PRINCIPAL
DATES IN THE HISTORY OF THE BONlN ISLANDS
1543.
Sighted by the Spanish explorer Villalobos.
1592 (?).
Discovered by Ogasawara Sadayori.
1823. Visit
of American whaler Transit--Captain Coffin--to
S. Island.
1825. Visit
of English whaler Supply to Port Lloyd. Board left recording the visit, and
found by Captain Beechey in 1827.
1827. June
9. Visit of H.M.S. Blossom Captain Beechey. Two castaways found on Main Island.
1830. June
26. Arrival of the first colonists. Five white men, Savory, Millinchamp,
Mazarro, Chapin, Charles Johnson, together with Harry Otaheite, and a party of
natives.
1831.
British whaler Partridge called.
Joachim Gonzales stayed on the Islands, also Joe Cullins.
1831.
Arrival of the barque Kent, of London--Captain Lawton. Jackson and Butler left
on the Islands sick under Savory's care. Also " six female
passengers."
1833. The Amelia Wilson and crew cast away (May
24). Crew sent to Japan.
1833-35.
About this time arrived William Gilley, Thos. Bailey, and Joseph Cullins.
1838. The
barque Admiral Cockburn left John
Hume on the Islands, sick.
1838.
Mention made about this time of Francis Silver, Thomas Meek, junr., Joseph M.
Mintridge, William Soar, and Chas. Johnson (they may have been off some ship in
harbour), also of John Shearwood,' James Marshall, and George Bennett.
1843-45.
Mention made of James H. Smith, William Savory, and George Hilbrowne.
1847.
Arrival of the Howard with George Robinson, Teapa, and Caroline ; Bill Mann and
Hypa.
1849.
Arrival of Louisa and two other vessels. Captain Barker's raid. Lucy and Fanny
carried off.
1851. Visit
of Captain Collinson, H.M.S. Enterprise.
1853. June.
Arrival of Commodore Perry with ships of war, Susquehanna and Saratoga.
1854. John
Smith left to assist Mr. Savory, who was in 1854 elected chief magistrate of
the Island for two years ; and then again for three years more. (After that
time there was no form of government.) George Horton also left by the squadron.
Moitley was here by 1854.
1860.
Captain Nye, of the barque Helen Snow,
lands three women, one man, and a child from Wellington Island. Probably Dan
Tucker, Boasin, Kitty Rolfs, Luke Huntingdon (Pompey), an American, and child.
1861. The
feud at S. Island between Moitley and Robinson's party. Hypa's flight into the
bush. The first Japanese colony arrive, with a chief commissioner.
1862.
Arrival of the Wyola, leaving Louis
Leseur, William Allen, and Charles Vier.
1875. The
Islands taken over by the Japanese Government. Second Japanese colony.
1877. Visit
of Rev. F. B. Plummer. He took back John and James Tewcrab to Tokyo.
1878.
Arrival of other boys there.
1881.
Second visit of American ships of war. Mr. von Buskirk takes back Joseph
Gonzales and Moses Webb (second time), Benjamin Savory (second time), Johnny
Tewcrab (second time), Felix Leseur, Isabella Savory, and Carrie Pease on the Alert.
1888.
Joseph's second visit to Kobe.
1891.
Joseph begins Sunday School.
1894. Visit
of Rev. L. B. Cholmondeley. Ishida San a Catechist had come by previous steamer
and returned with Mr. Cholmondeley to Tokyo.
1895. Mrs.
and Miss Black visited the Islands in December 1894, and stayed on till April
1895, doing all kinds of useful Christian work. Rev. A. F. King came in
February 1895 for three weeks. First celebration of Holy Communion on Ash
Wednesday.
1896:
second visit of Rev.. L. B. Cholmondeley, in February, Mr. Cameron Johnson
staying there at the time. The School-house built this year by settlers in
August.
1897. Third
visit of Rev. L. B Cholmondeley (February).
1898. Second
visit of Rev. A. F. King (February). Mr. P. C. van Buskirk visited the Islands
at the same time and stayed over a steamer. He overhauled the Savory papers.
Mr. van B. had been here in the American squadron years before.
1899.
February. Visit of the Right Rev. Bishop Awdry of S. Tokyo, and Mrs. Awdry;
also of Rev. A. F. King (third visit). Confirmation on February 8 ; fourteen
confirmed. On this visit Mr. King baptized twenty persons with the conditional form, besides six others, including one Japanese.