John Jewitt and his captivity

Please note: this blog post uses language from a book published in 1815 which may not reflect modern usage. 

I came across an interesting book called Nootka, the adventures of John Jewitt among the Red Indians. John Jewitt was from Hull and sailed from the town in the Boston (Massachusetts) registered brig Boston. He was taken prisoner at Nootka, and kept a journal during his captivity. This is his story…

Unknown to John at the time, his adventure would begin in 1802 when a Brig called Boston put into Hull’s Queen Dock for repairs. John and his father were blacksmiths, and both set to work helping repair the Boston.

 

West view of the New Dock or Queen’s Dock as it was later known (1778). This view would have greeted the Boston and her crew during their stay at Hull in 1802. [Ref Lp.387.11/4]

John and his father got to know the Boston’s master, Captain Salter. They entertained him at their house on High Street. Captain Salter told them about his voyage and trade with Indians of the North-west Pacific coast of America. One such place was an Indian village at Friendly Cove, in the Nookta Sound, Vancouver Island. It was Captain Cook who called the place Friendly Cove, because he found its people friendly. However, Friendly Cove would change John’s life forever. 

This area of Vancouver Island had become an important trading point for sea-otter skins. Ships would trade blankets, bar-iron and muskets for such furs with the North American Indians. In recent times the traders and American Indians came into conflict, and this included violence and killings. Although aware of the troubles John’s parents were persuaded by Captain Salter to allow him to join the voyage. Once the repairs were complete, John signed aboard the Boston as its blacksmith on 2nd September 1802. 

During the voyage John was to make copper daggers to trade with the Indians at Friendly Cove. John also got to know the crew, including a man called Thompson. He was the ship's sailmaker and was simply known as Sails to his fellow crew members. 

The sea-otter trade route as undertaken by the Boston. From Michael Hyde’s Nootka, The adventures of John Jewitt among the Red Indians [Ref L.823]

The Boston arrived at the entrance to Nootka on March 21st, 1803. A long line of canoes were spread across the shore. Behind these were together with several wooden houses. Once the Indians saw the Boston they and hurried down to the shore. To ensure there was no trouble Captain Salter went ashore to pay his respects to Chief Maquinna and invite him aboard the Boston. 

After a short period of time the shore party were back aboard the Boston. Later the Indians took to their canoes and circled the ship. Once aboard they were treated to biscuits and treacle.

After a short while Captain Salter and Chief Maquinna began talking trade. John was sent below deck to get the items he had made on the outward voyage. John noticed, through a port hole, some more canoes very close to the ship but thought nothing more of it. Suddenly up on deck John heard the most horrifying shrieks and cries. John tried to get away. But as he looked he saw the face of an Indian looking straight at him, tomahawk in hand. John fell backwards with a cry of terror.

John woke to find himself in Chief Maquinna’s long-house. All his shipmates were dead. Or so he thought. Thompson or Sails was found still aboard the Boston. To prevent Sails meeting the same fate as his fellow crew, John pretended that Sails was his father. It appears from early on that Chief Maquinna looked upon John somewhat favourably. 

John and Sails settled in to Indian life. They wore furs, and according to John both he and Sails could have been easily mistaken for two Indians. John’s skills as a blacksmith were put to good use by Chief Maquinna by making iron harpoons for hunting whales which were much better than those made of mussel shells, while Sails was put to work making sails for canoes. 

It was in the summer of 1803 that John began his journal of his time in captivity. He used a blank account book retrieved from the Boston, a raven’s quill for pen and berry juice mixed with a little charcoal for ink. 

John and Sails were free to roam. They told stories with their captors, including about Hull’s whaling fleet which at the time numbered sixty or more vessels, much to the amazement of Chief Maquinna. They used their time to collaborate on John’s journal. The following year John, with gentle persuasion from Sails wrote letters should the opportunity arise to aid rescue. Sails had pointed out that now the Boston was missing, everyone from ‘Boston, London and Hull’ would know about it. Once things died down the trading ships would return. It was from this that they hatched their plan to escape.

In July 1805 that opportunity had arrived. A trade ship Lydia had entered Nootka Sound. John and Sails wrote a letter of recommendation proposing that Chief Maquinna board the ship. To ensure their plan wasn’t foiled both John and Sails showed no signs of wanting to board the Lydia themselves. Instead their plan was simple. Once on board the Lydia’s Captain was to detain Chief Maquinna until John and Sails made their escape by canoe from the shore.

On the morning of the 19th July 1805 the sound of cannon could be heard across the Cove. Sails pointed out that this was a sign of that the ship wanted to trade. ‘Treacle, Maquinna, barrels of the stuff’ said Sails in attempt to make Chief Maquinna take the bait. 

Chief Maquinna requested that John wrote a letter ‘speaking good of him’. John true to his word wrote well of Chief Maquinna. Although able to speak some English Chief Maquinna was unable to read. Therefore John was free to write that Chief Maquinna’s tribe had killed the Boston’s crew in March 1803, and two survivors were ashore along with a considerable quantity of the Boston’s cargo. John went on to ask that Chief Maquinna is held aboard and kept until he and his companion can make good their escape. 

The letter was handed to Chief Maquinna and his canoe went out to meet the ship. The plan seemed to have worked. However, one of Chief Maquinna’ party escape over the side of the ship and made it back to shore to tell the others what had just happened. John and Sails saw the drama unfold. Now the Indians of Nootka were coming towards them. A standoff ensued. John told them that should he and Sails die then Chief Maquinna would also die.

The two devised a plan. Sails would meet the Lydia and tell its Captain of the new plan. Chief Maquinna would be released and John would be exchanged. All of this was to happen halfway between the shore and the Lydia. John took out the pistol that Sails had given to him before he left for the Lydia. With pistol in his hand his canoe went to meet the Lydia. Chief Maquinna was set free and retuned ashore. The remaining cargo was returned as was the ships paperwork. 

John and Sails remained aboard the Lydia for a hundred and fourteen days before returning to Boston, Massachusetts. John even met an old Hull acquaintance while the Lydia was docked at Canton. John wrote to his parents back in Hull with news of his rescue together with his intention of settling down in America. John settled in Boston where Sails remained for a short while before returning to his home town of Philadelphia. 

What is remarkable about John Jewitt’s story is not only was he one of the first non-natives to spend time with Native North American Indians, but the account of his captivity is one of the earliest works describing Indian life before permanent western colonisation of North America. 

John Jewitt never returned to Hull and died aged 37. His story, however, lives on through his journal in which he escaped the massacre aboard the Boston, at Nootka, on March 22nd, 1803.

Neil Chadwick

Project Officer, Unlocking the Treasures.