John R. Jewitt facts for kids

John Rodgers Jewitt (born May 21, 1783 – died January 7, 1821) was an English armourer, a person who makes and repairs weapons. He became famous for writing about his time as a captive. For 28 months, he lived with the Maquinna of the Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) people. This happened on the coast of what is now British Columbia, Canada.

His book, called a "narrative," is considered a classic story of being held captive. It gives important information about the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. People say Jewitt was a very good observer. His writings help us understand the history and culture of these groups.

John Jewitt's Early Life and Sea Journey

John Jewitt's father was a blacksmith, working with metal. He taught John this trade. John also went to a special school from age 12. There, he learned important subjects like Latin and navigation. This education was better than what most schools offered.

After two years, he left school to learn from a surgeon. But John really wanted to work with metal. His father finally agreed, and John quickly became skilled. Around 1798, his family moved to Hull. This was a big port city in Britain. Their metalwork business became very busy, especially with ships.

Dreaming of Travel

John loved reading about explorers like Captain Cook. He also met many sailors. Their stories made him want to travel the world. In 1802, an American ship captain, John Salter, offered him a job. John would be the armourer on his ship, the Boston.

The ship planned a long trip. First, they would sail to the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. There, they would trade for furs. Next, they would go to China for more trading. Finally, they would return to their home port in New England. John was offered a chance to live in the United States after the trip.

The Voyage Begins

John and Captain Salter convinced John's father. John signed up for $30 a month, which was a good wage. The Boston left Britain on September 3, 1802. John's job included making hatchets, daggers, and knives for trading with the local people.

They sailed for a month to the Island of St. Catherine in Brazil. Then, they went around Cape Horn. They sailed straight to Vancouver Island, avoiding Hawaii. The crew often ate salted meat. To get fresh food, they caught porpoises and sharks. The captain even shot a huge albatross with a 15-foot wingspan.

Arrival at Nootka Sound

Ten weeks after passing Cape Horn, the Boston reached Woody Point in Nootka Sound. Captain Salter decided to stop away from any villages. He wanted to get wood and water. The next morning, March 13, 1803, people from Nootka village came to trade. Maquinna, their leader, was among them.

Jewitt called Maquinna a "king" in his writings. Maquinna had learned some English from other trading ships. Usually, the Nootka people and visiting ships were friendly. Captain Salter always checked for weapons before allowing anyone on board.

Salter gave Maquinna a shotgun as a gift. But the gun somehow broke. This made Captain Salter very angry, and he spoke harshly to Maquinna. Maquinna became secretly furious. He decided to get revenge for past wrongs by European ships.

The Attack on the Boston

On March 22, 1803, the day before the Boston was to leave, many Nootka people came to trade. They were invited to dinner on the ship. Suddenly, at a signal, the Nootka attacked. Almost all the white men were killed.

John Jewitt got a bad head injury. But Maquinna saved his life. Maquinna saw how useful an armourer would be to fix weapons. Another man, John Thompson, the ship's sailmaker, was hiding. The next day, Jewitt pretended Thompson was his father. He begged Maquinna to spare his "father's" life.

Maquinna asked Jewitt if he would be his captive. Jewitt agreed because the only other choice was death. This was the start of his three years living among the Nootka people.

Life as a Captive with the Nootka

Living with Maquinna

John Jewitt was held captive by Maquinna until 1805. During this time, he learned a lot about the Nootka culture. He also had to marry. Over the years, Jewitt and Maquinna grew very close, almost like brothers.

Jewitt described himself as a "slave." He lost his freedom and had to work for Maquinna. Maquinna had about 50 other captives in his household. Sometimes, other Nootka people would tease Jewitt and Thompson, calling them "white slaves." This could lead to serious trouble.

Captives were very valuable to the Nootka. They might be killed if they tried to escape. Jewitt said captives ate with the family, though from different dishes. They were generally treated well but had to work hard. Sometimes, Maquinna's household didn't have enough food.

Maquinna let Jewitt do other work when he wasn't busy. Jewitt used this chance to make bracelets, fish-hooks, and other items. He traded these with other leaders and visitors. Other leaders tried to buy Jewitt, but Maquinna refused. Later, a leader named Machee Ulatilla helped Jewitt gain his freedom.

Faith and Protection

Jewitt and Thompson found strength in their Christian beliefs. They were allowed to keep the Sabbath. On Sundays, they would bathe, read, and pray. They even tried to have a special Christmas dinner. They often gave thanks for being alive.

Maquinna's nine wives and other women showed kindness to Jewitt. But about 500 warriors wanted him killed. Maquinna always protected him and refused to let him die. Jewitt tried to be friendly and learned the Nootka language.

Daily Life and Customs

Jewitt wrote in detail about the Nootka people. He described their looks, clothes, hats, jewelry, and face paint. He also explained their household items like baskets and wooden boxes. Their food was either a feast or a time of hunger.

They ate dried fish, clams, oysters, and whale blubber. They even added whale oil to strawberries! Fresh deer and bear meat were eaten. Fish was often fermented, and salmon roe was a special treat. Jewitt had metal cooking pots from his ship. But Maquinna made him eat and live like the Nootka. This meant boiling and steaming food. The Nootka didn't use salt, and Maquinna forbade Jewitt from making it.

Jewitt found some chocolate and port wine from the ship. These were a great comfort to him. The Nootka didn't like these, but they enjoyed molasses and other sweet drinks.

Jewitt's book describes many Nootka activities. He wrote about their music, dance, and songs used for paddling canoes. He explained their hospitality and potlatch gift-giving ceremonies. He also covered their customs for cleanliness, illness, healing, and death. He described their government, punishments, and religious beliefs.

He listed other tribes, describing their warriors. Jewitt also mentioned their social classes. Women were often excluded from feasts and were very modest. He wrote about their ways of fishing, trapping bears, and trading. He also described how they made and used their huge dugout canoes. Jewitt even introduced new types of harpoons, which helped with whale hunts. He made other tools and weapons that Maquinna kept for himself.

Where They Lived

Jewitt gave a good description of the Nootka village in Friendly Cove. He described the longhouses and the land around them. Years before, the Spanish had lived in the area. They built a fort called Fort San Miguel. After an agreement, the Spanish left, and the Nootka returned to their village. Jewitt could still see parts of the old Spanish buildings.

The Nootka people moved with the seasons. They spent spring and summer at Yuquot. In autumn, they moved to Tashees for salmon fishing. In winter, they went to Coopte for herring and sprat fishing. This meant packing up everything, even the wooden planks of their longhouses, and moving them by canoe.

Jewitt estimated there were about 1500 Nootka people in Yuquot. About 500 of them were warriors.

Difficult Choices

In his book, Jewitt wrote that he was ordered to join a night raid on a village. He said he took four captives, which Maquinna let him keep. He also claimed Thompson killed seven people. However, some historians doubt Jewitt and Thompson actually took part in such an attack. Jewitt might have added this to make his story more exciting for readers.

Jewitt also wrote that he was ordered to marry. The leaders believed a wife and family would make him want to stay forever. He said he was given a choice: marry or face death for himself and his "father" Thompson. He chose marriage as the "lesser of two evils."

However, this story has also been questioned. Some older witnesses later said Jewitt had a very strong romantic relationship with a neighboring chief's daughter. It's thought that Jewitt might have changed the story to fit what people expected at the time. Jewitt's account does confirm he married the 17-year-old daughter of a chief.

Maquinna took him to a nearby village and paid a bride price for Jewitt's chosen wife. Jewitt then made his own home inside Maquinna's longhouse. He built beds to avoid sleeping on the dirt floor. He also insisted on cleanliness for his wife and Maquinna's 12-year-old son, who chose to live with them. Jewitt felt this marriage tied him to "this savage land."

Maquinna and the leaders then decided Jewitt must become "one of them." This meant he had to wear Nootka clothing. Jewitt disliked these loose clothes, finding them very cold. He believed they caused him to get very sick. He was also not allowed to cut his hair and had to paint his face and body like a Nootka.

Jewitt was asked to file the teeth of Maquinna's older brother. He did not understand why at first. He later learned it was for a traditional punishment. Jewitt tried to stop the chief from doing this, but he was not successful.

Rescue and Journey Home

On July 19, 1805, a ship called the Lydia arrived in Nootka Sound. Its captain, Samuel Hill, had received one of the 16 letters Jewitt had tried to send to passing ships. Maquinna asked Jewitt if it was safe to go aboard. He also asked Jewitt to write a letter of recommendation to the captain to ensure his safe passage.

Jewitt wrote a very different letter. He asked the captain to hold Maquinna captive. He hoped he and Thompson would be free within hours. He wasn't afraid because he knew the captain wouldn't harm Maquinna. And the Nootka people wouldn't harm him while their leader was captive.

The captain put Maquinna in chains. Maquinna spoke to one of his men, who returned to shore. The common people were furious and threatened Jewitt. But the leaders were calmer and asked for his advice. Jewitt told them Maquinna was safe as long as he and Thompson were treated well. He advised them to let Thompson go to the ship. Then, Jewitt and the leaders worked out a prisoner exchange.

When Jewitt boarded the Lydia, he looked wild. He was painted red and black, wrapped in a bear skin, and had green leaves in his hair. But the captain welcomed him. He asked Jewitt what to do with Maquinna. The captain wanted to execute Maquinna after hearing about the Boston attack. But Jewitt convinced him not to. He argued it would lead to more attacks on other ships.

Jewitt negotiated for the return of the Boston's remaining property. This included cannons, anchors, and parts of the cargo. Most importantly, he got back the ship's papers, which he had kept safe for years. Once these were on the Lydia, Maquinna was released. The ship immediately sailed away from Nootka Sound.

The Long Way Home

Jewitt could not return home right away. The Lydia traded along the Pacific coast for four months. They went to the Columbia River to get timber. They just missed the famous explorers Lewis and Clark by two weeks. In late November, they returned to Nootka to trade for furs.

Jewitt went ashore to meet Maquinna. They met like old friends. Maquinna promised to raise Jewitt's son, who was five months old, as his own.

Over a year after his release, Jewitt finally left the coast on August 11, 1806. The Lydia took four months to reach China. They traded at Macau and Canton. There, Jewitt met an old friend from Hull who was also a sailor. The Lydia left China in February 1807. After 114 days, Jewitt arrived in Boston, USA. He was very relieved and found a letter from his stepmother congratulating him on his escape.

Later Life and Writings

In 1807, Jewitt published his first book, Journal Kept at Nootka Sound. People were very interested in it. This led Richard Alsop to interview him many times. This new information, combined with his earlier journal, became a longer book published in 1815. It was called A Narrative of the Adventures and Sufferings of John R. Jewitt, only survivor of the crew of the ship Boston, during a captivity of nearly three years among the savages of Nootka Sound: with an account of the manners, mode of living, and religious opinions of the natives.

Most of his first journal was included in this longer book. The main difference was that in the journal, Jewitt called Maquinna a "chief." But in the longer book, he called him a "king."

John Jewitt spent the rest of his life in New England. He passed away in Hartford, Connecticut, on January 7, 1821. He was 37 years old.