Bonin Islands  Source  Whalesite

REPORT MADE TO COMMODORE PERRY

ON AN

EXAMINATION OF THE BONIN GROUP,

BY

CAPTAIN JOEL ABBOT, U. S. N.,

COMMANDING U. S. SHIP MACEDONIAN.

REPORT

OF

AN EXAMINATION OF THE BONIN GROUP OF ISLANDS,

BY CAPTAIN JOEL ABBOT, U. S. N.

      Sir: You will proceed with the United States ship Macedonian, under your command, to Port Lloyd, Peel Island, one of the Bonin Group, and there examine into the condition of the small settlement established at that place in 1830, and of which Nathaniel Savery, at the time of my visit to the island, was the only surviving white man of the first settlers.

      I have strongly recommended the Port as a place worthy the notice of the government, it being in many respects suitable for a harbor of resort and refreshment for vessels plying be~ tween California and China, also for our whaling ships, and especially as a coal depot for steamers that will doubtless ere long be running as regular packets across the Pacific.

      To this end, an'd to secure the only suitable location for a coal depot at Port Lloyd, I obtained by purchase from Nathaniel Savery a tract of land, which has been partially surveyed, and its boundary-lines established.

      The object of your visit to this island will be of two-fold consideration. First, to render all suitable aid to this little settlement, and to the whaling ships usually found cruising in this vicinity?their boats frequently entering Port Lloyd for supplies. To take on board, unless he desires to remain, John Smith, ordinary seaman, who was landed in June last from the Susquehanna; and to pay off, and discharge from the books of the squadron, Nathaniel Savery, who has been allowed the pay of seaman, with one ration, for the services he has rendered.

      Should Smith desire to remain on the island, you can discharge and pay him off.

      The second object of your brief cruise will be, to give exercise to your ofiicers and crew, and more particularly to make careful observations upon the winds and currents, in the track between this and the Bonin Group?a route which will be much frequented by vessels from the Pacific ports of the United States?and to mark the correct positions of any islands or rocks you may see in your passage to and from Port Lloyd.

      You will more particularly notice the direction and velocity of a stream of moving water, running in a northeasterly direction, similar in many respects to the Gulf stream which traverses our own coast, marking upon the chart the outlines of its Width and course; and noting, with great care, and at every hour, the temperature, as compared with that of the atmosphere.

      You will not remain at Port Lloyd beyond the 28th, or, at farthest, the 30th instant; and will then proceed, on your return, to the port of Simoda, in Japan?one of those assigned by treaty as a place of resort for American vessels.

      If you can obtain at the islands large or limited supplies of pigs, turtle, vegetables, or fruit, for the use of the squadron, you will procure what can be conveniently spared by the settlers.

      When at the Bonins, in June last, I caused to be landed some bullocks, sheep, goats, and pigs, for breeding; and it is my desire that you will give strict orders forbidding the destruction of any of those animals upon either of the islands, as it is important that they should be left to multiply for some future object; nor will you allow the wild goats belonging to the set?' tlers on the adjacent islands to be disturbed.

      I send a few implements of husbandry to be distributed under your supervision to Nathaniel Savery, and others of the most industrious and exemplary of the settlers; also some seeds.

      During your stay at the island, if time allows, you will make such observations and collections in the various branches of natural history as may be practicable.

      Wishing you a pleasant cruise, I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

      Captain Joel Abbot,
                  Commanding U. S. ship Macedonian.

      Sir: In obedience to your orders of the 10th ultimo, for objects therein stated, I sailed the next morning in the U. S. ship Macedonian, under my command, for a brief cruise to the Bonin Islands, and back to Japan. In the performance of which, I have to report that I did not arrive at Port Lloyd until the afternoon of the 20th April, owing to bad weather, a rough sea, and strong currents.

      Immediately on leaving the passage between Oho-sima and Cape King, there seemed to be a strong northeasterly current, and for two days there was every appearance of a gulf stream similar to that on our own coast near Cape Hatteras; the water, however, is not so warm by about 10 degrees, on an average, as the Gulf stream on the coast of the United States. The sea was very rough und irregular, boiling up, as it were, into heaps, and there was a continual hissing and roar of tide-rips?a perfect chow-chow, as a Chinaman would say. The weather was thick, stormy, and squally, and the wind very irregular?all round the compass?suddenly shifting from one side to the other, and taking the ship aback. Various whirlwinds were seen; one came near to us, and raised the water into a white foam as it passed along. Its extent and compass was small. I should judge there had just been a very heavy rotary gale. There was a rough, turbulent, agitated swell, nearly all the way to the Bonin Islands, and the winds very variable; and off those islands the current set very strong?sometimes to the northward and eastward, and sometimes to the southward and westward; the latter the most prevalent, I should think. The weather was such, after leaving the Japan coast, as to afford no reliable data upon which to determine the breadth or bounds of the stream, or the exact velocity and

      sets of the current. I am inclined to think that it washes the entire eastern seaward coast of Japan; and that its breadth, southeasterly from Cape King, is about 90 miles, setting to the northward and eastward with a velocity of from 2 to 3 miles an hour, and for a considerable distance southerly in the same direction with less velocity. In latitude about 30° 40' N. (it being calm), lowered a boat and found about half a knot westerly current.

      In the hydrographical report of Mr. Walcutt, the master of this ship, will be found pretty much all that opportunities had will allow to be said respecting the winds and currents experienced, and the islands, rocks, &c., seen upon this short cruise.

      I have visited all the settlers and residents at Port Lloyd, and distributed among them the vegetable seeds which you furnished for that purpose; also the agricultural implements, for which they appeared to feel very grateful to you, and properly to appreciate these benefits, as also all your other acts of kindness to them. Purser Allison and Dr. Gilliam, of this ship, have also distributed China fruit and vegetable seeds which they procured at Hong Kong.

      Since your visit to Port Lloyd, the residents and settlers have formed a government or compact by the name of " The Colony of Peel Island," and established laws and regulations for their mutual welfare and protection?the government ofiicers consisting of a chief magistrate and two councilmcn. A copy of the instrument of their government, laws, and regulations, is herewith enclosed for your information; also, a schedule of the vessels that have touched at Port Lloyd for supplies, &c., since the Plymouth was there. These notes were taken by George Horton, a man who belonged to the Plymouth, but being very sick with the dropsy, and his time being out, by recommendation of the surgeon he was discharged by Commander Kelly, and left at Port Lloyd. Since he has been there he has entirely recovered his health, and has bought a good and comfortable place of a man who desired to leave, and has left, the island. Horton, though old, is a smart and serviceable man at the island, and makes an excellent pilot. He piloted the Macedonian in and out.

      The settlers being desirous of hoisting the American flag, and having none of any kind to hoist, and as I thought it of importance to the many vessels touching there (principally American) that there should be a flag displayed when any vessel should be in sight, to identify the port, I loaned them one for that purpose, to be retained until called for.

      I regret to have to report the loss of a bower anchor and thirty fathoms of chain-cable at Port Lloyd, by the parting of the chain or its getting unshackled; I suppose the latter, as the wind, although strong in pufl?s, was not sufficiently so (having two anchors down) to fairly part such a chain. In consequence of this mishap, it cost all hands two days? incessant labor in efforts to recover it, and I lament to say without success?the water being so deep and the bottom so rocky and foul. Eight anchors have been previously lost there, I was told, and none of them ever recovered. Notwithstanding this loss and hindrance, together with three days of bad weather, in which little or nothing could be done, the ship was filled up with excellent water, four or five cords of dry wood obtained, the seine a number of times drawn with good success. The great guns were exercised at target-firing, and most excellent shots made; the boat-gun was taken on shore and also exercised at target-firing, and the marines went on shore to drill and exercise in the same way; and most of the crew had liberty to land.

      The residents furnished us with such vegetables as they could spare, which this season of the year afi'ords?onions and sweet potatoes only?together with all the turtle they had on hand, and all that our short stay and the bad weather would allow them to take. The most of the turtle I have brought for the use of the squadron, one of which is a present to you from Mr. Savory.

Their fruits were not ripe, and they had recently supplied the whale-ships with all the pigs they could spare, which have been but few since the Russian squadron was there, in July and August. The fowls of the Shanghai breed with which you furnished the settlers are rapidly multiplying, and they will soon have chickens and eggs to dispose of. The sheep you left on Sta_ pleton island, I was informed, were doing well, and that a second generation had been produced?J. e. , the first lambs brought forth there had also had lambs. All I could learn respecting the cattle was, that the bones of one of the bulls had been found. Since which, none of them had been seen, but some of them had been heard lowing. It was supposed that one of the bulls, in fighting with the other, got pushed over a precipice, from the situation of the bones that were found, and the circumstance that they began fighting soon after being put on the island. It is seldom that any of the settlers go to that part of the island on which the cattle are placed. I intended to go and look after them myself, but the bad weather and other circumstances did not permit of it.

      On my passage to Port Lloyd, I fell in with three American whale-ships, from two of which I obtained a small quantity of sperm oil. The day I left, one arrived from which I got a good supply for the Macedonian, and two casks containing 287 gallons for the use of the squadron, which are now stowed upon the forecastle. The oil cost $1 25 per gallon.

      My surgeons have either visited or prescribed for all the sick on board the whale-ships with which we have had communication. They also visited the sick at Port Lloyd?there being a number of sick men left there from whale-ships, upon one of whom they performed a surgical operation, and left him in a fair way of recovery; but for their timely aid and assistance, the man could probably never recover.

      I left Port Lloyd, Peel island, in the afternoon of April 28th, the day you named. Our return passage has been characterized by nothing of particular interest except the discovery of a singular monumental-looking rock, several hundred feet high, which is not laid down on any of our charts, and which bears S. i- E., distant 54 miles from the island of St. Peters. The master?s monthly report will contain particulars in relation to it.

      All which is submitted by yours, most respectfully,

    Commodore M. C. Perry,
        Commander-in-chief U. S. naval forces, East India, China, and Japan seas.

We, the undersigned, residents and settlers on Peel island, in convention assembled, wishing to promote each other?s mutual welfare by forming a government, have ordained and established the following articles, which we solemnly bind ourselves to support for the period of two years:

The style of our government shall be "The Colony of Peel Island."

      The government shall consist of a chief magistrate, and a council comprised of two persons; and, by virtue of this article, we hereby unanimously elect and appoint Nathaniel Savory chief magistrate, and James Mottley and Thomas H. Webb councilmen; each to hold his said office of chief magistrate and councilman for the period of two years from the date of this convention. The said chief magistrate and council shall have power to enact such rules and regulations for the government of this island as by them, from time to time, may appear necessary for the public good. Such rules and regulations, to become binding on the residents, must have the approval and concurrence of two-thirds of the whole number of the residents.

      Until such time as the chief magistrate and council may be enabled to form a code of regulations, we hereby unanimously ordain and establish the following thirteen sections under this article, which shall have full force and effect until the adoption of others, and until the expiration of two years:

      Section 1. It shall be the duty of any and all person or persons having claims and demands against each other, or who shall have any disputes or difficulties between themselves, which they cannot amicably settle, to refer the same to the chief magistrate and council for adjudication and settlement; and their decision shall be final and binding.

      Sec. 2. All penalties in this colony shall be a pecuniary fine; and no penalty for any offence shall exceed the sum of ––.

      Sec. 3. The chief magistrate and council shall have power to direct the seizure and sale of any property of any offender sufficient to pay the same against whom a fine has been decreed, wherever it may be found within the limits of Peel island.

      Sec. 4. It shall be unlawful for any resident, settler, or other person on the island, to entice anybody to desert from any vessel that may come into this port, or to harbor or secrete any such deserter.

      Sec. 5. Any person who shall entice, counsel, or aid any other person to desert from any vessel in this port, or shall harbor 0r conceal him to prevent his apprehension, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars.

      Sec. 6. All moneys arising from the levy of fines upon offenders shall be a public fund for the use and behoof of the colony; and the same shall be placed in the hands of the chief magistrate for safe-keeping, and to be appropriated to such public purposes as the chief magistrate and council may deem necessary and proper; and a correct account of all expenditures of said moneys shall be kept by them, and a statement of receipts and expenditures published at the end of one year.

      Sec. 7. All public moneys remaining unexpended at the end of one year shall be equally divided among the present settlers, unless otherwise ordained by a convention of the people.

      Sec. 8. Port Regulations. – There shall be two regularly appointed and recognized pilots for this port; and, by virtue of this section, of article 3d, we hereby unanimously appoint James Mottley and Thomas H. Webb as such, for a period of two years from the date of this convention; said pilots may appoint capable substitutes under them, and it shall be unlawful for any other person or persons to perform the duty of pilot. Any one who shall, without the au-

thority of either of the appointed pilots, attempt to pilot any vessel into or out of this port, shall be liable to a fine equal to the amount of the established rate of pilotage.

      Sec. 9. It shall be unlawful for any commander of a vessel to discharge any of his crew in this port without permission from the chief magistrate and council; and no commander of a vessel shall leave any sick or helpless man or men upon the island, unless he procure a house for him or them, and make suitable arrangements for his or their subsistence and comfort during his or their illness.

      Sec. 10. Any person or persons not owning land upon this island, who may hereafter enter into partnership or trade with a resident and landholder, or who shall purchase an undivided interest in the land, if a resident, must enter into written articles of agreement, and obtain a written title to the undivided interest he may purchase in lands, stock, &c.; and in the event of dissolution of partnership or death of either party, partition of the property shall he made by the chief magistrate and council, whose duty it shall be to secure and take charge of the property and effects of any deceased person, for the benefit of his friends.

      Sec. 11. Any person or persons who shall be guilty of trespass or waste upon the lands of any of the inhabitants shall be fined in a sum equal to the value of the damage or waste he or they may commit thereon, upon a proper adjudication thereof by the chief magistrate and council.

      Sec. 12. The chief magistrate and council may, when they deem it necessary, call a convention of the people to propose new, and make amendments to the foregoing, rules and regulations.

      Sec. 13. Any and all person or persons who shall hereafter emigrate to or settle in this colony shall be subject and held amenable to the foregoing rules and regulations.

      All the above articles of government having been prepared, concurred in, and adopted by us in convention assembled, at the house of Nathaniel Savory, in Port Lloyd, Peel island, on the –– day of ––, A. D. –, we solemnly pledge ourselves to each other to support and carry out the same.

      In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names the day and year aforesaid.

      Sir: In obedience to your order of October lst, I proceeded on the 22d with the launch and first cutter, the latter in charge of Lieutenant Cooper, to the Bailey group.

      With the exception of Newport, on the west side of Hillsborough, formerly known as Fisher's island, and a small cove just to the northward of it, there is no place on the shores of any of the islands suitable for a coal depot; nor can Newport or the cove be recommended as places suited for such a purpose; they are both open from S.W. to N.W., the holding ground is not good, being sand and rocks. Vessels could, however, always get to sea on the approach of a gale, as there are two safe passages, and very plain.

      Newport affords greater advantages for a depot than the cove; it would be necessary to cut away the bank where the sheds are to be placed, and extend a jettee out some seventy-five feet;

and it should be so constructed as to form a breakwater for the boats and lighters; it would be impracticable otherwise to discharge vessels.

      Hillsborough island (the largest of the group) is seven and a half miles in length, by about one and a quarter in breadth. The greater portion of it is rocky and hilly, and unsuited for agricultural purposes. That portion of it which could be cultivated is a black loam, and produces sweet potatoes, yams, taro, and Indian corn, bananas, pine?apples, water-melons, and limes. Sweet potatoes form the staple support of the few inhabitants of the island. I could discover no appearance of minerals.

      There are several varieties of timber suited for mechanical and ornamental purposes.

      The only animal on the island is the wild hog. The birds consist of a few pigeons, blackbirds, and flying foxes.

      Fish are abundant, and of excellent quality. Humpback whales resort to these islands from November till May, during which time they are calving.

      Turtles are found in abundance in season, and are salted down by the inhabitants in lieu of beef.

      Wood can be obtained on Hillsborough island. Water may be had in sufficient quantity, and of good quality. A small stream near the head of the cove furnishes an ample supply; but it would be necessary to roll the casks to the stream, or convey the water to the boats by a hose or pipes, which could easily be done.

      The prevailing winds are from the northward and eastward from May 1st to December, when the westerly winds set in and blow until May; they do not, however, blow with the regularity of a trade wind or monsoon.

      A chart is in process of construction from data obtained, and will be furnished as early as practicable.

      Commander John Kelly,
                  Commanding U. S. ship Plymouth.

Source:

Captain Joel Abbot, U.S.N.
"Report of an examination of the Bonin group of islands,"
      Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China seas and Japan performed in the years 1852, 1853, and 1854, under the command of commodore M. C. Perry, United States Navy,
Volume II.
    Washington: A.O.P. Nicholson, 1856
(33d Congress, 2d Session - House of Representatives - Ex. Doc. No. 97)
pp. 125-133

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