The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-01-22 00:00:00, page 2

" ftiine4 with a good man's blo®dl" The Negroes fee
ing his resolution, and being convinced b, his discourse
that they were wrong, went away ashamed. In a few
days, Murray ventured abroad again with Cudjoe, when
several of them took him by the hand, and told him
they were glad they had not killed him; " for as he
" was a good (meaning an innocent man,) " their
“ God would have been angry, and would have spoiled
'' their filling.”— I reiate this, fays Captain Seagrave, to
fiiow, that some among these dark people have a Prong
feofe of justice and honour; and that even the mod brutal
among them are capable of feeling the force of raafon, and
of bOng influenced by a fear of God.
When fix Catawba deputies, under the care of Colonel
Bull, of Charlestown, went by permission into the Mo
hawks country, to sue for and treat of peace for their na
tion, they soon found the fix nations highly exasperated,
and the peace at that time impracticable; They were
therefore in rear tor their own persons, and apprehended
that they Ihould be killed in their way back to New York;
which being made know to the Mohawk Chiefs, by Colo
nel Bull, one of them, by order of the Council, made this
speech tothe Catawbas.
" Strangers and Enemies,
" While you are in this country, blow away all fear out
" of your breads: Change the black streak of paint on
" jour cheek for a red ®ne, and let your faces shine with
“ Bear's grease : You are fafer here than if yod were at
" home. The fix nations will net defile their own land
“ with the blood of men that came unarmed to ask for
'' peace. We (hall lend a guard with you, to fee you fafe
“ out of our territories. So far you shall have peace, but
" no farther. Get hometo your own country, and there
" take care of yourselves, for there we intend to come and
<' kill you."
The Catawbas came away unhurt accordingly.
It is also we.l known, that just before the late war broke
out, when our traders firft went among the Ciankefh^w
Indians, a tribe of the Twightwees, they found the prin
ciple cf giving protection to flrangers in full force; for
the French coming with their Indians to the Ciankefhaw
town, and demanding that thole traders and their goods
mould be delivered up; the Ciankeihaws replied, the En
glfh wire come there upan their invitation, and they
could not do so base a thing. But the French infilling on
it, the Ciankeihaws took arms in defence of the r guests,
and a number of them, with their old Chief, loft their
lives in the cause; the French at last prevailing by superi
or force only.
From a NEW-YORK PAPER.
A DESCRIPTION of Passage Fort and
Spanish Town in JAMAI CA.
PASSAGE FORT, formerly called the Passage, from
its being the place for embarkation at Port-Royal, is
'rtuated on the weft fide of the harbour, about three quar
. raofa mile from the mouth of Cobre, and fix from Spa
nidi Town. It was once defended by a small fort, of ten
or twelve guns, which has long since been demolished. It
is at prefect a small village, consisting of about fifteen
Louf s, chiefly inhabited by wharfingers, ware-house
keepers, and toe matters of wherriesand hackney-chaises,
which con ftantly ply here with passengers to and from the
towns. These wherries generally put off from Passage
Fert from fix to seven o'clock in the morning, before the
sea-breeze sets in, and are favoured with a gentle land
wind, On their return they go directly before the breeze,
which sometimes blows up tin harbour with great violence.
Trey are accommodated with tilts and awnings, and navi
gated : itir<Jy by negroes. This is a barquadier for Spa
nish Town, and most of the plantations in St. Catherine,
St. Thomas in the Vale, and St John. The merchant
fllips which load from hence usually 1 y off the hospital of
Greenwich, where they receive their cargoes out of large
b> ts, or lighters, there not being depth of water fufficient
fc; vessels of burthen to come nearer the wharfs. The si
tuation is low, and fubjeft to inundations from the har
bour in dorms. This place is famous tn the annals of
Jamaica for toe landing of Colonel Jackson in 1638, and
of Venables in 1655. Tee firfl built town was wholly de
flroyed by the great earthquake of 1692, and never
thoroughly rebuilt, nor is it probable that it will ever
grow again into a town. The want of Efficient depth
of water, perhaps, firit induced Mr. Henderson, an en
terprizing and spirited gentlemen, to form a new and
more convenient flapping place on the north east fide of
.It pond hilh under cover of the Twelve-apostle battery ;
this be has effected at a very large expence, and with
much judgment. The depth of water admits ships of
burthen very near to the wharf, and already there appears
the dawning of a new town ; which, by attracting the
mod confidtrable part of the business, seems to forebode
the speedy decline of Passage Fort. This new barquadier
is called at present by the name of Port Henderson; and,
besides its use for Flipping off sugars, and other produce,
with theutmoft dispatch, it has opened a ready commu
nication on that fide of the harbour with the squadron
and Port-Royal Town ; which cannot fail of proving ex
tremely convenient, more particularly in time of war.
At the back of Saltpond-hill is a remarkable cave. The
adit leading to it is narrow and low ; but the cave itfelfls
from twenty-five to thirty feet diame+er, and of good
height. The floor of it is firewed with human bones ;
and there runs a tradition among the negroes, that a
white person many years ago collected a vast pile and
consumed it to allies ; a large quantity still remains, and
from the conformation of the skulls, they are thought to
have been Indians. Some have imagined that the Indi
ans made use of these recesses as a fort of cata-combs, or
offuaries, far their dead. The ancient Mexicans laid their
dead bodies without burial on the furface of the earth,
and environed them with flones or bricks. These rocky
chasms and cavities, frequent in many parts of Jamaica,
naturally offered as convenient and durable fepulchres.
But this conjecture, though ingenious, is not supported
by any proof, that this Indians of the island were governed
by the fame cufiom. There are better grounds for suppo
sing that they interred their dead ; and that the bones
found in these places are no other than the relics of the
last remnant of that unfortunate people, who perished here
beneath the insupportable tj raesy nf their conquerors,
as I shall hereafter take occasion to relate.
Spanish Town is defended on the south by a range of
hills, called Healthfhire, corruptly Hellfhire, about nine
miles in length and fix in breadth; which (pace contains
about thirty four thousand acres, for the most part so
rocky and barren, as net to be worth inhabiting. It, chief
produce is lime; whi h is made here in large quantities,
and sent by water to Kingflon. The air on these hills is
extremely healthy : The rocks are concealed from view
by innumerable aromatic berbs, shrubs, and trees, pos
sessed of great medicinal virtues, though hitherto explor
ed only by a few curious persons. This whole diffriCt is
filled with tke large species of the raock bird, whose live
ly notes serve to cheer its dreary vales. The curatoe and
aloes grow here very luxuriantly ; and some experiments
have been made, by a gentleman who lived here, with
the silk grass and grape-vines, which were found to thrive
extremely well. Ihe foil is also productive of potatoes,
yams, and other Weft India roots, and all the melon
tribe, in great perfection. There is an exceeding good fish
ery on the coast; but the want of water-Springs, there
being only one that I have heard of in the whole trad,
and the few articles of profit to be gained from such a foil,
will probably be the means of its remaining for the most
part in a state of nature. The ridgeot high land, part of
this trad, which faces Port Royal harbour, is called
Saltpond hill, from a large piece of fait water on the south
west fide of it, covering near seven hundred acres. This
was formeily a salt-work ; which, with two more in the
parish of St. David, was conducted by Captain Joseph
Noye, who made from them in one year ten thousand
bushels, and affirmed that he could iiave made as many
tons if there had been a vent for f® much at the market.
But the great manufactory of Alt at Tortuga caused this
article to fall so cheap, that it has for many years past
been difeontinued in Jamaica. This fait pond is about
four feet in depth, and most plentifully flocked with good
fifh; which are a more profitable article of traffic to the
present owner, who fends them daily for sale to 3,anifh
Town, little more than lx miles diflant.
The par fhioners of St. Catherine, St. Thomas in the
Vale, and St. Dorothy, formerly exercised a fort oi right
in common of making fait here for the use of their families:
But during the government of Sir Thomas Lynch, they
agreed with Sir Thomas Modiferd, who had patented the
circumjacent lands, that he should deliver them annually
at therateof half a bushel 0? salt per head, including blacks
and whites, only not to exceed five thousand bushels in the
whole ; for which they were to pay is. per bushel. This
agreement was confirmed by an aft of Assembly, but has
been for many years disused.
The foil of St. Catharine's parish is various. The hills a
bound with lime none reck ; the campaign consists chiefly
of favannah land, or arich brick mould ; the pasture lands
in the neighbourhood, and what lie adjacent to the river,
are of the latter kinds; the rainy seasons have been for
many years, too uncertain in thit part of the country for
the cultivation of the sugar cape, to which the nature of
the foil is excellently adapted : But the richness of their
grass makes amends; and the owners draw considerable
profit by breeding cattle and flieep, and fattening them
tor the town markets. Indigo once fkurifhed in all this
diftria. Attempts have, within these few years, been
made by one or two gentlemen to revive it; but dr< wea
ther baffled their project, and convinced them of its im
practicability. The well water in these parts is in general
brackish, containing an admixture of salt; which seems
to indicate the exigence of salt mines here ; but none have
yet been discovered; and probably they lie at too gre^t a
depth to be of service, it they are ever known. There are
other wells of a very pure water, supplied probably by
springs or subterraneous currents, whi h d> not pass
through any flrata of this foffil. That salt is plentifudy
intermixed with the foil here in some places is evident from
the licks to which cattle and sheep greedily resort. I have
seen several of them in the neighbourhood of the town.
These animals are known te be extremely fond of salt; and
inftind directs them where to find it. They experience
its good effeds in correcting tne deleterious quality of the
crude grass produced here, from sudden heavy rains suc
ceeding a drowth. On these occasions, they are fubjed
to violent diarrheeas, which are frequently mortal. The
penn-keepers use no other remedy than mashed pickled
herrings, given them by way of a drench, which, if the
disorder has not centinued too long, performs a certain
cure. There is, therefore, no doubt but the salt, and not
the fuftan/e of the 6fh, is the remedy to which their cure
is to be ascribed; and this is further confirmed by the
common observation, thatfheep, pastured on the falinas,
or lands contiguous to the sea, are not afflicted with the
rot; and that the cattle, watered from a brackish well, are
much less apt to be scoured with the crude grass than 0-
thers.
The air of the flat country comprehended within this
parish is efieemed in general very healthy, except after the
fall of the autumnal rains; when the water, stagnating
for some time on the low grounds, is thought with good
reason to be productive of aguifh complaints, intermit
tent and remittent fevers; from all which, the adjacent
hills offer a certain asylum to such of the inhabitants whose
circumflances admit of their removal.
4fr{fr*+*4 °**O**QO4"*** **4*o
Father Abrahams ALMANACKS,
For the YEAR 1780,
TO BE SOLD BY
JOHN D U NL A P.
About four miles north and north-weft from the town
is another range of hills; over which is flattered a great
number of polinks, or places applied entirely to the culti
vation of garden fluff, fruits and such fort of provisions,
for the town market. The range, distinguished by the
name of the Red Hills, from their reddish foil, is thought
to produce the several Weft-India fruits, of a better fla
vour than almost any other part of the island. Many of
the town inhabitants have little settlements here, with good
houses, to which they oecafionally retire. No part of the
world can enjoy a more agreeable or healthy air. The
Spaniards formerly esteemed it a Montpelier ; and num
bers used to pass over from Cuba in order to reside here
for the re establishment of their health. From many parts
of these hills the profpeCt is rich and extensive, comman
ding a view of thetown, the pastures adjacent, the harbour
and flapping at Port Royal, and of the vessels coming in
pr going out. These hills are destitute of fprirgs; but
the inhabitants eafiiy supply that want by preserving rain
water in citterns or jars, which they find extremely pure
and salubrious.
MADRI D, Augul l[.
IT is fad that the blockade of Gibraltar v ill ne turned
into a caulrf siege about the beginning • Odober.
A courier extraordinary is rr^cd from Cadiz, with
an account that off that port three frigates of the squad
ron of Don Lanyard, have had an action with an equal
number of hitifh frigates. It lasted about twenty hours
with great slaughter on both sides, but at length the Bri
tish were taktn and carried into Cadiz.
A royal eiiß has been publiflied, by which an exact
and complete observance is ordered of the second and sixth
articles of the treaty of friendfhip, guarantee and com
merce, concluded May 11, 1778, between his Catholic
Majefly, and the Queen of Portugal.
Extras of a letter from Scarborough, dated the 26th of
September, 1779.
" Last Wednefdaythe red frg was hoifled at thecaflle,
as a signal that the enemy was in fight. It proved to be
Paul Jenes and his squadron. He kept our coasts several
days, and spread so universal a terror, that the inhabitants
quitted the city. He cannonaded the town most severely.
Toe following circumstances are mentioned in a depofitio^
of a sailor, who escaped from the squadron : The squad
ron confided of 8 vessels: they failed from L'Orient to
the western coast of Ireland, from thence to the north
shore of Scotland, where they took a most valuable prize,
bound to Quebec with military floras, and a Liverpool let
ter of marque, and funk several colliers near Whitby.
Having cruized fix days between Berwick and the Hum
ber, they met the Baltic fleet, escorted by a 40 and a 20
gun ship. They firfl attacked Jones's ships'; the contest
continued 4 hours, when Jones's fire was interrupted, but
the British man of war was finally obliged to flrike, on
the coming up of the American frigate Alliance, one of
Jones's squadron. Jones's crew were then obliged to call
for the boats of the Alliance, to save them, as their ship
wasfinking. This sailor and fix other took that opportu
nity to escape. They add the following particulars ^-
Towards the end of the combat, the Britifli Captain cal
led to Paul Jones to firike, or he would fink his ship the
next broadside. I'he intrepid American answered, " Sink
me if you can. If I muftgo to the Devil, I had rather
flrike to him than to you." Jones fought in failcrs
frock and trowfers, with a large girdle round his wafle,
in which hung twelve pistols, and a large cutlass in his
hand. The sailors fay they saw him blew out the brains
cf seventeen of his men, for abandoning their polls. Dat
ing the action an attempt was made by a few British despe
radoes he had picked up in France, to relieve the prifoner^
he had below decks, with a view to surrender the ship.
The Seraphis ( tke veffd he now fought with and teck )
was new, and built on a new conflru&ion, failed wonder
fully faft, and was copper bottomed. Twenty five vessels
in different divisions have been sent in pursuit of Jones,
but it is thought he is gone towards Norway."
The.Spanifh frigate St. Dominico of 26 guns, met the
British frigate Pearl of 32, and fought her 2 hours and 13
minutes, when the struck.
The following is handed abeut as the reasoning of that
Prince whom the people of England have called the Sole
won of the North: “ If, fays the King of Prussia, my
brother of England proposed to subdue America by force
of arms, his measures were inadequate. If he meant re
conciliation, they were too fevers It is now too late to
hope for any thing from force. The b-f ladvice now is,
acknowledge the Independence of America, and become
conoefled with her by an alliance . She would accept these
trms readily, and conform to them cheerfully, because
such a connection would be more natural and more favor
able to her hiterefts than that with any other power ofEu
rope."
PHILADELPHIA, January 22.
Extract of a letter from General Wethington to His Ex
cellency the President ot Congress, dated Morristown,
January 18, 1780.
2 STR ?
“ The severity of the weather having rendered a defeent
upon Staten. Illaßd practicable by the ice; and it being
ado imagined that the communication between New-York
and the inland was interrupted by the fame cause, a favor
able opportunity of striking the enemy flationed th.re,
(who amounted by report to , coo or izo men) seemed to
present itfelf. A detachment of 2500 men, including the
troops under General Irvine, was accordingly made for
that purpose, and the command given to Major General
Lord Stirling. It was originally intended to have attempt
ed the execution of the matter by furprize; but there being
good reason to suppose, that the enemy by their emiffarie#
or by other means had got notice of our designs, little
hope remained cf effecting the business in th@t manner.
As the detachment was assembled near Elizabeth -Town,
it was thought advifeable to proceed at all events, upon a
corifideration that no bad consequences could possibly re
sult, and that we might find an opportunity of reaping;
some advantages. We were however difappoiuted in our
expectations, as Congress will perceive by the enclosed re
port from Lord Stilling."
Lord Stirling's Report.
Sir,
I have the honor to inform your Excellency, that early
on yeflerday morning the corps under my command cros
sed the found at De Hart's Point, and proceeded towards
the watering place. The enemy having received previous
intelligence of cur movements, a furprize was out of the
question, and as their works were well situated, and ap
peared otherwise strong, an assault was deemed undvife
able, as it would probably have cost us more than we could
have gained by success. We found too, contrary to our
expectation, that the communication between the island
and New York was open. Immediately on eur arrival
in front of the enemy's works, they lent off a boat to the
city, and in the evening several vessels came down from
thence to the island. As from this circumflance there was
no hopeof reducing them for want of provision or fuel,
and a reinforcement might nave rendered our continuance
dangerous, we determined to march off this mornings
The retreat was effected in good order, and with very
little loss. A party of the enemy's horse charged our rear
guard under Major Edwards, but was immediately re
pulsed. The Major had three men killed, killed one of
the light-horsemen, and took his horse. Some few of the
men were fr@ft bitten, and though we took all the pains in
LONDON, October 1.