THE BAD BOYS
It should be obvious that while the majority of any group simply goes about its business unknown and seem not to exist, certain members, involved in activities that are not in the main, are more obvious and, without any contrast, a situation forced by the majority on certain groups, are assumed to represent a whole Group.
On the Newport, as nothing further was written about any major punishment or further repetitions of Mr, Scott, the steward’s subsequent activities which could leave one to believe either this moment induced a period of celibacy, or Mr. Scott, like so many others carried on his activities discretely and without any connection to crime.
Smith, the steward of the Charles Phelps, on the other hand, was noted for behaviors beyond those of Scott and got more subsequent coverage.
The following log entries involve those who went beyond simply seeking a sexual outlet by threatening those they approached with physical harm if there was refusal and more if they were to tell anyone of the approach and/or threat. Considering that these entries describe unacceptable behavior among a crew that depends on each other for life, safety, and a decent return on their time and labor which had a bearing on the success of the voyage, and using the steward, Scott, as an example, they do not represent the majority of Homosexual activity that has no reason to be noted.
If the only ones of a group of whom you do not see the majority act a certain way, the common assumption is, until proven otherwise, these represent the whole group.
The written record often includes those things most observable, it does not do so with the invisible or hard to see.
We will start with Antoine Manuel of the whaler Helen Mar
Capt William H Koon
Remarks Saturday Friday 22th (1873)
“This day begins with light
wind from the N.E. steering NE
under all sail employed at
at ships duty Middle Part
at 2 A.M. one of the men
Davenison came aft crying and
complained of Antoine Manuel
that he had been trying to
commit sodomy on him and
Antoine followed him aft
with a knife with the intention
to knife him if he told
the captain of it in the
morning he complained to
the Capt and Antoine tried
to knife him and Frank Bryant
the Capt put him in irons
he threatens to kill Davinson &
Bryant if he gets loose he has
tried the same thing on some
of the men before he tried to
get Davenson not to tell
the Capt with a bribe of
tobacco and when he could
not be bribed to knife him
he struck two or three time
at Bryant with his knife
and said he would kill him
and Davenson and them
and then kill himself when
Bryant knocked him down.
Latter part steering N employed
at ships duty.”
In the entities beginning on Sunday Feb 23, 1873, Antoine is sporadically noted as being still in irons, a situation that was untenable as he had threatened to kill people on getting free and, considering the proposed length of the voyage, keeping him in irons would be unthinkable until:
Remarks Thursday 10th April 1873
This day begins with strong
trades strong NE saw the
E end of Main at sundown
Middle part steering N.W.
latter part at 10:30 AM
the captain and lady went
in shore took Antoine Manuel out of irons to go on shore
to see the consul.
Remarks Friday 11th
This day begins with strong trade
winds laying off and on the
Captain on shore bent mizzen
staysail the boat came on board
one man deserted Antoine
Manuel Mr. Costa on shore to
see the doctor Middle part
standing off shore under
doubled reefed topsails latter
Part making a main topsail
Monday 14th
This day begins with strong
trades under short sail
Middle part the saw
latter off the harbour a
schooner brought of 70 sacks
of potaters and other stores
the Captain came on board
and took Mr Costa things
on shore he being discharged
sick Antoine Manuel still
Missing”
Apparently having Antoine Manuel hiding on land and of no use to the ship, set sail three days later without him.
