The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-11-07 00:00:00, page 1

inanity.
They are twenty-five in number, and all inhumanly (hut
close down, like wild beads, in a small dinking apartment,
in the hold of a sloop, about seventy tons burthen, without a
breath of air, in this sultry season, but what they receive
through a small grating, over head, the openings in which
are not more than two inches square in any part, and through
which the fun beats intensely hot all day, only two or three
being permitted to come on the deck at a time; and then
they are exposed in the open fun, which is reflected from the
decks and water like a burning glass.
Ido not at all exaggerate, my Lord. I speak the truth,
and the resemblance that this barbarity bears to the memor
able black hole at Calcutta, as a gentlefaan, present on
Saturday, observed, strikes every one at the fight. All Eng
land ought to know that the fame game is now anting upon
the Thames on board this privateer, that all the world cried
out against, and juddered at the mention of in India, some
years ago, as pradtifed on Capt. Hollowell, and other of the
King's good fubjeds.
The putrid fleams, issuing from the hole, are so hot and of
fenfive, that one cannot, without the utmost danger, breathe
over it; and I should not be at all furprized, if it mould
cause a plague to spread. The miserable wretches below
lock like persons in a hot bath, panting, sweating, and faint
ing for want of air ; and the surgeon declares, that they must
all soon perifn in that situation, especially as they are almost
all in a sickly state with bilious disorders.
The Capt. and surgeon, it is true, have the liberty of the
cabin (if it deserves the name of a cabin) and make no com
p aints on their own account. They are both sensible, well
behaved young men, and can give a very good account of
themselves, having no signs of fear, and being supported by
a consciousness of the justice of their eaufe. They are men
es character, of good families in New-England, and highly
refpe£led in their different occupations; but being dripped of
then all, by the burning of towns, and other deftruQive mea
sures of the present unnatural war, were forced to take the
disagreeable method of making reprisals to maintain them
selves, and their children, rather than starve.
Numbers of gentlemen, and friends of government, who
were on board at the fame time time, will confirm the truth of
LONDO N, August 5.
To the LORD MAYO R.
My Lord,
IWAS last week on board the American privateer called
the Yankee, commanded by Capt. Johnson, and lately
brought into this port by Capt. Rols, who commanded
one of the Weft-India sugar ships, taken by the priva
teer in July last ; and, as an Englishman, I earnestly wilh
your Lordlhip, who is so happily placed at the head of this
great city (justly famed for its great humanity even to its
enemies) would be pleased to go likewise, or fend proper per
sons, to fee the truly fliocking, and, I may fay, barbarous
and miserable condition of the unfortunate American pri
soners, who, however criminal they may be thought to have
been, are deserving of pity, and entitled to common hu<
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST.
Vol. lI.J
Price Threepence. Published every TueJ'day, Thursday, and Saturday Evenings.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1776.
557
this my representation, being very sensibly touched themselves
at the horrid fight.
Englilh prisoners, taken by the Americans, have been
treated with the most remarkable tenderness and generosity ;
as numbers who are fafely returned to England, most freely
confefs, to the honor of our brethren in the colonies. And
it is a faft, which can be well attested in London, that this
very surgeon on board the privateer, after the battle of Lex
ington, April 19, 1775, ' or man y days voluntarily and ge
nerously, without fee or reward, employed himfelf in dressing
the King's wounded soldiers, who but an hour before would
have shot him if they could have come at him, and in making
a collodion for their refrefhmeht of wine, linen, money, &c.
in the town where he lived. This is a real fad, of which the
most ample testimony may be had.
The capture of the privateer was solely owing to the ill
judged lenity and brotherly kindness of Capt. Johnson, who,
not considering his English pfifoners in the fame light that he
would Frenchmen and Spaniards, put them under no fort of
confinement, but permitted them to walk the decks as freely
as his own people, at all times. Taking advantage of this
indulgence, the prisoners one day watching their opportunity,
when most of the privateer's people were below and asleep,
shut down the hatches, and making all faft, had immediate
possession of the vessel without using any force.
I shall conclude with faying, that though this letter is ad
dressed to your Lordship, 1 hope that all who may read it, and
have any influence, will do all in their power to gain the ne
cessary relief; and it is humbly apprehended, that the well
disposed, who are blessed with affluence, could not better be
llow their bounty than upon those poor objects. Vegetables
and ripe fruits of all kinds, with porter, &c. must be very
ufefal, as well as the means to procure other neceffarics. The
privateer lies opposite to Ratcliffe Cross, a mile and a half
below the Tower ; and, by alkirg for Capt. Johnson, admit
tance may be obtained HUMANITAS.
We have been informed, since the receipt of the above
letter, that the crew of the American privateer, the Yankee,
were yesterday morning, at half past three o'clock, conveyed
on board a vessel, and carried down the river, to be secured in
Dover castle.
Extrad of a letter from a correspondent at the Hague, Aug. 9.
" The differences between Spain and Portugal become
daily of more importance ; and we now plainly fee, that the
war between Great-Britain and America has a great influ
ence over the above affairs. It is true, that the court of
France pretends to be peaceably inclined ; the court of Spain
pretends to be of the fame inclination ; but the whole Spa
nish nation (most undoubtedly led on by the Nobles and
Grandees) all cry out for a war, insinuating that whilst
Great-Britain is so deeply engaged in a civil war, it will be
impossible for her to defend Portugal, and confeq ently the
latter will soon be conquered ; and if in case Great-Britain
should attempt to fight for Portugal, the whole continent of
America must then take part ^ith the Spaniards, so that at
any rate success is almost sure. The British Minister at Ma
drid openly declared, that his Britannic Majesty would not
[Num. 281.