Mr. Allen to Mr. Seward
Sir: For some days past rumors of the most painful nature have been reaching us concerning the loss of the American ship Rover off the island of Formosa. Our worst fears in that regard are now even surpassed by the circumstantial information communicated through the columns of the “China Mail,” a daily journal published here. And, as the information thus communicated comes direct from a gentleman attached to her Britannic Majesty’s steamer Cormorant, which vessel visited the scene of the catastrophe, I deem the information entirely reliable; and deeming it probable that no more authentic or circumstantial account of the disastrous event can ever be obtained than this now given, I have thought it advisable to lay the same before the department in the manner communicated by the correspondent himself. I therefore append hereunto the statement as published in the newspaper above referred to :
[From the China Mail, Hong Kong, April 6, 1867.]
“WRECK OF THE ROVER OFF FORMOSA.—MURDER OF THE CAPTAIN, HIS WIFE, AND CREW.—ATTACK BY THE NATIVES ON THE BOATS OF HER MAJESTY’S STEAMER CORMORANT.
“A correspondent has favored us with the following letter relating to the above events. The concluding paragraph of it deserves the serious attention of all who are interested in insuring the safety of commerce in the China seas. Her Majesty’s steamer Icarus left Foo-chow on the 3d instant for the scene of the wreck:
“‘Takao, Formosa, March 30, 1867.
“‘To the Editor of the China Mail :
“‘Sir: I regret to have to communicate to you the wreck off the south point of this island of the American bark Rover, on her voyage from Swatow to Neuchwang, under circumstances which leave no doubt that her crew were foully murdered by the savage natives of that place.
“‘The news was brought here by a Swatow Chinaman, who alone was fortunate enough to escape, and who arrived at Takow on the 22d instant. His story was that the vessel left Swatow on the 9th instant, and struck on rocks (evidently the Vele Rete rocks) on the 12th. She floated off, but in a sinking condition, and the master (Captain Hunt) determined to abandon her. The crew took to the boats, and were divided as follows: the captain, his wife, one mate, and three Chinese in one boat, the other mate and seven Chinese in the other. They pulled northwards, but during the night were parted. The first boat sighted land after 17 hours’ pulling, and its occupants landed and sat down on the beach. After sitting about half an hour they were surprised by a discharge of fire-arms from the bush close by, directed on to their party. Without waiting to see the result of this volley the Chinaman fled and hid himself till night, when he crossed the hills and reached Leangkiou, a Chinese village, whence, after a delay of six days, he got passage to Takow in a sanpan. On receiving this intelligence Captain Broad, in command of her Majesty’s steamer Cormorant, which happened to be in port, at once decided upon steaming down the coast, and, if possible, to ransom any of the crew who might have survived.
“‘The Cormorant left Takao on the morning of the 25th, having on board Mr. Carroll, her Majesty’s acting consul for Formosa, and Dr. Manson, of Takao, who joined the expedition as a volunteer. She first anchored at Leangkiaou, where arrangements were made for sending a conciliatory message to the savages, with promises of rewards for any lives saved. A Chinaman who understood the savage dialect was also persuaded with great difficulty and under promise of good payment to act as interpreter. About 4 p. m. the ship anchored in the bay at the extreme point of the island, where on the beach were to be seen the remains of the boat from which the unfortunate crew had landed.
“‘Being desirous of giving the messenger from Langkiaou time to reach the savages, and so to avoid taking them by surprise, no one landed during the afternoon nor until 9 o’clock on the morning of the 26th, when the whaler, the gig, and the cutter were ordered to be prepared.
“‘ In the first were Captain Broad, Mr. Consul Carroll, and the native interpreters; in the second, Lieutenant Mathias and Dr. Lucas, the surgeon; and in the third, Lieutenant Ryder and Dr. Manson. The two first pulled to shore where the Rovers boat was lying, and the cutter lay on her oars about 30 yards from the shore, with orders to keep a lookout for any hostile movement. Everything, however, appeared quiet—no natives to be seen save on the hills about 300 yards from shore. A few buffaloes had also made their appearance on another part of the beach, with what object did not appear, and in charge of no one.
“‘Lieutenant Mathias was the first to jump ashore, and Captain Broad was in the act of [Page 500] doing the same, when a sharp fire of musketry was opened upon the party from two points in the jungle at not 20 yards distance. The abrupt nature of the sand-beach at’ this spot, however, prevented this first volley from taking effect on the whaler and gig.
“‘The position of the foe being only indicated by the smoke from their muskets, and they themselves being quite hidden in the dense bush, Captain Broad wisely determined not to risk the lives of his men in the pursuit of an invisible enemy in a jungle, where every advantage would have been on their side. The boats were therefore ordered off, the retreat being covered by the cutter, from which was kept up a fire, which, from the cries of the savages, evidently told. Their bullets and arrows, however, now fell thickly round the boats, all of which were struck in several places, one ball passing right through both sides of the whaler only a few inches below the seat on which were sitting Captain Broad and Mr. Carroll.
“‘It is a cause for great congratulation, therefore, that the only casualty was a flesh wound received by one of the blue jackets in the cutter. In the same boat the stock of one of the marines’ rifles was shot through as he was in the act of firing it.
“‘As no doubt now remained as to the sad fate of the Rover’s crew, nothing could be done but to inflict some punishment on their murderers. On returning to the ship, therefore, a fire of shell was opened upon the thickets, out of which they now ventured. The effects were soon visible, large parties being seen to hurry up the hills in the rear of the position they had occupied. At the two points alone whence fire was opened there could not have been less than 50 men, while I feel convinced that others were stationed all along the bay, the buffaloes being only a decoy to entice the crew ashore.
“‘To explain this I must state that the one and great object of life of a Formosan savage is to obtain heads, and I doubt not that they were greatly disappointed at not getting a few from the Cormorant. They fired not long ago into the boats of the Swallow, and I feel convinced that the crews of half the sailing vessels which have been lost and never heard of, on their way northward from Hong Kong, have perished at this spot. The very cunning of their ambuscade in this instance proves that they are adepts, and the lives of the whole party are probably due to some accident, such as one excited man having fired his musket too soon. Had they waited two minutes longer not a man in the whaler and gig could have escaped, and even as it was their escape appears miraculous. Masters of vessels leaving Hong Kong should be specially warned on no account to land at this spot, the more so now, as the sight of a foreign-made boat lying on the beach might induce them to do so.
“‘It is much regretted that these savage tribes should be allowed to hold possession of this beautiful and valuable anchorage, situated, as it is, so conveniently for northward-bound vessels in the northeast monsoon, and it would be a great boon to commerce could they be cleared out and a settlement of Chinese encouraged in their place. The hills are fertile and undulating, and the soil appears rich enough amply to repay the labor of cultivation. The climate in the winter is healthy and invigorating, and the summer would be cooled by the breezes of the southwest. As a sanitarium for the worn-out inhabitants of Hong Kong it would be unequalled. The mission of the Cormorant was intended as one essentially of peace and mercy, but, with the experience now gained, and with a force sufficiently strong, a single well-organized attack would drive the savages from the coast, and a few years of government protection would do the rest. I trust that the matter may be ere long taken up in the proper quarter and effectually carried out. The importance of the question affects not alone the English, the American, or any other nation, but touches all who are in any way connected with China—either its trade or its government.’”
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I have the honor to remain, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State,