The following particulars respecting the loss of the Peruvian ship Grimanazee, from Hongkong to Callao, with Chinese coolies, has been furnished by Captain Wiles, of the barque Australian :

On the 9th of September last, while laying at anchor in Gower's Harbour, New Ireland, I was boarded by the captain, doctor and four seamen of the Peruvian ship Grimanazee, which vessel the Captain stated had been wrecked upon a reef in the vicinity of the Branston shoal, on the 4th of July last ; and had on board at the time, 650 Chinese coolies, and numbering 50 in crew. The captain, mate, and doctor and four seamen left the vessel in one of the quarter-boats, and after being tossed and driven about the ocean for 25 days, landed in a very exhausted state upon New Ireland, and fortunately for them with a friendly tribe ; with the exception of the mate, who was barbarously murdered by the natives of New Britain, while in the act of landing in quest of food, which they had not tasted for several days ; I took them onboard, clothed and fed them, as well as I could. Four days after I left New Ireland, I fell in with the American ship Gay Head, Captain Wood, who kindly consented to take the captain, doctor, and one seaman, leaving three seamen on board my ship, one of whom, shortly after died of fever and ague, - which they were all more or less afflicted with when I took them on board. They were from Hongkong bound to Callao with Chinese coolies.

S. Wiles Master of the barque Australia.

Legalized Slavery To The Chincha Islands, With Loss Of Victims.

To the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald.

Sir,-

Having seen an account of the loss of the Peruvian ship Grimanazee, near the Bampton Shoal, together with nearly 700 souls, about which little has been said, why or how those people were lost, I beg to suggest that it would not be considered very officious by an enlightened public if an investigation were instituted, to enquire into the sad loss of life, more particularly as there were many British subjects on board that ill-fated ship. Perhaps it will be gratifying to the person who had charge of so many souls, as he states in his letter, to learn that there are a few of those he so prematurely abandoned still living to publish his unjustifiable conduct to the world.

It appears from the statement of six Chinamen that I landed in Madras, and whose depositions were taken through the Chinese interpreter of that city before the Master-Attendant :

"That the ship went on shore in the night ; that the hatch that communicated with the deck was immediately secured, so that no one could get on deck to save themselves ; that the captain and officers, with all the crew, left them battened down to perish, but fortunately, they procured from the hold some implement with which they burst open the hatch. In about an hour after they got on deck, the ship floated off the reef, it being a weather shore and the water quite smooth. That the ship made water very fast, they baled and pumped, and ultimately, after scudding to the westward three days, the ship foundered through their own insubordination, some plundering and others would not bale the ship. Before she went down many made small rafts, and some embarked on single planks, clinging to them for days, till exhaustion and the sharks put an end to their frightful existence." The six men that I had were on single planks, and some of them were dreadfully chafed and covered with sores, their legs swelled to an enormous size. I dressed their wounds, and with restoratives they came round, and seemed very thankful.

I am also happy to state, that 23 others of the crew and coolies escaped from the wreck, and who all more or less corroborated the above statement.

The 2nd mate and carpenter deposed, "That instantly the ship struck, the Captain, Doctor, and four of the crew put into the gig a case of wine, and other things, and left the ship ; that ultimately he believes they took the first mate with them ; that prior to this, they secured all the Chinamen under hatches and left them so ; that some of the crew took to the, long boat, and that he with 11 others, after trying to back the ship off the weather shore took to a small boat, the only one left, sailed with their blankets before the wind to the eastward, and were ultimately picked up by Captain Segust, of Captain Towns' Sophia, the day they had agreed to kill a little Calcutta boy for food, who was about twelve years old, which was fortunately prevented."

The Eliza Warrick, of Boston, United States, picked up 17 men, six of whom I received on board the Scotia, they being short of both water and provisions. These men also made the same statement, and that " they believe not less than 500 souls perished. " The 2nd mate told me, " I had the worst and most daring characters among the coolies." All I can say, they behaved well and worked all they could whilst with me, and in Madras expressed themselves very thankful for what had been done for them.

They all had dollars and many dresses on, one over the other, which they said they got from bales in the hold, for the Chincha Islands. If you consider this statement ought to be made known to the public, you are quite at liberty to give me as an authority.

I am, Sir,
your's &c.,
Thomas Strickland

SG & SGTL Vol 12 ; Page 55 ; 12 Mar 1855

^ back to top ^