Part 4.
Notices in Honolulu and San Francisco.
Daily Alta
(San Francisco, California)
May 31, 1852
INTERESTING FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
Seizure of the American whale ship George Howland by the convicts on Charles' Island – Capture of a schooner by the Pirates, and Massacre of twenty-three men – Murder of the Governor and Garrison of Chatham Island – Capture of the Pirates' ship by a Swedish sloop-of-war, etc., etc.
Capt. Fisher of the brig Montezuma, which arrived yesterday from Tombez, (Peru,) inform us that the whale ship George Howland, Captain Cromwell, of New Bedford, Mass., whilst lying at Charles' Island, on the 1st of March, was taken possession of by the convicts that were transported thither during the last revolution at Guayaquil. Capt. Cromwell went on shore when he and his crew were seized and tied by the convicts. A signal was then made for the first officer to come ashore by hoisting a flag, which he immediately answered, when he and his crew were served in the same manner. Eighteen of the convicts took the boats and boarded the ship, displacing the second officer who was in command. They then commenced disguising the ship by painting one side black, and whilst engaged in that business one of their number fell overboard. The second officer with a crew lowered a boat to save him, which he did and then effected their escape. The convicts then got the ship under weigh and proceeded to Chatham Island, where they killed the Governor and three men, and plundering the Island of all the money they could find. At the expiration of three days they got under weigh for the coast. About twelve days afterwards they fell in with a schooner from Tombez, bound to the windward. The vessel had thirty-three men on board, being a part of those engaged in Gen. Flores' expedition. The convicts attacked her successfully, killing twenty-three men, taking the balance of them prisoners, and the schooner in tow. The next day they went into Tombez, where they laid off and on for four days and then proceeded to the Island of Puna, which they plundered and then anchored the ship and left her. A Swedish sloop-of-war then fell in with her, taking her into Guayaquil where she was delivered to the American Consul.
The Friend
(Honolulu, Sandwich Islands)
June 4, 1852
Piracy in the Pacific. – We are indebted to Capt. Eldridge, of the Am. whale ship Margaret Scott, for the following particulars of a piracy at the Gallapagos, of which we had not before heard. Some time about the middle of February, 1852, the American whale ship George Howland, touched at Charles Island, one of the Gallapagos, for recruits. Capt. Cromwell went ashore in his boat and was immediately seized and tied fast, together with his boat's crew. The same fate awaited the first mate, who subsequently went ashore with his boat.
After securing so many of the crew ashore, six Spanish convicts, fully armed, proceeded towards the ship to take her, when the third mate, with his boat's crew, deserted her, leaving the second mate only and a few sailors, the carpenter and cooper on board. The Spaniards went on board, took the ship and ordered the 2d mate to navigate her at their pleasure, on pain of instant death.
They first proceeded to Chatham Island, where the Spaniards massacred indiscriminately all they found; plundered the people of what they wanted, and returned on board. They next ordered the ship for the Spanish main, whither the 2d mate proceeded. On the passage they fell in with a Spanish schooner near the coast, which they took and massacred all the persons on board, numbering some thirty or forty souls, mostly passengers.
Just before reaching the coast, the pirates ordered the ship, which was green, to be painted black, in the execution of which order, the 2d mate concerted with the other Americans on board, a plan to escape. When on the outside of the ship, painting, one of them was to fall overboard as if by accident, when the 2d mate, with the rest, were to lower a boat and go to the rescue. This plan was successfully executed, and the boat fell far astern of the ship, and finally made off, and was not pursued.
After arriving on the coast, the pirates committed various depredations, – taking small vessels, robbing, &c. without molestation. Being emboldened by success, they at last attempted to take a small steamer, which they supposed had but a few people on board, but which had been sent out on purpose to take the pirates, with a hundred soldiers on board. Being concealed, the pirates' boats boldly approached the steamer, and demanded her to surrender. Upon this, they were instantly surprised by the interesting discovery that they were "sold," and with a hundred loaded muskets pointing down directly upon them, they surrendered, and came as they were ordered, one of one, on board the steamer. The steamer returned to port, and as soon as landed the pirates were immediately shot, without judge or jury. Such is the report. The George Howland was in the hands of the American Consul at Guayaquil, when the Margaret Scott left the coast for these islands. The fate of the captain and first mate of the George Howland with their boats' crews, is not known.
From the above facts and others of a similar character that have come to the knowledge of the public recently, it would seem that this hot-bed of piracy, murder, robbery and plunder at the Gallapagos, should be at once visited by some national armed vessels and broken up, or subjected to such restraints as will make it safe for vessels to touch there without the risk of being seized, and their crews murdered. – [Polynesian.
New Zealand Spectator and Cooks Strait Guardian
(Wellington, New Zealand)
October 30, 1852
The following extraordinary statement is copied from the Polynesian of the 29th May: –
We are indebted to Captain Eldridge, of the American whale ship Margaret Scott, for the following particulars of a piracy at the Gallapagos, of which we had not before heard. Some time about the middle of February, 1852, the American whale ship George Howland touched at Charles Island, one of the Gallapagos, for recruits. Captain Cromwell went ashore in his boat, and was immediately seized and tied fast, together with his boat's crew. The same fate awaited the first mate, who subsequently went ashore with his boat.
After securing so many of the crew ashore, six Spanish convicts, fully armed, proceeded towards the ship to take here, when the third mate, with his boat's crew, deserted her, leaving the second mate only, and a few sailors, the carpenter and cooper, on board. The Spaniards went on board, took the ship, and ordered the second mate to navigate her at their pleasure, on pain of instant death.
They first proceeded to Chatham Island, where the Spaniards massacred indiscriminately all they found, plundered the people of what they wanted, and returned on board. They next ordered the ship to the Spanish Main, whither the second mate proceeded. On the passage they fell in with a Spanish schooner near the coast, which they took, and massacred all the persons on board, numbering some thirty or forty souls, mostly passengers.
Just before reaching the coast, the pirates ordered the ship, which was green, to be painted black, in the execution of which order, the 2d mate concerted with the other Americans on board a plan to escape. When on the outside of the ship, painting, one of them was to fall overboard, as if by accident, when the second mate, with the rest, were to lower a boat and go to the rescue. This plan was successfully executed, and the boat fell far astern of the ship, and finally made off, and was not pursued.
After arriving on the coast, the pirates committed various depredations – taking small vessels, robbing, &c. without molestation. Being emboldened by success, they at last attempted to take a small steamer, which they supposed had but a few people on board, but which had been sent out on purpose to take the pirates, with a hundred soldiers on board. Being concealed, the pirates' boats boldly approached the steamer, and demanded her to surrender. Upon which they were instantly surprised by the interesting discovery that they were "sold," and with a hundred loaded muskets pointing down directly upon them, they surrendered, and came as they were ordered, one of one, on board the steamer. The steamer returned to port, and as soon as landed the pirates were immediately shot, without judge or jury. Such is the report. The George Howland was in the hands of the American Consul at Guayaquil, when the Margaret Scott left the coast for these islands. The fate of the captain and first mate of the George Howland with their boats' crews, is not known.
From the above facts, and others of a similar character that have come to the knowledge of the public recently, it would seem that this hot-bed of piracy, murder, robbery and plunder at the Gallapagos, should be at once visited by some national armed vessels and broken up, or subjected to such restraints as will make it safe for vessels to touch there without the risk of being seized, and their crews murdered.
Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Dec 1 2021
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