WHITE SLAVES OF MAGUINNA John R. Jewitt's Narrative of Capture and Confinement at Nootka

Life with the Nootka On March 22, 1803, the day Boston decided to set sail. The Nootka came to trade and decided to attack. Out of all, only 2 were killed and John suffered a head injury but was luckily saved by Maguinna. Maquinna asked Jewitt if he would be his slave and Jewitt agreed under threat, as the other choice was immediate death.

Enslavement Jewitt remained held by Maquinna until 1805. He became involved in the Nootka culture and was forced to marry. Jewitt lost his freedom and had to work for Maquinna. He uses the word "slave" to describe his position and insists that Maquinna had about 50 other slaves. With the other duties, the slaves were forced to carry wood for 3 miles and fight for Maquinna when he slaughtered a neighboring group.

Escaping Thompson pretended to be John’s father to spare his life and try escaping but the Indian man had stopped so they give up and John goes to present Thompson to Maquinna so they don’t get killed.

Native Lives They would have herring spawn, dried fish, clams, oysters, sea mammal blubber and train oil. Jewitt had metal cooking pots from the ship, but was not allowed to prepare his own food. Maquinna insisted that his captives lived and ate as the Nootka did for example: boiling and steaming their food. The men can become intoxicated when they had access to alcohol, but womens drank only water and Jewitt feared for his safety when his captors were drunk.

Observations on the Nootka The village of Nootka is between 49 & 50 degrees north latitude at the bottom of Friendly Cove. Consists of 20 houses or huts on a small hill. Friendly Cove which affords good and secure anchorage for ships. The houses are in different sizes according to the quality of the chiefs who lives in them. Maquinna’s house is 100 feet long and 8 feet 4 inches in circumference

The weapon called the cheetoolth or war club. Made from whale bones: daggers; bows and arrows; and a kind of spear pointed with bone or copper. It’s a good weapon but its meant to intimidate adversaries and take them as slaves rather than to kill them.