Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
THE
SHIPWRECKED ORPHANS:
A TRUE NARRATIVE OF THE
SHIPWRECK AND SUFFERINGS
OF
JOHN IRELAND AND WILLIAM DOYLEY,
WHO WERE WRECKED IN THE
SHIP CHARLES EATON,
ON AN ISLAND IN THE SOUTH SEAS.
TO MY YOUNG READERS.
For this volume of Teller’s Tales, I haveselected the “Shipwrecked Orphans, a True Narrative of theSufferings of John Ireland” and a little child, named William Doyley,who were unfortunately wrecked in the ship Charles Eaton, of London,and lived for several years with the natives of the South SeaIslands. The remainder of the passengers and crew of this ill-fatedship, were most inhumanly murdered by the savages soon after theylanded from the wreck. The Narrative was written by one of theOrphans, John Ireland, and I give it to you in nearly his own words,having made but few alterations in the style in which he tells thestory of their sufferings.
The people of some of the South Sea Islands, are of a very crueldisposition; some of them are cannibals; that is, they eat the flesh ofthose unfortunate persons who may happen to be shipwrecked on theirIslands, or whom they may take prisoners of war. Others, on the contrary,show the greatest kindness to strangers in distress. May thetime soon come when civilization and the Christian religion shallreach all these benighted savages, and teach them to relieve the distressed,and to regard the unfortunate as their brethren.
As very little is yet known of the manners and customs of thesesavage tribes, I trust this Narrative will prove both interesting andinstructive to you all; and I hope you will feel grateful that,—unlikethe sufferers in this story,—you are surrounded with the comforts oflife, and have kind parents and friends to watch over you and defendyou from the dangers and miseries to which these poor Orphanswere so long exposed.
THE
SHIPWRECKED ORPHANS.
Having obtained a situation as assistant in thecabin of the ship Charles Eaton, I went on boardon the 28th of September, 1833, to assist in preparingfor the voyage. In the month of Decemberfollowing, I had the misfortune to fall into th