CHAPTER XXY
Preparations for final-departure from the Japanese waters.—Macedonian and Supply ordered to Formosa.
—Instructions to Captain Abbot, of the Macedonian, to touch a t the Philippines on his way from Formosa
to China.—Mississippi, Powhatan, and Southampton proceed to Lew Chew.—State of affairs in
Lew Chew.—Supposed murder of an American by Lew Chewans.—Trial of Lew Chewans for murder
by their own authorities on the Commodore’s demand.—Description of a Lew Chew court of justice.—
Accused made to plead by punches in the ribs.—Accused convicted and brought to the Commodore for
punishment.—He hands them over to their own authorities.—They are banished.—New Years customs.—
Coal removed from the depot to the ships.—Compact or treaty made with Lew Chew.—Present
from the Lew Chewans to the Commodore.—A stone for the Washington monument—Effort of a
Japanese to come off in the squadron to the United States.—Parting entertainment to Lew Chew authorities.—
Departure of the squadron for China.—Macedonian’s visit to Formosa.—Unavailing Search
for Americans supposed to have been wrecked on the island.—Explorations by Chaplain Jones for coal.
—Found in abundance and of good quality.—Survey of the harbor of Kelung.—Lying and cunning of
the Formosans.—Run to Manilla.—Very stormy passage.—Marine volcanoes in the neighborhood of
Formosa.—Inquiries at Manilla into the murder of certain Americans.—Satisfactory conduct of the
Spanish authorities in the matter.—Delivery by Captain Abbot to the Governor of six Sillibaboes that
had been picked up at sea by Lieutenant Commanding Boyle, of the Southampton, floating in an open
boat.—Remarkable distance that they had drifted.—Physical appearance of the Sillibaboes.—Voyage
of Macedonian to Hong Kong.—Captain Kelly’s handling of the Chinese pirates and imperial troops i
forces them to make reparation.—Chastisement of the Chinese by the joint action of the officers and
men of the Plymouth and of Her Britannic Majesty’s ships Encounter and Grecian.—The Commo
dure, by leave from the navy department, turns over the command to Captain Abbot, and returns
home by the overland route.—On the arrival of the Mississippi in New York, on the 28d of April, the
Commodore repairs on board, and formally hauling down his flag, terminates the expedition.
HE story we are telling will perhaps
be better understood if, before proceeding
further, we recapitulate as
to the disposition that had been
made of the several ships of the
squadron. The Saratoga sloop-of-
war was on her way home, as we
have stated, with the copy of the
treaty in the custody of Captain
Adams, who had been dispatched on
the 4th of April, as a special messenger
by the Commodore, to deliver
the important document into the
hands of the proper authorities. The
steamer Susquehanna had been sent
on the 24th of March, just one week
before signing the treaty, and at the
first moment at which she could be
spared, to place herself at the disposal
of the Hon. Mr. McLean, our
minister to China. The Yandalia
sloop-of-war, instead of returning with the other ships from Hakodadi to
Simoda, had been ordered to make her way from the former port to China,
by passing through the Straits of Sangar, and down on the western side of
Japan to Shanghai. The store-ship Southampton having surveyed Volcano
bay, and Endermo bay within it, just on the northern or Yesso side of the
eastern entrance of the Straits of Sangar, had rejoined the Squadron, and
was now ordered to China. The Plymouth, it will be remembered, had
been left at Shanghai to protect American interests there, and was not with
the squadron on the second visit to the Bay of Yedo j while the store-ship
Lexington was sent back from Simoda to Lew Chew, during the previous
month of May. There were, therefore, collected at Simoda, after the visit
to Hakodadi, but five ships of the squadron, viz i the steamers Mississippi
and Powhatan, the Macedonian sloop-of-war, the Southampton, which having
finished the survey of Volcano bay, there rejoined the squadron, and the
store-ship Supply, the last named having remained at Simoda during the absence
of the others.
As the discovery of coal was an important object, and as, beside, there
were various causes making a visit to Formosa necessary, the Commodore,
as has been said, ordered the Macedonian and Supply to that island, with
instructions to Captain Abbot, in command of the former vessel, to stop at
the Philippines on his way back, to join the squadron in China. As to the
steamers, he proceeded with them and the Southampton direct to Lew Chew.
This was the fifth and last visit to Napha; we shall first speak of that,
reserving for a future page the results of the voyage of the Macedonian
to Formosa.
When the squadron left Lew Chew on its last visit, two master’s mates
named Randall and Bierbower, had been left in charge of the coal depot
established at Tumai, and now, on the Commodore’s return, he found that
matters during his absence had not proceeded quite as amicably as he could
have wished. Randall had his little complaints to make, and had preferred
them to his superior, Lieutenant Commanding Grlasson, when he arrived in
the Lexington in May, and this latter officer now reported them to the Commodore.
They amounted to but small grievances, however j one consisted
of a complaint that some of the children in Lew Chew had thrown stones,
which fell near some of the American seamen who were walking on shore;
another was, that a Lew Chew butcher had quarelled with one of the seamen
while engaged in traffic with him, and beaten him with a club. Lieutenant
Grlasson had called on the mayor of Napha to ask an explanation. As to the
first, the mayor stated that it was an accident, occurring while the children
were engaged in sport, and was not an intentional act of aggression toward
the seamen. As to the case of the butcher, the mayor stated that one of the
sailors attempted in the market to take from the butcher certain of his meats
without paying for them. The butcher naturally endeavored to secure his
property, when the sailor struck at him with his knife; a scuffle ensued, in