While anchored in Nootka Sound the Boston was attacked by what were thought of as friendly Nootka Indians. The two only survivors became slaves owned by Chief Maquinna. Their worst fear was the realization that they could be killed whenever their master chose. Rescued after 28 months in captivity, this is Jewitt's story in his own words. -- A gripping story of a real life adventure
"Fur-trading with the Northwest Coast Indians in the early nineteenth century could produce huge profits when the beautiful skins of the sea otter were sold in the Chinese port of Canton, but the work was risky and hazardous." "In 1803 the ship Boston dropped anchor in Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island, its crew ready to barter for pelts. Instead, the ship was overrun by the Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) Indians, whose chief Maquinna, had ordered the murder of the entire crew. John R. Jewitt, the ship's blacksmith, was wounded but was spared by Maquinna, who enslaved him for his skills as a metalworker." "This fascinating book brings together a most distinguished collection of historical material: Jewitt's Journal of his two-and-a-half-year captivity; a parallel Narrative prepared by Richard Alsop, a well-known writer of the time, based on the diary and Alsop's interviews with Jewitt but heavily embellished by Alsop; and a wealth of period illustrations. Jewitt's Journal and Alsop's Narrative have never before been published together in English." "A Foreword by Richard I. Inglis of the Royal British Columbia Museum provides historical and ethnographical insights into the fur trade and the Jewitt captivity." "At the heart of the book are the illustrations done by the official artists on the expeditions of James Cook in 1778 and Alejandro Malaspina in 1791. Many of the drawings are of people Jewitt knew during his captivity. Others depict Nuu-chah-nulth terrain, dwellings, canoes, whaling equipment, masks, and ceremonial rattles."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
John R. Jewitt's story of being captured and enslaved by Maquinna, the great chief of the Mowachaht people, is both an adventure tale of survival and an unusual perspective on the First Nations of the northwest coast of Vancouver Island. On March 22, 1803, while anchored in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, the Boston was attacked by a group of Mowachaht warriors. Twenty-five of her 27 crewmen were massacred, their heads "arranged in a line" for survivor John R. Jewitt to identify. Jewitt and another survivor, John Thompson, became 2 of some 50 slaves owned by the chief known as Maquinna. Among other duties, they were forced to carry wood for three miles and fight for Maquinna when he slaughtered a neighbouring tribe. But their worst fear came from knowing that slaves could be killed whenever their master chose. Since most of the Mowachaht wanted the two whites dead, they never knew what would come first—freedom or death. After Jewitt was rescued, following 28 months in captivity, he wrote a book of his experiences. It appeared in 1815 and became known as Jewitt's Narrative. It proved so popular that it is still being reprinted today.
This thrilling true story recounts the harrowing tale of John R. Jewett, a young American sailor who was captured by Nootka Indians off the coast of Vancouver Island in 1803. Over the course of almost three years in captivity, Jewett witnessed and participated in several daring and dangerous adventures, including a daring escape attempt that made him a celebrity throughout the Pacific Northwest. A must-read for fans of true adventure stories. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
This book is an engrossing personal account of the captive experience of John R. Jewitt, the only survivor of the crew of the American ship Boston, which was taken captive by the Nootka people in 1803. The book provides key insights into the cultural practices, religious beliefs, and social structure of the Nootka people, as well as Jewitt's own remarkable journey from captivity to freedom. The book is an important resource for anyone interested in the history of the Pacific Northwest and the indigenous cultures of the region. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
