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.
#10489781 in Books 2010-10-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .50 x 5.98l; .81 #File Name: 1886057621144 pages
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