PROLOGUE

would not have reduced his demands if he had not been convinced that the information about Selim's wealth was erroneous . " In fact , " he noted , " he has no means of becoming wealthy , he has no trade , consequently no import or export rev- enue , nor has he even revenue laws . " Having reached that conclusion , Pearson returned Se- lim's bullocks , as more trouble than they were worth , then sailed away from demolished Jo- hanna . 17

Several weeks later , while provisioning at Ta- ble Bay on the Cape of Good Hope , Pearson met Capt . John H. Aulick , commander of the U.S. East India and China Seas Squadron , and in- formed him of his actions . Subsequently , when Aulick passed through the Mozambique Chan- nel he stopped at Johanna . Unlike Pearson , he took the time to listen to Selim's side of the story , which differed in many particulars from Captain Mooers ' version . Selim informed Aulick that Mooers and the captain of the Phoenix , who had departed without paying , had come together to

purchase provisions , which Selim believed they had divided between them . Although he had no means of knowing whether Selim's account was more accurate than Mooers ' , Aulick advised the Navy Department that the sultan expressed himself " with so much simplicity , earnestness and sincerity , and it was , at the same time , so consistant in all its parts , and likely in its inci- dents , that I believe it true . " Captain Aulick had no doubt that the sultan frequently was cheated by American whalers , and he recommended , out of a " sense of justice , " that the United States return the $ 1,000 that Pearson had collected . 18

Selim's money was not returned . Mooers proved as persistent in obtaining satisfaction as he had earlier in denying the sultan's demands . Maria returned to the United States in mid - Au- gust 1852 , and on October 13 , Mooers sent a note to Secretary of State Webster inquiring about his indemnity . Webster died later than month , but , undeterred , the captain addressed addi- tional letters to the new secretary , Edward Ev-

After firing six shots into the town's fort , the U.S.S. Dale compelled the Johannese to surrender . The Dale's captain , however , continued firing twenty - nine additional rounds against the passive , already defeated islanders .

OF WHALING SHIPS AND KINGS 247