| Title: | Letter from John P. Doherty, Honolulu, Hawaii, to his Father |
|---|---|
| ID | 840 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Doherty, John P/32 |
| Year | 1850 |
| Sender | Doherty, John P. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | superintendent at railway company, |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii |
| Destination | Ireland |
| Recipient | unknown |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | son-father |
| Source | T2606/4: Presented by J. T. Fulton, Co. Down, Ireland |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9503049 |
| Date | 24/11/1850 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 14:03:1995. |
| Word Count | 1589 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands Nov. [November?] 24th 1850 My dear Father I am doubtless long since recovered as having taken my exit from this " vale of tears" but thank God it is not so, notwithstanding a great many hairsbreadth escapes _ I will now endeavour to give a faithful acct. [account?] of myself since you last heard from me - previous to which allow me to assert that my long silence is not owing either to a forgetfulness of those I left behind or the want of a sense of the great responsibility vesting upon me, - but purely misfortune I own I might have written sooner but I did not want to plunge you in grief unnecessarily - To begin - I wrote to you last from [Meslin?], Pensylveinea [Pennsylvania?] where I was a superintendant [superintendent?] on the Central Railways; there, from prejudice or some other motive, some of my country men from the South, waylaid me, and I narrowly escaped with my life - gave up my situation returned to Philadelphia with the full intention of coming home, but when I arrived this notwithstanding all my economy, I found myself worth only 5 or 6 Dollars, - I did not visit any of my acquaintances for certain reasons but put up at as great a distance from them as possible. I found a boarding house in Chestnut st. [street?] near the wharf - what to do I knew not, times were dull & several Boarders idle like myself among the rest a young scotchman, in the same predicament, could neither work nor want, we resolved to set about the first thing we could find, he came in the 3 evenings, after my arrival, and told me he could stand it no longer, being already in debt, that he had an offer from the owners of a whaling expedition, and intended to embrace it, I went down with him to see about it, the cruise was to be for 9 months with a fair prospect of realising $500 clear, I was offered the chance to go, - I thought of my wife and family, of my present assets and of the $500 dols. [dollars?], that 9 months would soon fly past, and I unfortunately embraced the offer - we were hurried off immediately and sailed from New London, Connecticut, in the ship General Scott Harris Master - but instead of returning at the appointed time, 9 months after we sailed, we found ourselves at the Sandwich Islands, having doubled the cape of Good hope, cruised around New Zealand, and taken 4 Whales, which made 300 Barrels of oil - All this time I was in dispair [despair?] but could not better myself - When we got to Lahuia I with some others resolved to run away, and made the attempt; and succeeded, but were caught next day, by a party of Natives, and Brought back to the Ship, next day she sailed for the Arctic Ocean, and 6 months after stood in the same harbour, having taken in all 2500 Barrels of oil, from 18 whales, 9 of which I helped to take, that is, our Boat took them, - at Lahuia, the Capt. [Captain?] refused to go home until his ship was filled, (we carried 3500) The Balance we could not get in less than a year, as we would have to wait for the Arctic or N. W. [North West?] season, - In consequence of the Capt.'s [Captain's?] refusal, the crew refused to go with him any further; we placed the affair before the Consul, and got discharged Oct. [October?] 17 /49 [1849?] at the place I write from - When we got discharged my first impulse was to go home, but the Gold mines were in every bodies mouth, so I thought I'd try my fortune there - before I could accomplish my object I must get some money, for we were discharged without a cent; I accordingly went to work, and the following March, had saved $100, I sailed immediately as passengers on Board the Brig [Caemmonicus?], and arrived in Sanfrancisco [San Francisco?], about the middle of april, - it was too soon for the mines, so I looked about me what I could do, I went to work at the first thing that offered at 5 dollars per day, Board $14 per week. I soon saved 300 dollars - after mature deliberation I resolved to speculate a little - there was not 50lb [pounds?] of coffy [coffee?] in market, and worse, none expected, it had got so high as 55 c. [cents?] per pound - at the Islands I could buy for [profit?] & to 10_, so that after paying costs &c. I could realise 400 per cent - There were several ships in Harbour, bound for the Islands, wanting men, I was something of a sailor, and agreed with Capt. [Captain?] Upton of the ship Huntress - to assist him in taking his ship to the Islands, on condition that he would pay me 200 dollars, before the anker [anchor?] was lifted. - He paid me the money, and we started, I thus accomplished a double object namely the addition of 200 dollars to the sum I already possessed, and my passage to the Islands, where I wanted to make my purchases, but all my airy castles were pulled down, for 2 hours, after we started, I had my leg below the knee, broken to pieces, and myself almost killed - How we got to the Islands I know little about, suffice it to say, we got here in 21 days, during which time the greatest care was taken of me - my leg was badly set, no doctor being on board, so that it took a longer time for it to get well, which it is not yet, I was 4 months on crutches, but am now, thank God able to walk about and attend to my business - After I landed, I was attached with rheumatic fiver [fever?], but thank God I am quite well in health, my leg is weak, but will soon be as strong a ever, I am a little lame, but that will wear away you will be now disposed to ask what I am doing; and what are my purposes, - in answer - I have charge of the mission Building for which I have $50 per month - my Boarding, Lodging & Washing, cost me $6 per. week, Although the Board throughout the Town is from $7 to 14. however, it becomes me to act frugally = I owe nothing, I am as it were beginning afresh, for it took all my money I saved to pay my Doctors Bills, and attendance - there is however good prospects in view, I will make another trial, and on the event please God, go home If Mary & the children were here, I would stay but as it is, I have no alternative. If my leg were quite strong, I would go myself instead of sending this, but as it is I cannot, besides I want to make some money to take with me - I have left unintentionally, for a long time, a great burden on you. I say unintentionally, for God knows I never intended to be so long posted from my wife and children. I know what the world will say but that I care not for - One thing I will say I will return if not a richer a wiser man. - it is unnecessary at such a distance to write to the family separately I will enclose [--- -?] lines [- ---- ---?] say all you [---?] to [-----?] [--- -?] I cannot make up my mind [from?] - my sister Isabella Anne I hope she is well give my love [to?] her, likewise to all, James his wife, Wm. [William?] & susan, [---t?] to my Dear mother though last not the least. Since I left you how I have missed a parents love & a Wifes loving and affectionate care it is unnecessary to say, I trust in God we will soon be united - Although I have not before named Wm. [William?] Patterson I dont forget him give my kind respects to him - Now to say a few words about these Islands they, are 7 or 8 in number the principal is Oahu where the King Kamehameha III lives [in a?] palace is in this city of Honolulu all the Islands [are?] subject to him and are situated about 21 o N [Degrees North?] and [----?] 135 [-- ---?] [stained] in the North Pacific, [stained] is from all parts of the World are resident, remaining only so long as a good fortune is being made then leave - The government consists of two houses where the laws are enacted and put in force as at home - The prosperity of the Islands are solely to be attributed to the Missionary labour, churches are in every part of the Land and the word preached in the native language ; the Bible translated and largely disseminated all the natives can read and the schools are largely attended - The produce is sugar, coffy [coffee?] (the best in the world), Banamas [Bananas?], melons, Tarrow &c - I have written a long letter yet not so long as I would had & now I must conclude by recommending you to God & his Grace I am Dear Father - your unworthy son John P. Doherty If you write Direct Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands (or Sandwich Islands other) |
