Nootka Sound: The Story Of John Jewitt - Part I

A rich marine environment, coupled with protected waters, islands, and beautiful sandy beaches, draw sea kayakers and hikers to Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island’s west coast. Historically, the area was also site of Captain Cook’s visit in 1778, a continued struggle by Spanish and English interests for control of its rich trading opportunities, and the fascinating tale of John Jewitt.

Jewitt was a 19 year old English blacksmith, who signed on with an American trading ship, the Boston, appropriately, out of Massachusetts. His role was to produce iron goods that would be used in the trade with native peoples. The young Jewitt could not have anticipated the adventure that awaited him as the Boston sailed into Nootka Sound in March,1803.

Protocol called for the chief to come on board a trading vessel to welcome the captain to his territory. So it was that Maquinna (Ma-queen-a), a Mowachaht chief, and one of the most powerful and wealthiest chiefs on the west coast, extended a welcome to John Salter.

This was old hat for Maquinna as he had been welcoming Europeans to his shore since the days of Cook. He made huge profits as the middleman between the trading vessels and other native villages. He certainly made an impression on Jewitt - “...a man of dignified aspect, about six feet tall in height and extremely straight and well proportioned: his features were in general good, and his face was rendered remarkable by a large Roman nose, a very uncommon form of feature among these people; his complexion was of a dark copper hue, though his face, legs, and arms were on this occasion, so covered with red paint, that their natural colour could scarcely be perceived; his eyebrows were painted black in two broad stripes like a new moon, and his long black hair, which shone with oil, was fastened...over with white down, which gave him a most curious and extraordinary appearance. “

An exchange of gifts between the two leaders was customary to cement goodwill between them. On Salter’s part, he presented Maquinna with a double-barreled rifle. Maquinna used the rifle to shoot some ducks, which he presented to Salter in a subsequent trade meeting. One of the locks on the rifle had broken. Salter accused Maquinna of breaking it through overuse, and called him a liar, among other choice insults. Maquinna knew some English from his years of trade. Along with the tenor of its delivery, he was aware that he was being insulted. Jewitt – “ Unfortunately he understood but too well the meaning of the reproachful terms that the captain addressed to him. He said not a word in reply, but his countenance sufficiently expressed the rage he felt though he exerted himself to suppress it. I observed him, while the captain was speaking, repeatedly put his hand to his throat and rub it upon his bosom, which he afterwards told me was to keep down his heart, which was rising into his throat and choking him."

The next day Maquinna returned to the Boston with several of his chiefs and gifts. They were asked to stay for dinner, probably as a conciliatory gesture by Salter. Jewitt was at work below when he heard a commotion on deck. He left his work to see what was going on. As he reached the top of the stairs, he was grabbed by the hair. Fortunately for Jewitt, the native lost his hold, just as he swung his axe. Jewitt was hit in the forehead and collapsed unconscious to the deck below.

A short time passed before Jewitt, with one huge gash and headache, came to, and crawled up to the deck to see what had happened. He was immediately confronted, and his life threatened by natives holding knives. He surely thought his time had come. Maquinna addressed Jewitt by name. Maquinna had seen Jewitt’s work and realized his worth to him - "John - I speak - you no say no; You say no - daggers come!" He asked Jewitt if he was prepared to be his slave and make iron goods as requested. Jewitt answered yes to all Maquinna’s questions. He was then led to observe and identify the 25 severed heads of the crew, arranged in a neat line.

Another crew member, John Thompson, a sail-maker, was found hiding below deck. Thompson was ordered to be killed by Maquinna. Jewitt intervened and told Maquinna that Thompson was his “father” (Thompson was some 20 years older than Jewitt) and that he would commit suicide if his “father” was killed. Rather than lose Jewitt’s services, Maquinna reluctantly spared Thompson’s life.

The Boston had all items of worth removed and was then scuttled to hide any trace of the massacre. If word was to reach an American or European ear, trading vessels would no longer come or a retaliatory strike would follow.

Part II - Life Among the Nootka to follow.