
I leave the reader to imagine what a condition we five poor souls were now in! The country was all rocks and woods, a mere desert, affording us no better house or habitation than the shade of a tree. Nor had we one morsel of victuals; no arms, nor ammunition, nor fire, nor clothing except the few wretched rags on our backs.
Chapter 20
A Nightmare Journey
Golfo San Esteban, 14th March 1742. The Indian guide returns, and conducts them on an exhausting journey to a small Indian settlement. Byron crawls into a wigwam and is befriended by two women, who give him some fish and warm him. They go on a fishing trip together. Their husband returns and is violently angry. The Surgeon is now at his last gasp, and relations with the Indians are deteriorating.
From Midshipman Byron’s narrative
At present, no condition could be worse than we thought ours to be. There ran at this time a very high sea, which breaking with great fury upon this coast, made it very improbable that sustenance in any proportion to our wants could be found upon it; yet, unpromising as this prospect was, and though little succour could be expected from this quarter, I could not help, as I strolled along shore from the rest, casting my eyes towards the sea. Continuing thus to look out, I thought I saw something now and then upon the top of a sea that looked black, which, upon observing still more intently, I imagined at last to be a canoe. But reflecting afterwards how unusual it was for Indians to venture out in so mountainous a sea, and at such a distance from the land, I concluded myself to be deceived. However, its nearer approach convinced me beyond all doubt of its being a canoe, but that it could not put in anywhere hereabouts, but intended for some other part of the coast. I ran back as fast as I could to my companions, and acquainted them with what I had seen.
The despondency they were in would not allow them to give credit to it at first; but afterwards, being convinced that it was as I reported it, we were all in the greatest hurry to strip off some of our rags to make a signal withal, which we fixed upon a long pole. This had the desired effect: the people in the canoe seeing the signal, made towards the land at about two miles distance from us; for no boat could approach the land where we were. There they put into a small cove sheltered by a large ledge of rocks without, which broke the violence of the sea.
Captain Cheap and I walked along shore, and got to the cove about the time they landed. Here we found the persons arrived in this canoe to be our Indian guide and his wife who had left us some days before. He would have asked us many questions, but neither Captain Cheap nor I understanding Spanish at that time we took him along with us to the Surgeon, whom we had left so ill that he could hardly raise himself from the ground.
When the Indian began to confer with the Surgeon the first question was, what was become of the barge and his companion? And as he could give him no satisfactory answer to this question, the Indian took it for granted that Emanuel was murdered by us, and that he and his family ran the same risk; upon which he was preparing to provide for his security by leaving us directly. The Surgeon seeing this did all in his power to pacify him, and convince him of the unreasonableness of his apprehensions, which he at length found means to do, by assuring him that the Indian would come to no harm, but that he would soon see him return safe –which providentially, and beyond our expectation, happened accordingly; for a few days after, Emanuel having contrived to make his escape from the people in the barge, he returned by ways that were impassable to any creature but an Indian. All that we could learn from Emanuel relative to his escape was that he took the first opportunity of leaving them, which was upon their putting into a bay somewhere to the westward.
We had but one gun among us, and that was a small fowling-piece of mine, with no ammunition but a few charges of powder I had about me; and as the Indian was very desirous of returning to the place where he had left his wife and canoe, Captain Cheap desired I would go with him and watch over him all night to prevent his getting away. Accordingly I set out with him, and when he and his family betook themselves to rest in the little wigwam they had made for that purpose, I kept my station as sentinel over them all night.
The next morning, Captain Cheap, Mr Hamilton, and the Surgeon joined us; the latter, by illness being reduced to the most feeble condition, was supported by Mr Hamilton and Mr Campbell. After holding some little consultation together as to the best manner of proceeding in our journey, it was agreed that the Indian should haul his canoe, with our assistance, over land, quite across the island we were then upon, and put her into a bay on the other side, from whence he was to go in quest of some other Indians by whom he expected to be joined. But as his canoe was too small to carry more than three or four persons, he thought it advisable to take only Captain Cheap and myself with him, and to leave his wife and children as pledges with our companions till his return.
As it was matter of uncertainty whether we should ever recover the barge or not, which was stipulated on our side to become the property of the cacique[13] upon his fulfilling his engagements with us, the inducements we now made use of to prevail upon him to proceed with us in our journey were, that he should have my fowling-piece and some little matters in the possession of Captain Cheap, and that we would use our interest to procure him some small pecuniary reward.
We were now to set off in the canoe, in which I was to assist him in rowing. Accordingly, putting from this island, we rowed hard all this day and the next without any thing to eat but a scrap of seal, a very small portion of which fell to my share. About two hours after the close of the day we put ashore, where we discovered six or seven wigwams. For my part my
strength was so exhausted with fatigue and hunger, that it would have been impossible for me to have held out another day at this toilsome work. As soon as we landed, the Indian conducted Captain Cheap with him into a wigwam; but I was left to shift for myself.
This tangle of red lines attempts to reconstruct from survivors’ accounts their many valiant endeavours to escape the well-named Golfo de Peñas (Bay of Sorrows). Finally they are guided up a river and cross over land to the north-east.
Thus left, I was for some time at a loss what I had best do, for knowing that in the variety of dispositions observable among the Indians the surly and savage temper is the most prevalent, I had good reason to conclude that if I obtruded myself upon them my reception would be but indifferent. Necessity however put me upon the risk, and I accordingly pushed into the next wigwam on my hands and knees.
In this wigwam, into which I took the liberty to introduce myself, I found two women, who upon first seeing a figure they were not accustomed to, and such a figure too as I then made, were struck with astonishment. They were sitting by a fire, to which I approached without any apology. However inclined I might have been to make one, my ignorance of their language made it impossible to attempt it. One of these women appeared to be young, and very handsome for an Indian; the other old, and as frightful as it is possible to conceive anything in human shape to be. Having stared at me some little time, they both went out; and I, without farther ceremony, sat me down by the fire to warm myself, and dry the rags I wore. Yet I cannot say my situation was very easy, as I expected every instant to see two or three men come in and thrust me out, if they did not deal with me in a rougher manner.
Soon after, the two women came in again, having as I supposed conferred with the Indian our conductor; and appearing to be in great good humour, began to chatter and laugh immoderately. Perceiving the wet and cold condition I was in they seemed to have compassion on me, and the old woman went out and brought some wood, with which she made a good fire. But my hunger being impatient, I could not forbear expressing my desire that they would extend their hospitality a little further and bring me something to eat. They soon comprehended my meaning, and the younger beginning to rummage under some pieces of bark that lay in the corner of the wigwam, produced a fine large fish. This they presently put upon the fire to broil, and when it was just warm through they made a sign for me to eat. They had no need to repeat the invitation; I fell to, and dispatched it in so short a time that I was in hopes they would comprehend without further tokens that I was ready for another. But it was of no consequence, for their stock of eatables was entirely exhausted.
After sitting some time in conference together, in which conversation I could bear no part, the women made some signs to me to lie down and go to sleep, first having strewed some dry boughs upon the ground. I laid myself down, and soon fell fast asleep; and awaking about three or four hours after, I found myself covered with a bit of blanket made of the down of birds, which the women usually wear about their waist. The young woman who had carefully covered me whilst sleeping with her own blanket was lying close by me; the old woman on the other side of her. The fire was low, and almost burnt out; but as soon as they found me awake they renewed it by putting on more fuel. What I had hitherto eaten served only to sharpen my appetite. I could not help, therefore, being earnest with them to get me some more victuals. Having understood my necessities they talked together some little time; after which, getting up, they both went out, taking with them a couple of dogs, which they train to assist them in fishing. After an hour’s absence they came in trembling with cold, and their hair streaming with water, and brought two fish; which, having broiled, they gave me the largest share; and then we all laid down as before to rest.
We could not learn what business the men, whose wives and children were left behind, were gone out upon, but about this time their return was looked for. I was therefore determined to enjoy myself as long as they were absent, and make the most of the good fare I was possessed of; to the pleasure of which I thought a little cleanliness might in some measure contribute. I therefore went to a brook, and taking off my shirt, which might be said to be alive with vermin, set myself about to wash it; which having done as well as I could, and hung on a bush to dry, I heard a bustle about the wigwams, and soon perceived that the women were preparing to depart, having stripped their wigwams of their bark covering and carried it into their canoes. Putting on therefore my shirt, just as it was, I hastened to join them, having a great desire of being present at one of their fishing parties.
It was my lot to be put into the canoe with my two patronesses, and some others who assisted in rowing. We were in all four canoes. After rowing some time they gained such an offing as they required, where the water was about eight or ten fathom deep, and there lay upon their oars. And now the youngest of the two women, taking a basket in her mouth, jumped overboard, and diving to the bottom, continued under water an amazing time. When she had filled the basket with sea-eggs, she came up to the boat’s side; and delivering it so filled to the other women in the boat, they took out the contents, and returned it to her. The diver then, after having taken a short time to breathe, went down and up again with the same success; and so several times for the space of half an hour. It seems as if Providence has endued this people with a kind of amphibious nature, as the sea is the only source from whence almost all their subsistence is derived.
The divers having returned to their boats, we continued to row till evening, when we landed upon a low point. As soon as the canoes were hauled up they employed themselves in erecting their wigwams, which they dispatch with great address and quickness.
I still enjoyed the protection of my two good Indian women, who made me their guest here as before; they first regaled me with sea-eggs, and then went out upon another kind of fishery by the means of dogs and nets. These dogs are a cur-like looking animal, but very sagacious, and easily trained to this business. Though to appearance an uncomfortable kind of sport, yet they engage in it readily, seem to enjoy it much, and express their eagerness by barking every time they raise their heads above the water to breathe. The net is held by two Indians, who get into the water; then the dogs taking a large compass dive after the fish, and drive them into the net; but it is only in particular places that the fish are taken in this manner. At the close of the evening the women brought in two fish which served us for supper, and then we reposed ourselves as before.
Here we remained all the next day; and the morning after embarked again, and rowed till noon. Then landing, we descried the canoes of the Indian men, who had been some time expected from an expedition they had been upon. This was soon to make a great alteration in the situation of affairs, a presage of which I could read in the melancholy countenance of my young hostess. She endeavoured to express herself in very earnest terms to me; but I had not yet acquired a competent knowledge of the Indian language to understand her.
As soon as the men were landed, she and the old Indian woman went up, not without some marks of dread upon them, to an elderly Indian man, whose remarkable surly and stern countenance was well calculated to raise such sensations in his dependants. He seemed to be a cacique, or chief man among them, by the airs of importance he assumed to himself and the deference paid him by the rest. After some little conference passed between these Indians and our cacique conductor, of which most probably the circumstances of our history, and the occasion of our coming here, might be the chief subject (for they fixed their eyes constantly upon us) they applied themselves to building their wigwams.
I now understood that the two Indian women with whom I had sojourned were wives to this chieftain, though one was young enough to be his daughter; and as far as I could learn, did really stand in the different relations to him both of daughter and wife. It was easy to be perceived that all did not go well between them at this time. Either that he was not satisfied with the answers that they returned him to his questions, or that he suspected some misconduct on their side; for prese
ntly after, breaking out into savage fury, he took the young one into his arms, and threw her with violence against the stones. But his brutal resentment did not stop here, and he beat her afterwards in a cruel manner. I could not see this treatment of my benefactress without the highest concern for her, and rage against the author of it; especially as the natural jealousy of these people gave occasion to think that it was on my account she suffered. I could hardly suppress the first emotions of my resentment, which prompted me to return him his barbarity in his own kind. But besides that this might have drawn upon her fresh marks of his severity, it was neither politic, nor indeed in my power, to have done it to any good purpose at this time.
Our cacique now made us understand that we must embark directly in the same canoe which brought us and return to our companions; and that the Indians we were about to leave would join us in a few days, when we should all set out in a body in order to proceed to the northward. In our way back, nothing very material happened, but upon our arrival, which was the next day, we found Mr Elliot, the Surgeon, in a very bad way. His illness had been continually increasing since we left him. Mr Hamilton and Mr Campbell were almost starved, having fared very ill since we left them: a few sea-eggs were all the subsistence they had lived upon, and these procured by the cacique’s wife in the manner I mentioned before. This woman was the very reverse of my hostess, and as she found her husband was of so much consequence to us took upon her much haughtiness, and treated us as dependants and slaves. He was not more engaging in his carriage towards us; he would give no part of what he had to spare to any but Captain Cheap, whom his interest led him to prefer to the rest, though our wants were often greater. The Captain on his part contributed to keep us in this abject situation by approving this distinction the cacique showed to him. Had he treated us with not quite so much distance the cacique might have been more regardful of our wants.