After going through the necessary forms at the Custom House, the vessel was unloaded, and I obtained a furlough of two weeks to visit my family at Catskill, whom I found in good health. At the appointed time I returned to New-York and made the necessary preparations for another voyage.

CHAPTER XV.
Schooner Price.—Third Voyage.

Having purchased a suitable cargo for the trade, and got it on board, we were prevailed upon to take as passengers, a man and his wife, with two small children and a black servant, whom we tried hard to get rid of, by charging them an exorbitant price; but the man insisted on going, having been formerly a resident of Old Providence, and one of my old customers in that island. My cabin was not larger than a farmer's hen-roost, having only four berths, and those so narrow that one could hardly turn over in them. At night we covered the floor of the little cabin completely; the man and his wife, two children, the black servant, my two Indians, cabin boy, the mate and myself, all lodged in one nest. We sailed from New-York about the third of March, 1819, bound to Old Providence, St. Andreas, Corn Island, Musquitto Shore, and St. Blas. When we arrived in latitude 32° we were overtaken by a violent gale of wind, which obliged us to heave the vessel too. As the gale abated (the sea running very high) we shipped a sea which swept our deck, taking the cook and caboose, which was well served down to ring-bolts, drove into the deck, but they were drawn out by the violence of the waves. Our boat, oars, and other articles on deck were all swept overboard. By means of some spare running gear the cook was hauled on board. The next day the sea moderated, when we opened the hatches and got out a new caboose. On my departure from Corn Island I had taken an order from an English trader to bring out two patent American cabooses for him, which I then had on board. We rigged our new caboose and proceeded on our voyage, meeting with no further disasters worthy of notice. On our arrival at Old Providence I found a small fleet of vessels there, called patriots, (another name for pirates,) who had taken possession of the island, and had hoisted the Columbian flag. On my entering the harbor they laid an embargo on my vessel for a few days. The expedition was commanded by a man who called himself Aurey, assisted by another, styled Admiral Bogar, and the third went by the title of Commodore Parker. Their squadron consisted of two small gun brigs, and two or three privateer schooners. Their land force amounted to two or three hundred men: they had what they called an English camp, a French camp, and an American camp. They had hanged one American, and severely flogged another for some crime, giving him one hundred lashes under the gallows. They pretended to hold some commission under General Bolivar. I demanded a return of my vessel, which they reluctantly granted me, and I sailed for the Island of St. Andreas, where I found another squadron of vessels from England, consisting of a twenty-gun brig, commanded by Captain Hudson, with three transport ships, having about five hundred officers and soldiers on board, bound to Porto Bello, all under the command of Sir Gregor McGregor. On my arrival I was visited by an old English officer, named Rafter, who was apparently a gentleman, he acted as commander in the absence of Sir Gregor McGregor, who had not arrived at that time; he wanted to purchase a pipe of gin from me for the use of the troops, and give me a bill on London in payment. The next day Sir Gregor arrived from St. Domingo, in company with an old Spanish gentleman, named Lopes, from whom he had borrowed about twelve thousand dollars, and promised to make him governor of the first city he should capture.

The next day Commodore Hudson came on board the Price, and offered me one hundred dollars per day and a handsome present for myself, to join the fleet and go on an expedition with them for a few days. I told him that my vessel was insured, and that it would be a total breach of my orders to comply with his request. In the afternoon they laid an embargo on the Price. The following day was appointed for a great celebration, which was to take place at the house of Mrs. Lever, a respectable widow lady. I visited the place where they landed the troops from the vessels, raised a flag staff and hoisted the New Grenadian flag. Silk cushions were brought into the house and placed on the table where General McGregor, Governor Lopes, and other officers, took the oath of allegiance to the government of New Grenada; most of the officers being under half pay from the English, looked sad when they renounced their allegiance to their own country. Three days after, they sailed for Porto Bello, taking Colonel Woodbine as pilot, and proceeding within a few miles of that place, they landed in a thicket of woods; then taking a foot-path, they entered the city undiscovered by the inhabitants, and took possession of the place without the loss of a man. Most of the inhabitants fled from their houses and left them to the conquerors. Old Lopes was appointed governor, and the officers taking possession of the vacant dwelling houses which the Spaniards had left, sat themselves down like private gentlemen. Soon after the soldiers revolted and refused to do duty, alledging that the general had promised them twenty dollars bounty for the first city they should capture. Before the insurrection could be put down, the general raised eight dollars per man and distributed it among them, and then issued a proclamation to the inhabitants, inviting them to return to their habitations and take the oath of allegiance to the new government, when private property would be respected. Most of the people complied with his request, by taking the oath required of them. In the meantime information was secretly sent over to the Pacific by these Spaniards, where they raised an army of eight hundred men, who marched across the Isthmus, and lay encamped in the woods three or four miles back of the city; while those who had taken the oath of allegiance were keeping up a regular communication with them. The soldiers who had possession of the city having procured an abundance of liquor, all got intoxicated, and the officers retired to their beds without placing any sentries on duty. The Spaniards in the city sent spies to the royalists, informing them that the patriot soldiers were all drunk, and totally off their guard. During the night the royalists marched into the city and took possession of the forts, which were very strong, (one in particular is said to mount three hundred and sixty-five guns,) without meeting with any resistance, or the loss of a single man. They killed about thirty of the patriots and made the remainder prisoners, only twelve escaping. I here give you a sketch of the complete success of the Spaniards, as recited by the General's right hand man. Lieutenant Cookley, aid-de-camp to General McGregor, about three weeks after the loss of the army, said, "That on the night of the re-capture of the city by the royalists, he was quartered in the second story of the government house in Porto Bello, General McGregor occupying one room, and Governor Lopes another, and being himself very unwell, he was obliged to get out of his bed and walk the room. Between three and four o'clock he heard some persons coming up stairs. Feeling alarmed, he seized his sword and pistols and ran to the door of the room, where he met three men well armed; he shot one, and killed another with his sword, the third one retreated with a slight wound; in the meantime he cried out, 'General McGregor, you are betrayed.' The general sprang from his bed, and taking his mattrass, dropped it from the window on the ground; then letting himself down to it, ran for the shore, and jumping into the sea attempted to swim to the commodore's vessel; but being unskilled in swimming, he was picked up by a boat and carried on board, having no clothing on except his shirt. Another division of Spaniards ascended the stairs of the government house, and proceeding to the room of Governor Lopes, killed him in his bed."

Those taken prisoners were marched across the Isthmus to the South Sea, where they were compelled to work in chains on the fortifications. Some months after I learned that these prisoners, in trying to effect their escape, were most of them butchered by the Spaniards.

After my release from the embargo at St. Andreas I sailed for the coast of St. Blas, where I arrived without any further molestation, at the harbor of De Ablo. My vessel was soon surrounded with canoes, filled with old men and young ones. No ambassador returning from a foreign mission to his own country was ever received with a more hearty welcome than my Indians were by their own countrymen. Liquor was soon passed around, and a long conversation commenced, which lasted, with little intermission, until the next morning; and my traders seemed to be absolved from the injunction laid upon them by the old men, not to get drunk during their voyage, as I discovered that Campbell was so drunk before twelve o'clock, that he could not rise from his seat without help. While relating his adventures he gave his hearers a long description of the white rain he had seen in New-York, (meaning snow,) and sundry other wonderful events and curiosities.

The Andes mountains on this coast extend near the sea-shore, and are inhabited by baboons and other large monkeys, who keep up a hideous noise during the night, which was a great annoyance to our slumbers, as the echo passes from mountain to mountain. The next day after our arrival here we experienced a violent thunder storm, the noise of the thunder echoed in a most tremendous manner from different hills, which appeared like a cannonading along the whole coast. I sat amazed at the sound, when an old Indian who was intoxicated, broke silence, by saying, "That thunder is great rascal, he make too much quarrel here."

My traders now applied for another outfit of goods for the coming season, which I readily supplied them with, they taking about the same quantity as on the previous voyage.

The men of St. Blas are of small stature, generally about five feet two or three inches high; wearing their hair long on the back of the head, cued down on their backs with a cotton ribbon of their own manufacture, the hair cut straight across the forehead, high cheek bones, and of a light copper complexion. They dress in check or flannel shirts, with linen trowsers. The young men are not allowed to wear their shirt flaps inside of the waist-bands of their trowsers until they are about forty years old, when they assume the character of old men. The women are small and delicately formed, having very small feet and hands, and are remarkably modest in their behaviour. Their dress consists of a piece of blue cloth, about four feet long, wrapped around their bodies under the arms, and extending to their knees, a string or two of coral beads tied around their legs, below the knee, and another around above the ankle. The women all wear a piece of pure gold wire of large size, in the form of a triangle, stuck through the inside of the nose. The old men wear a number of strands of coral beads around their necks, and hanging down on their bosoms. The sookerman wears two or three pounds of large coral beads hanging closely about the neck, and the old men wear their shirt flaps inside of their waist-bands as a mark of their dignity. From the best information I can obtain, St. Blas is the oldest Republic on the Continent of America, and should be a model government for Mexico and the South American Republics, which are constantly driving their rulers out of the country and changing Republics into Empires.

The soil of St. Blas produces an abundance of bread-stuffs, such as yams, sweet potatoes, cassader, eddies, plantains, &c. Also cocoa-nuts, lemons, oranges, sugar cane and cocoa. They here breed a great number of hogs, poultry, &c. The country abounds with large quantities of wild hogs, mountain cows, armadillas, deer, conies, and innumerable wild fowl. The whole coast swarms with turtle, craw-fish, manatee's, and a great variety of shell-fish. There are some four hundred islands, lying from two to four miles from the main land-shore, which forms an inland sea, making the whole coast a good harbor. Every one of these islands produces limes, or lemons, bird, cayenne, gourd and squash peppers. When a table is set in this country a green pepper and lemon are placed by the side of your plate, which serves for pepper and vinegar to season your meat or vegetables. After clearing up half an acre of ground, ten days labor of one man in each year would produce bread-stuffs sufficient for a family of fifteen persons. Plantains set out on good soil will yield a crop, every nine months, for twenty years. Yams and sweet potatoes require planting and digging yearly.

Having given the reader a short description of St. Blas, which may appear somewhat imperfect, I hope it will be recollected, should there be any imperfections, that I have no history of that country to refer to; most of my information having been obtained from the natives, who speak broken English. On taking leave of St. Blas I proceeded to St. Andreas, at which place I arrived after a passage of two days. Here I met General McGregor, who appeared much dejected, having among other losses left all his clothing behind, which fell into the hands of the enemy. Lieutenant Coakley came on board my vessel and related to me all the particulars of the expedition which I have narrated. Of the land forces, only twelve returned out of five hundred who left here some three weeks before. After remaining here three or four days, we sailed for Cape Gracios a Dios. On my arrival there I commenced trading, as usual. The next morning, it being the Fourth of July, and being in a strange port, I thought I would not make any preparations for celebrating the day. I told the mate, however, that he might release the crew from work and give them some extra rations of grog, &c. Before I had finished giving my orders to the mate, the king came on board with a large canoe, loaded with Indians, and saluting me with a loud voice, said, "Blast your eyes, why don't you fire a salute, hoist your colors and celebrate your country's holyday." I answered him, by saying, "I have nothing good to eat." He replied, "You shall soon have something;" when getting into the canoe with the Indians, they paddled him on shore, and killing a beef, soon returned with two quarters. We then hoisted our colors and fired a salute; and a number of the king's officers coming on board, we partook of a good dinner; and not forgetting plenty of liquor, we made ourselves delightfully merry. At night the king and company retired very peaceably.

The king had frequently solicited me to take him home with me, but never got himself ready to embark, and he now renewed the conversation on the subject. I told him that my family did not reside in the city of New-York, but lived two degrees north of it, at a small village called Catskill, near a mountain of that name. He replied, that would suit much better, as he wanted to see the country and my home. He then said, "There is one condition in the bargain; if I go home with you, you may call me major, or colonel, or some other officer; but if you call me king I will be the death of you, for I am not going home with you to be made a damned puppet-show of."

Having finished my trade here, I sailed down along the coast, touching and trading at the different harbors, as usual, until I arrived at the Lagoon, where I landed the goods from the vessel at the store, and taking in all the exchange goods collected there, sailed for Corn Island, where we took in some more return cargo. While at Corn Island Captain Mitchell gave me an order to bring him a new boat, thirty feet long, to row with six oars, &c.

We now sailed for New-York, where we arrived without meeting with any occurrence worth recording. After discharging our cargo I again visited my family at Catskill, whom I found in good health. I remained with them about eight days, and then returned to New-York. In the course of a few days we had procured another cargo, which taking on board, together with the new boat for Captain Mitchell, we were again ready for sea.

CHAPTER XVI.
Schooner Price.—Fourth Voyage.

The Price being now ready for sea, about the first of August we got under weigh and proceeded on our voyage towards Old Providence, St. Andreas, Corn Island and the Main. We made our passage to Old Providence in seventeen days, where we remained about three days bartering off goods in our usual manner. We then sailed for St. Andreas. On the passage we, in a squall, carried away the head of the schooner's main-mast, above the eyes of the shrouds. On our arrival at that port I repaired the mast-head by cutting off five or six feet, and forming a new one. This altered the appearance of the vessel very much, when viewed from a distance. We remained some time at St. Andreas, selling goods, collecting debts, taking in all the cotton and other freight we could procure. Here I took on board a captain and crew belonging to Jamaica, whose schooner had been upset in a squall and lost near this island. I agreed to carry them to the Main, where they expected to get on board of some of their own country vessels. We got under weigh and sailed for Corn Island with a light breeze. When we arrived within seven or eight miles of Great Corn Island the wind died away to a dead calm, and we lay drifting at the mercy of the sea. I was in great haste to get on shore at the island, as I had ordered Captain Teft, who commanded the sloop Traverse, to meet me there in the Price on the tenth of September, which time had expired some days before. Fearing he would be discouraged by waiting, and sail for some other port, which would cause a great delay in our meeting, and there being no signs of a wind that would carry the Price into the harbor that night, I was advised to hoist out the new boat which we carried out for Captain Mitchell; having a double boat's crew with the Englishmen, we could man her with six oars and soon row in. The boat was accordingly hoisted out and manned, and we proceeded toward the shore. It being a star-light evening, and the harbor having some rocks and stones on the bottom, I seated myself on the taffrail of the boat, which raised my head some two feet above the heads of the crew, and enabled me to see any dangerous rocks, and steer clear of them, it being what seamen call a bright bottom. I had on my head a large brimmed white Panama hat, of course a good mark to shoot at. A few days previous to my leaving Corn Island, on my last voyage, it was currently reported there that the United States man-of-war Schooner Fire Brand was cruising in these seas. We approached the harbor about nine o'clock in the evening. As we came near the shore we were hailed by one of the gang who were there, saying, "What boat is that?" My schooner always carried canoes instead of boats, which we found much better to land in the surf, and for that reason I had abandoned the use of the latter in this trade, for the last three years, and all the inhabitants of that island knew it. My boat being long, and much resembling what is called on board of a man-of-war the captain's gig, I answered, "United States Schooner Fire Brand." They said, "pull in then." At that instant fourteen men fired into us, the shot whistling past my head so close that it appeared to deafen me for a moment. As soon as they hailed us, I told the men in the boat to stop rowing, so that the questions and answers could be distinctly heard. As soon as they had fired, a favorite old sailor in the boat, who pulled the after oar, with his back toward the shore, being between me and those who fired at us, spoke to me in a very mild tone, saying, "Captain, I am wounded." I then told the crew to pull away, they all gave way upon their oars except this man, who laid still in the bottom of the boat; this irritated me so much, thinking that my favorite old tar should be the first to skulk from danger, not supposing from the mildness of his expression that he was much wounded, I jumped from the tiller of the boat in great haste, caught him by the collar and gave him a shake, saying, "Pull away, you skulking fellow." You may imagine my astonishment when I found that he was a lifeless corpse. In the meantime I heard the company on shore ramming down their cartridges into their guns, preparing for another fire. All the time keeping a bright look-out alongside of the boat, for fear of running her on the rocks, I discovered that we had got into two or three feet water, and were not more than one hundred and fifty feet from those who were preparing to fire a second time. I ordered my men to stop rowing and follow me, which they immediately did. I jumped overboard into the water, my crew following me. We then made our way to our assailants, when I found my own clerk, and Captain Tefts, of the little sloop Traverse, who were here waiting for my arrival, Captain Mitchell, for whom I brought the boat, and Benjamin Downs, father of a colored apprentice boy I had then on board. In short, they were all old acquaintances of mine. I was highly excited on the occasion. They made a long apology by saying, that the royalists in Porto Bello had fitted out two armed schooners to scour the coast, and that they had captured two English vessels found trading with the Indians: that they mistook the Price for one of them, her appearance being so much altered by the loss of the head of her main-mast, that they supposed I had been captured by one of these vessels and was a prisoner in the boat, and compelled to answer their questions, as they all knew my voice, and that if they suffered a crew to land they would all be butchered, as they had given aid and shelter to the patriots for a long time. I landed the body of my unfortunate man and placed it under the care of some of my friends, procured a pilot, went on board the Price, and brought her into the harbor the next morning. I then buried the poor sailor in as decent a manner as the country would admit of, collecting most of the inhabitants of the island to join the funeral procession. There being no clergymen in the island, I read the burial service at the grave, this being my usual custom at sea on committing dead bodies to the ocean.

Captain Dunham landing at Corn Island.

I fitted out the Traverse for another cruise by giving Captain Teft a new supply of goods, when he proceeded on a trading voyage to the Main. I took Mr. Smith, the clerk of the store on board, and sailed for the Lagoon, when we took on board all the goods we had there, and proceeded to a small harbor, called Salt Creek, supposed to be a better place for our trade. I also took a few Indians to assist in building the store, which I landed there, with myself and crew, and erected a comfortable building in less than four days, modeled after the houses of that country, landed a supply of goods, and left Mr. Smith to dispose of them, sold the Sloop Traverse, and took Captain Teft and his crew on board. Having learned that the royal governor of Porto Bello had fitted out one or two man-of-war schooners, which had captured two English traders on the coast of St. Blas, where it was necessary for me to proceed, I hired three men in addition to Captain Tefts and his little crew, to proceed with me to that place. My schooner being armed with a six-pound cannon, with about thirty fowling guns, plenty of cutlasses, and some boarding pikes, we proceeded to the coast of St. Blas, where we were advised by the Indians to put the schooner into a small river, about two hundred feet wide, and wait a few days before we proceeded to the River De Ablo, our port of destination. We warped the schooner into the mouth of the river, in shoal water, where we supposed the enemy's vessels could not come near enough to injure us, and prepared ourselves for an encounter with their boats if they sent them to attack us, by making cartridges of musket-balls and buck-shot, put up in bags of six pounds each, in addition to round balls and cannister-shot. I likewise supplied about thirty Indians with ammunition, who promised to come to my assistance if the enemy disturbed me. I divided my men into two watches, and kept a good look-out four days and nights. About the fifth night we heard the sound of a horn a number of times; about 12 o'clock all hands were called to quarters. We soon discovered, however, that the sound proceeded from a canoe, which when we had let it approach within hail, we found to contain the crew of an English trader, who had been captured by a royal privateer and carried into Porto Bello, where they had escaped from their prison, stolen a canoe, and then paddled to this place, a distance of about sixty miles, without food. Soon after, we learned from the Indians that the cruisers had left the coast. We then proceeded to the River De Ablo, where I found my traders waiting my arrival. They brought their returns, goods, &c. on board, and a settlement was made in a satisfactory manner on both sides in less than one hour. I purchased a few thousand cocoa-nuts and some fustic, which I took on board, and sailed for Cape Gracios a Dios, touching at Corn Island.

On my arrival at the Cape I took on board all the return cargo I could procure, and proceeded to the Lagoon, stopping at the different harbors, as usual. When at the Lagoon I made known my intention of leaving the trade, when a number of sookermen assembled to bestow their farewell benediction upon me, saying that I had traded a long time with them, and that they were much pleased with me, and did not blame me for leaving them, as they supposed I wanted to stop at home and mind my wife and pickaninies (meaning children) for a time, but should never die until I returned to that country, and would never die there, but return to my own country, after I had visited them, and die at my own home. After taking an affectionate leave of them all, we took our departure toward home.

After buffeting the storms and tempests of the ocean for nearly four years, carrying on an average, a crew of six persons, including the mate and myself, and having lost six, viz: one by desertion, one by death on board, one shot, and three by drowning, I thought it best to seek some more comfortable trade in which to gain a support for myself and family, and one less exposed to hardships, and such constant risk of health and life. I was always compelled, while on this trading business, to sleep on deck, my cabin being small and dark, having no windows. If I laid down in the cabin I was soon covered with cock-roaches, musquittoes, and fire-ants, besides being exposed to centipedes, scorpions, &c. which terrified me so much that I dare not take lodging there while we were in the tropical climes, although I needed shelter from the excessive rains which visit that country from May until November. Having a good awning, which was always spread when the vessel was anchored, we generally ate, drank and slept on deck until we arrived in the cold latitudes, when those insects became torpid, and cold weather compelled me to seek shelter in the cabin. On parting with the Indians I felt distressed, and could not avoid showing my gratitude toward them for their native kindness, and the many evidences of friendly intent which they had shown for me. I had often called at their hovels when out on excursions, being fatigued and hungry, needing food and rest, when the poor Indian, having but one plate and one old knife and fork in his house, would place them on his little table, or some substitute for one, and cook the best meal he could procure, making me take a seat by the table, and with a hearty good will urging me to eat, while he, sharpening the end of a stick that he might take the meat out of the pot with it, would sit down on the ground-floor and eat his dinner, refusing to come to the table with me, because he had but one set of dishes. Having but one hammock to sleep in himself, he invariably left that for me, while he would take his lodging on a cow-skin placed on the ground-floor.

The whole furniture of each Indian family would not cost ten dollars.

We stopped at Corn Island, collected all the return we could obtain, and sailed for New-York, where we arrived about the first of January, 1820, without any particular incident worth notice, discharged the cargo, settled with my owners, and returned to Catskill, where I found my family in the enjoyment of their usual health. I now determined to remain at home during the winter, and enjoy some repose from the toils of the sea, having spent but five or six weeks with my family during the last five years.

I now entered into an agreement, in company with Mr. Apollos Cooke, merchant, of Catskill, to open a trade from that place to the West Indies. During the winter we purchased a cargo of lumber for that market, intending to charter or purchase a vessel to carry it there as soon as the navigation of the Hudson River opened.

CHAPTER XVII.
Schooner Enterprise.

Early in the month of March, 1820, I proceeded to New-York, for the purpose of chartering or purchasing a vessel to carry our timber to the West India market, and spent a few days in the city on that business. While sitting at the breakfast table one morning, I was asked by a ship-master, an old acquaintance, if I did not want to take a voyage to Bermuda. I replied no; that I came to New-York to charter a vessel to go to Catskill, and take in a cargo of lumber there. He said he thought I might make some sale or contract for it in that place. Here our conversation ended, and I thought no more about it. After breakfast he asked me to take a walk with him. When we had journeyed some little distance, we met a man with whom he passed the usual compliment of good morning, and said, "This is Captain Dunham, of whom I spoke to you." He asked me what wages I would require to take charge of a schooner to go to Bermuda. I told him fifty dollars per month. He said he had agreed with a captain to go the voyage for forty dollars per month, but he was unfortunately taken sick and could not go. I bid him good morning, and had proceeded a few rods when he called on me to stop, saying he would split the difference with me. I told him I would go. He then took me into a store, saying, "There is your mate and crew, and I wish you to take them to a Notary Public's office in Pine-street, and have the shipping papers made out, and I will come there with the money and pay the expenses;" which he soon performed. After this was accomplished we went to the Custom House and obtained a clearance, and then parted and went to dinner. He requested me to call immediately after dinner at a lumber-yard he mentioned, where I would find him on board the schooner, as he had engaged a passage for New-Haven at four o'clock that afternoon, where he resided. He handed me a letter addressed to the captain of the Schooner Enterprise, containing direction for the voyage; and telling me he hoped I would do for him as I would for myself, took leave of me. I found the schooner to be one of the large full-built Eastern vessels, having the deck loaded to the height of eight feet. I hurried and got some clothing and a small out-fit, and having left some old clothes and bedding, charts, quadrants, &c. in New-York, on my last voyage; I had them put on board that afternoon, procured a pilot and went to sea at eight o'clock the next morning. We made our passage to Bermuda in seven days, where we discharged our cargo, and taking on board a ballast of fustic, returned from Bermuda to New-York in seven and a half days; making the whole time gone only twenty-nine days, being one of the most pleasant voyages I ever made. My acquaintance with the owner was so short, that, after my return, when he came on board and gave me his hand, I looked for some time before I could recollect him. When I left Catskill I took with me only two or three changes of shirts, &c. promising my family to return in a few days. In the journey I so unexpectedly took there was nothing interesting, and I merely insert it to keep up the chain of my voyages.

CHAPTER XVIII.
Schooner Felicity.

About the first of June, 1820, I chartered the Schooner Felicity in New-York, and proceeded to Catskill, and took in a cargo for St. Domingo; returned to New-York, and after shipping a crew, sailed on the twenty-second of June for Port au Prince, in the Island of St. Domingo, where we arrived after a passage of eighteen days, without the occurrence of anything which would interest the reader. I found Port au Prince to be a large but dirty city, no care being taken to clean the streets, the yellow fever often raging here, particularly among the shipping. The government is called a Republic, with a president elected for life, receiving a salary of forty thousand dollars for his services, and thirty thousand for his table expenses. The president being a military chieftain, exercises great power over his subjects, who have only the shadow of a Senate and Assembly, as they are subservient to his will. The soil of the Island is very fertile, producing sugar-cane, coffee, cocoa, and three crops of corn in one year; also, beans, cabbages, water-mellons, and most kinds of garden vegetables: plantains, yams, and every variety of tropical fruits in abundance. The Island at this time was divided into three departments; the northern part was held by a black royal Emperor, who styled himself Christoff, and exercised as much power over his subjects as does the Emperor of Russia over his. The southern part was owned by the Spaniards, as a Republic; the western by the Republicans called Haytians, who were then at war with the Royalists under the command of the black emperor. The war between those two parties had been carried on for many years, and ended in the total overthrow of the Royalists; the emperor blowing his brains out with his pistol.

The president of this Republic lays heavy export duties on the produce of the Island. The stamp duties on paper are said to amount to over two millions per annum. All merchants and mechanics pay a heavy tax for licenses to carry on their business. Whites are excluded from carrying on their trades in their own names, or from purchasing real estate in this Republic. A white can take a black partner, male or female, and do business in his or her name. Most of the white men settled here prefer the latter. This government has a mint, and coin their own money, which contains ten per cent of silver mixed with other metal. They coin no pieces larger than twenty-five cents, none smaller than six and a quarter. This coin is considered a lawful tender, and the laws strictly prohibit the carrying of any foreign gold or silver out of the country, on penalty of forfeiting it. This compels any person selling a cargo there to lay the returns out in some of the produce of the Island, which is consequently the cause of heavy losses to the shippers. The inhabitants are a mixed race of black and white, varying in color from the blackness of charcoal to almost the whiteness of a snow-ball, and hundreds of them have to take hard oaths to satisfy the authorities that they have some black blood running through their veins, which entitles them to the rights of citizenship in the Island. I have seen many red-whiskered fair complexioned men pass themselves off for men of color. Their national religion is Roman Catholic, no other being tolerated, but strictly prohibited. The president keeps up a standing army of forty thousand men, well uniformed, disciplined and equiped. As I shall have to refer to their laws, customs and manners in my next voyage, I shall leave the subject for the present.

Not being able to sell my timber at Port au Prince without a sacrifice, my consignee applied to the government agent to purchase it, of which he acquainted the president, who gave me a letter addressed to the public administrator of Jerimie, and requesting me to proceed with my vessel and cargo to that port, which I immediately complied with, after getting a letter of address from an Italian Jew I found in Port au Prince, but who resided in Jerimie, addressed to Messrs. Laforet & Brier, to whom I consigned my vessel and cargo. On my arrival at that place my consignees sold to the administrator all the timber he wanted, and the remainder at an under price to individuals. My provisions sold at a saving. Jerimie contains about two hundred houses, most of them being in a dilapidated condition, in consequence of the constant alarm in which the inhabitants have been kept by a troop of banditti, headed by an insurgent colonel, who had deserted from the army, and had so terrified the people that the women and children took shelter in the forts during the night, while the men were kept under arms, being obliged to suspend all agricultural pursuits, and leave their villages to decay. A few months since, the chief of the banditti had been killed, his troops surrendered their arms and received a pardon from the president. The inhabitants were now making great preparations to repair their buildings and call back their former trade.

While in this port, the padre, or priest died; he was carried to the church in a chair, being tied fast to it, in a sitting posture, a book placed in his hands. The corpse remained in this situation until about four o'clock in the afternoon, when a marble slab was taken out of the floor, an excavation made in the ground, the body deposited in the hole with the clothes on, and then covered with a thick coat of lime.

A friend of mine, named Ghio, arrived here from Port au Prince in company with one Captain Mills, from New-York, and while he and the captain were walking the streets of Jerimie, Ghio for the first heard of the death of the padre, when bursting into a flood of tears, he exclaimed, "Captain Mills the poor padre is dead, and I suppose I shall have to fill his place again," weeping at the same time. After a moments pause, he said, "Captain Mills, it is a damned good berth, I can make ten dollars a day by it." Ghio acted as a substitute in the place of the deceased padre until his place was supplied by another.

I remained at Jerimie three or four weeks, employed in selling out my cargo and obtaining a return freight of coffee, &c. I procured many orders for house frames and other articles, and was strongly urged to bring out some carpenters and a blacksmith, whom the inhabitants promised to aid and assist in their business. Having disposed of all my cargo and taken on board my return freight, I proceeded to sea, bound to New-York, where I arrived in safety after a passage of eighteen days, sold my return cargo, and sailed for Catskill, where I arrived about the first of November. I then repaired the schooner and prepared for another voyage.

CHAPTER XIX.
Schooner Felicity.—Second Voyage.

Among the orders given me, was one for thirty thousand loose cedar shingles, which, when landed on the beach, I learned were intended to re-cover the church. All the ladies in the town soon assembled at the place where the shingles were landed; rich and poor, some dressed in silk, and others with fine muslin gowns, having hoops in their hands, which they stuck full of shingles, and laying them on their backs carried them to the church, when they were taken by the carpenters, who put them on the roof, not allowing one of them to be carted; thus showing great zeal to protect from contamination every thing connected with their church.

The negroes on this Island are far more numerous than the mulattoes, mustees, and other colors. The old mulattoes being the heirs of their former masters, were many of them sent to France and educated; and the president being a mulatto, gives them as many offices as he dare; but is obliged to confer some on the blacks to prevent an insurrection; still I found there was considerable hatred between them. One day while walking the streets I heard a quarrel between a mulatto and a negro. The mulatto commenced, "What are you doing, nigger?" the negro replied, "Who are you, mulatto? you no got any country; white man got country and negro got country, mulatto no got any country, he's a damned mule."

My carpenters landed and were seeking some employment, when they were informed that they could not make any contracts in their own names, being white men, and not having any license, and the laws of the country not allowing a white man to obtain one. To obviate this a petition was drawn up and signed by most of the inhabitants, and sent to the president, for a special permit for the eldest carpenter to carry on his trade. Some weeks after the president sent him a license, the rest of the carpenters working under him. I was very fortunate in the disposal of my cargo, most of it selling at a good profit, and by paying a large premium I procured about twenty hundred Spanish dollars, which were smuggled on board and brought to New-York.

Coffee being high in that port, I was obliged, in purchasing it, to dispose of the St. Domingo coin I received in payment for my cargo. Being ready for sea, I took leave of my friends and sailed for New-York, where we arrived about the first of May, 1821. The schooner having proved leaky on the passage, I refused to make another voyage in her. Soon after my arrival in New-York I received a letter from my old friend, Mr. Apollos Cooke, of Catskill, advising me to purchase, on our joint account, a schooner called the Combine, which was now laying in New-York, and could be procured very cheap. On viewing the Combine I found her timbers sound, but her decks and upper works badly worn, so I called on the agent, and after some time spent in chaffering, purchased her and left for Catskill, where I arrived about the 26th of May.

CHAPTER XX.
Schooner Combine.

After the arrival of the Combine at Catskill, we had her well examined by a carpenter, who found her timbers sound. We then agreed to repair her by laying a new deck, putting in new ceiling, and giving her a thorough overhauling, so as to fit her for a sea voyage, which was done at an expense of nine hundred dollars. Large quantities of freight was offered for shipment, which I advised to take some part of, informing my partner in the vessel, Mr. A. Cooke, that I had but little over two thousand dollars, which would fall short of paying for one-half of the vessel and cargo; but he preferred our owning the whole cargo jointly, saying, "I will advance you any money you may want until you make the voyage." We then purchased a suitable cargo and filled up many orders I had brought from Jerimie. After we had gathered all our bills together, I found my money exhausted and myself indebted five hundred and seventy-two dollars to my partner. The vessel being repaired and loaded, we took on board four passengers, bound to Jerimie, and sailed for New-York. On my arrival at New-York I made it my first business to apply to the Marine Insurance Office for insurance, expecting I should have to pay an extra premium, my vessel being seventeen years old. After applying at all the offices in the city, and producing a certificate from old respectable carpenters, and some of our best citizens, that they considered her timbers as good as any North River vessel of two years old, my application was rejected, and I had no alternative but to proceed to sea as my own insurer, having my little all at stake, except a small homestead. I shipped a crew and made the necessary preparation, put to sea about the 10th of August, and shaped my course for Jerimie, where we arrived the sixth of September.

On my arrival at that port I sold my cargo, as usual, with the assistance of my former consignees, Messrs. Laforet & Brier. Jerimie being a dangerous port in heavy gales of wind, I was advised to send my vessel to Corail, a distance of twenty miles, to remain a few weeks, it being a safe harbor, while I remained in Jerimie to collect debts and procure a return cargo. After remaining here some fourteen or fifteen days, I was attacked with a violent fever, which confined me to the bed until the vessel was ready for sea, when I was taken on board, hoping the air would restore me to health. After being at sea some thirty-six hours, my mate found the fever increasing on me so fast that he gave up all hopes of my recovery, and asked my permission to return to Jerimie, to which I consented. The vessel was put about and steered for that port, we neared the entrance of the harbor early the next morning, when I thought the fever began to abate, and requested the mate to put to sea again and proceed toward home. My health improving slowly, I was helped on deck every morning, where I remained during the day, lying under a small awning to screen me from the scorching sun, and helped into the cabin at night to protect me from the heavy dews. My health continued to improve daily. On the eleventh day of October we discovered land ahead, which proved to be the south side of the Island of Cuba. Finding it impossible to beat up against the current, we concluded to run round the west end of the island. Nothing material occurred until the thirteenth of October, in the morning, when I discovered land, which I identified as Cape Antonio; my health by this time was so much improved that I was able to get on deck without assistance. I told the mate to go below and get some repose, he having had but little rest during my sickness, and that I was well acquainted with the passage round the Cape.

About nine o'clock, while doubling the Cape, we discovered three small schooners, one small sloop, and a large open boat lying at anchor about two miles from the land. In about the space of fifteen minutes the whole fleet got under weigh and bore down for us. One of the largest schooners ran down within musket-shot of us, fired a gun, and we hove too, while the rest of the fleet surrounded us. The largest schooner immediately sent a boat alongside of us, containing eight or nine men, who boarded us with muskets and drawn cutlasses in their hands, each of them having a long knife and a dagger slung by his side. Immediately after getting on deck, one of them cried out, "Foward," two or three times in broken English, pointing at the same time toward the fore-castle. The mate, sailors, and two passengers who were on board, ran forward and jumped into the fore-castle. I being very weak, dragged along slowly, when the man who gave the order commenced beating me severely with the broad side of his cutlass. I remonstrated with him, saying I was sick and could not walk any faster; he answered me, "No intende." I then discovered he was a Portuguese, and not understanding that language, I excused myself as well as I could in the French language, hoping he understood me; but I found it did not relieve my back, as he continued to beat me all the way to the fore-scuttle, and there giving me a heavy blow on the head as I descended, closed it, where we remained about half an hour; they in the meantime appeared to be searching the vessel. After letting us up from the fore-castle they ordered the sailors to work the vessel in near the land and anchor her, which was soon accomplished. While beating the vessel toward the shore, they told me if I would give up my money they would let me go with my vessel. This I readily complied with, hoping to save the vessel and cargo. I then gave them all the money I had, consisting of four hundred and eighty dollars in gold and silver. After they had received it they broke open our trunks, seized all our clothes, taking the finest shirts and vests, and putting them on one over another.

As soon as they had anchored my vessel they hauled their largest schooner alongside, while the rest of the fleet were laying within a few rods of us, and then all hoisted the bloody flag, a signal for death. I was ordered into the cabin, where one of the pirates, having found a bottle of cordial, took it up in one hand, and drawing his cutlass with the other, struck off the neck and handed it to me, flourishing his cutlass over my head, and making signs for me to taste it, which I found it difficult to do on account of the broken particles of glass. After I had tasted it he went to a case of liquor standing in the cabin, took out the bottles and compelled me to taste of them. After this ceremony was over one of the pirates drew a long knife from its sheath, and taking hold of the hair on the top of my head, drew the knife two or three times across my throat near the skin, saying, "Me want to kill you." Another pirate soon approached me with a dagger, with which he pricked me lightly in the body, two or three times, saying, "Me kill you by and by." I was then dismissed from the cabin and driven into the fore-castle with the sailors and passengers. My cook was put on board the schooner lying alongside of us. Some of the pirates went aloft on board my vessel and cut loose her square-sail, top-sail, and top-gallant-sail, and afterwards took our fore-sail, boat, oars, loose rigging, one compass, one quadrant, all our beds and bedding, tea-kettle, all our crockery, knives and forks, buckets, &c. leaving us destitute of every kind of cooking utensil except the caboose. We remained some time in the fore-castle, when suddenly the fore-scuttle was opened and the mate called on deck, and the scuttle again closed, leaving us in the dark in a state of uncertainty. We soon heard them beating the mate; after that noise had ceased, we heard the word, "Fire," given with a loud voice, then after a moment's pause another voice was heard, saying, "Heave him overboard." I had a desperate sailor, called Bill, who flew to his chest for his razor to cut his own throat, saying he would be damned before he would be murdered by them rascals. The pirates had previously robbed the sailors' chests of all the articles they contained, and among them Bill's razor. After a little while the scuttle was again opened, when they called for a sailor. There were four in the fore-castle, who looked earnestly at each other, when Brown, a favourite old sailor, arose and addressed me, saying, "Captain, I suppose I might as well die first as last," then taking me by the hand gave it a hearty shake, saying, "Good bye." I told Brown to plead with them in the French language, as I thought I had seen some Frenchmen among them, and knew that he spoke French fluently. When he had got upon deck I heard him speak a few words in that language, but soon after we heard them beating him severely. As soon as they had finished beating him we again heard the word fire, and soon after, heave him overboard. Shortly after, the scuttle was again opened and the captain was loudly called. I crawled up the scuttle, being very feeble; they then told me if I did not tell them where the money was they would serve me as they had the mate and sailor, shoot and then throw me overboard. I still persisted that there was no money on board, and entreated them to search the vessel. An old Spaniard was pointed out to me who they said was the commodore. I asked him what he wanted of me, looking him earnestly in the face. He replied, he wanted my money. I told him I had no money, but if I had I would give it to him; that the property belonged to him, but he had no right to take my life, as I had a family depending on me for support. Previous to this, the man who had flogged me before had made a chalk ring on the deck, saying, "Stand there," beating me with the flat side of a heavy cutlass until the blood ran through my shirt. During my conversation with the commodore, finding all my entreaties unsuccessful, and my strength much exhausted, I took a firm stand in the ring marked out for me, hoping to receive a ball through the heart, fearing if I was wounded I should be tortured to death to make sport for the demons. Two of the pirates with loaded muskets took their stand and fired them toward me, when I cast my eyes down toward my feet looking for blood, thinking that I might have been wounded without feeling the pain. During this time the man who had beat me before commenced beating me again, pointing aft toward the cabin door, where I proceeded, followed by him, beating me all the time: he forced me into the cabin, at the same time giving me a severe blow over the head with his cutlass. When I entered I found both the mate and sailor there whom I supposed had been murdered and thrown overboard. The next person called out of the fore-castle was Mr. Peck, a passenger, who was immediately asked where the money was; he told them he knew of no more money on board. One man stood before him with a musket and another with a cutlass, they knocked him down and beat him for some time, took him by the hair and said they would kill him. He was then ordered to set upon the bit of the windlass to be shot and thrown overboard, as the captain and others had been. He took his station by the windlass, when a musket was fired at him; he was then driven into the cabin. They then called up the remainder of the men from the fore-castle, one after the other, and beat and drove them into the cabin also, except a Mr. Chollet, a young man, passenger, who escaped beating. We were kept in the cabin some time, and after repeated threats that they would kill us, were all driven into the fore-castle again. They took out all our cargo, consisting of coffee, cocoa, tortoise-shell, eight kedge anchors, all our provisions, except part of a barrel of beef and about thirty pounds of bread. After they had taken all the cargo, spare rigging, &c. of any value, they shifted all the ballast in the hold of the vessel in search of money, and calling us on deck, we were told to be off. After getting under weigh we proceeded but slowly, having no other sails left but the two jibs and the main-sail. We looked back with a great deal of anxiety, and saw the pirates seated on the deck of the largest schooner, drinking liquor and making themselves merry, while we feared that they might change their minds, pursue us and take our lives. Night beginning to approach, I thought best to go down into the cabin and see what we had left to eat or drink. As soon as I had reached the cabin, it being dark, I stumbled against something on the floor, which I found to be our cook, whom we supposed we had left behind, having seen the pirates put him on board the schooner which was lying alongside of us, but knew nothing of his return. I spoke to him, but received no answer, I hustled him about the cabin, but could not make him speak. I at last got a light and looked about for some provisions, cooking utensils, &c. and found about thirty pounds of bread, a little broken coffee, and most of a barrel of beef, but no cooking utensils except the caboose, with one or two pots set in it. The next morning I called all hands into the cabin, showed all the bread we had left, and told them it was necessary to go on allowance of one biscuit a day per man, which was agreed to, until we could get further supplies. I then questioned the cook, (knowing that he was driven into the hold of the pirate schooner,) as to what kind of a cargo she had. He said there were calicoes and all kinds of dry goods scattered about, and more than a hundred demijohns; and "O captain, it was the best old Jamaica rum that you ever tasted." I told him if the pirates had caught him drinking their rum they would have killed him. He said it looked so tempting he thought he would try it. I suppose that after having drank a large quantity he made his escape on board of the Combine before he felt the effects of it, as he was not aware of our release.

The Pirates' plan of exercising the nerves of Captives.

The next day we were boarded by a boat from a Spanish man-of-war brig. I plead hard with the officer who boarded us to go in pursuit of the pirates, which he refused to do, saying it was out of their limits to cruise. I asked him for a supply of bread, which he denied me. In our crippled state we reached Havanna in nine days, where we put in for supplies.

On my arrival at Havanna I was met by Captain Dimond, master of the brig Harriet, of Baltimore, who had been robbed by these pirates at the same place, on the 12th of October. Captain Dimond informed me that the pirates put a rope around his neck and hoisted him up to the fore-yard of the brig three times, and then let the rope loose, which caused him to fall on the deck, where he lay insensible for some time. I asked him why he did not give up his money as I had done. He said that twenty-five hundred dollars of the money belonged to himself, which was all he was worth, and having a family to support, he thought he had almost as well part with his life as his money. After he had recovered his senses they made another attempt to put the rope round his neck the fourth time, when one of the pirates told his comrade to let him alone, because he had children. They hauled their vessels alongside of his brig and took out all his cargo, also the greatest part of the brig's sails, rigging, &c. together with twelve thousand dollars, which they found while removing a quantity of fire-wood, and then let him depart.

I proceeded to the American Consul's office, having on an old straw hat, which the pirates had put on my head in place of my own, an old ragged jacket, one pump, one shoe, and an empty pocket. I entered a protest, and asked him to render me some assistance, for which I would give him a draft on New-York at sight. This he refused unless I would bottom the vessel, but referred me to the house of Grey, Fenandes, & Co. who attended to my wants in the most friendly manner. Three days after, the ship Lucies, of Charleston, arrived in the harbor, having a prize-master on board, who informed me that the United States Brig Enterprise, Captain Kearney, had re-captured the Lucies from these pirates, and had taken three of the piratical vessels, (the crews having escaped to the shore,) and sailed for some port of the United States. I called again on Mr. Grey, and told him that Captain Kearney would probably steer for Charleston or New Orleans with his prizes, and I felt anxious to communicate with him as soon as possible, to reclaim my property. He said they had a very respectable correspondent in Charleston, named John Stoney, to whom he would write to claim my property for me if he should arrive in that port; that I could write to Captain Kearney and enclose his letter to Mr. Stoney. Fearing he might sail for New Orleans, I addressed a letter to a friend of mine living there, to claim the property for me, should the Enterprise arrive at that port.

I learned here that these pirates had been fitted out in this port, where most of their cargoes were to be disposed of, and was advised not to make much noise about my robbery, as they had many friends here who would assassinate me. I found a number of American vessels here, but got little assistance from any of them except the captain of a small sloop from Bristol, Rhode Island, who tendered me a loan of thirty dollars, for which he got my draft on New-York. He gave me many articles which I stood in need of, for which I shall ever feel grateful. After my vessel was under weigh the captain of a Baltimore ship, who had arrived an hour before, learning my misfortune, sent his boat alongside with a barrel of beef, some flour, wine, &c. with a message to me, saying, if I wanted any other articles he would send them on board. We put to sea with next to no conveniences, having no beds or bedding, and but three or four knives and forks, some trifling cooking utensils, and all my wardrobe on my back. Without any additional sails for our vessel we shaped our course for New-York. The winds proving favorable we performed the passage in sixteen days.

For a particular account of the capture of the piratical vessels I refer the reader to the following letter, published in the papers of the day:

"Capture of the Aristides by Pirates.

"Copy of a letter from Captain Couthony, late master of Brig Aristides, to Mr. Edward Cruft, the owner, in this town, giving the particulars of the capture of that vessel by pirates.

"At Sea, United States Brig Enterprise, October 24, 1821.

"Dear Sir:—The melancholy news which I am about to relate will be extremely afflicting to you. We sailed from Liverpool the 28th of August, and had a very pleasant passage till off the west end of Cuba, which we made on the 15th of October at 6 P. M. When off Cape Antonio were assailed by five piratical vessels, three schooners, one sloop, and an open boat; the latter after firing several shots at us came alongside with nine men in her; the men mounted the deck, armed with cutlasses, pistols and dirks; on coming on board one took the helm, another knocked me down, seized my watch, &c. and the others ran into the cabin. By this time the other pirates got close around us, and I discovered they were about to run my vessel on shore. On begging them to desist from this design, I was again knocked down; on rising, a musket was pointed at me and one of the villains made several passes at me with a dagger, which I avoided by running forward.

"We were soon in shoal water, when I again begged of them for God's sake not to run the vessel ashore. They ordered us to let go the anchor.

"I then went into the cabin, where I found all my trunks, chest, &c. on the floor, and the pirates filling bags, handkerchiefs, &c. with my clothes. They took my chronometer and everything I had, even robbing me of the jacket I had on, and leaving me almost naked. They then ordered us to open the hatches, beating every one of the crew they came across, declaring they would kill every man on board, beginning with me, saying they were pirates, and should not be discovered. During the night our vessel began to strike very hard, when they compelled us to weigh anchor and the vessel was run on shore.

"They then commenced loading their craft with the most valuable part of our goods, remarking that we should be put to death in the morning to prevent discovery. They struck me down several times, beating the mate and threatening him with instant death if he did not discover where the most valuable goods were. They nearly strangled the boy, bidding him tell where my money was stowed. In the morning they had one of their cruisers loaded with dry goods, and a number of packages in the others; when on the 16th, at 7 a. m. a sail was discovered coming round the Cape. They then consulted on the expediency of murdering me; but one, more humane than the others, dissuaded them from committing the crime. Perceiving the sail to be a vessel of war, they took to their boats, pulled for their vessels and immediately proceeded along shore.

"They had stove our yawl to prevent our using her, but we patched her so that she floated, and went on board the vessel that was approaching. She proved to be the United States Brig Enterprise, L. Kearney, Esq. commander. I stated to him my dreadful situation, and pointed out to him the five piratical vessels in shore; he immediately made all sail in pursuit, but a reef prevented his getting within gun-shot. He armed all the boats, and with the crews of the ship Lucies, and an English brig, which were likewise in the hands of the pirates, gave them chase, and overhauling them fast, they rowed their vessels on shore inside the Cape, set the loaded one on fire, and took to the woods. Lieutenant M'Intosh, who went on the expedition, took four of the vessels, the boat having escaped. The vessel sat on fire was entirely destroyed, but few remnants of goods were saved, and those partly burnt. The pirates had a train of powder to blow up the vessel on the approach of the boats.

"On the 17th, at noon, Capt. Kearney brought all the vessels at anchor near our wreck, and sent his crew to our assistance, the Combine being in a bilged condition, with seven feet of water in her hold, and her rudder unshipped. He then loaded three of the late piratical vessels out of the cargo of the Aristides, also the American Schooner Bold Commander, of Staten Island, with goods, one cable, and some of her sails. The brig has on board some goods, a chain cable and a hawser, the latter taken from the pirates.

"Captain Kearney, after having done his utmost, and saved all he could, in loading the four vessels and his brig, set the wreck on fire on the 20th, at 7 p. m. and remained by her until she was burnt to the water's edge. She was in ten feet of water when I abandoned her, 8 a. m. all in flames. This whole dreadful calamity has nearly overpowered me. A Columbian schooner of one long gun and eighty men likewise anchored near the wreck before she was destroyed, and took a few casks porter and a few bales goods, which would otherwise have been burnt with the vessel. This was done with the consent of Captain Kearney after he had loaded all the other vessels.

"I shall ever be grateful to Captain Kearney for his kind assistance, friendship and hospitality. He offered me his own clothes, as I was destitute of everything. He will call at Havanna, and from thence proceed to Charleston, where he will deliver the vessels and goods to the proper authorities."

Captain Kearney proceeded with his prizes to Charleston, where the vessels and goods were condemned, and sold within eleven days after his arrival to accommodate him and his crew, when he sailed on another cruise. This gave me no opportunity to reclaim my property, Mr. Stoney having neglected to claim it for me. Some weeks after, having learned that the property had been carried into Charleston and sold, I proceeded to that place and applied to the District Judge of the United States, who, after a detention of thirty days, awarded me about seven hundred dollars. A large portion of the coffee, and other articles, which were taken on board my vessel at Jerimie during my sickness, not being marked, caused much difficulty in identifying them. I saw in the possession of purchasers at that sale, eight anchors, two saddles, four bridles, a number of coffee bags, and other articles of mine; also a quantity of tortoise shell, which cost me eight dollars per pound. The expenses on what I recovered consumed the greatest part of the goods; deducting one-fourth for salvage, duties, cartage, storage, commissions, court fees, &c. the remainder went into the Treasury of the United States, or should have gone there. I have petitioned Congress for some remuneration, which claim has been denied.

On my arrival in New-York (being literally clothed with rags) I was met on the way to my boarding house by some of my kind friends, who took me to their houses and fitted me with a temporary suit of clothes, and some of them advanced me money to purchase more. Mr. Luman Reed loaned me two or three hundred dollars to pay the wages due my crew, and defray other expenses. Soon after, I proceeded to Catskill with the schooner, sold one half of my interest in her; and after paying my old friend, Mr. A. Cooke, all the money he had advanced on the out bound cargo for me, I proceeded to Charleston to claim my property, as I have before related.

On my return from that port we refitted the Combine with new sails, rigging, &c. and agreed to take out an assorted cargo in her hold, and a deck load of horses, to the Island of St. Domingo.