Kellett

Far from being an anomaly, the behavior of Captain Kellett, which oscillated between deception and violence, only mirrored the actions of the merchants and government officials who represented Christian nations in China.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

To the American missionary, the treachery of Captain Kellett, the travails of the Chinese crew, and the derisive laughter of visitors to the junk did not, when taken together, comprise an isolated incident that he could easily dismiss.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

As for Captain Kellett, he headed north to Boston with his junk, the English sailors in his employ, and the remainder of his Chinese crew, which numbered about fourteen.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

When the museum opened on January 1, 1849, a little more than a year had passed since the departure of the Keying, and Peters hoped to change the tone of mockery that Captain Kellett had encouraged.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

To generate publicity for his attractions, he had forged a mutually beneficial relationship with the Herald, much as Captain Kellett seems to have done as well.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

Here it is important to note that Williams was under no delusions regarding the morality of Captain Kellett; by this time, the missionary had already registered his disapproval of the deception perpetrated by the latter.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

Unlike Dunn and more like Barnum, Captain Kellett concerned himself less with informing visitors and more with reaping the financial rewards of entertaining them.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

Unlike Captain Kellett, Peters and West chose to dissent against the prevailing construction of China; the educational venues they created provided a counterweight to the mockery and raillery that infected the mainstream view.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

35 But on arriving, Captain Kellett lent his acutely sensitive ear to the prejudices and cravings of the New York public.

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

46 After the ceremonies were completed, the paper declared them “the most amusing and interesting spectacle we ever beheld,” and then immediately announced, quite conveniently, that Captain Kellett has “induced the natives ... to repeat them.”

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005