The National Register.
London, England, 1821-07-29 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

CHILL
MESSACRE OF THE MASTER AND PART OF THE CREW
OF THE SHIP OFFLEY. OF LONDON, AT THE ISLAWE
OF ST. MARY'S. ON THE COAST OF CHILI.
" On Saturday, February 24, 1821, at 10 A. M.
saw several men, six or eight, on the Island of St.
Mary's. Captain Hales suppo4ing those men to
have come over from the main for the purpose of
trading, as they usually did, went on shore with a
boat's crew, armed with cutlasses and pistols, for
the purpose of procuring refreshments for the use of
the ship. On their lauding, these men, supposed
to be Spaniards, ran away behind the beach, and our
boat's crew after them. Sunday 25.—Sun down,
boat not returned ; all on board felt anxious for the
safety of the Captain and crew. At Gh. 30nt. r.x.
sent the third mate on shore to launch the Captain's i
boat and bring her off--7th do. the third mate re-
turned,
informed us there were several men on the
beach, and from their movements supposed there
were more behind the beach, and being dusk he
judged it most propor not to attempt landing. The
chief mate immediately armed the boat and sent her
off, with orders to lay as near as possible abreast of
the Captain's boat, but not on any account to land.
At day-light perceived the boat was missing; the
night being dark, it was supposed they carried her
behind the beach. Five A. tt. boat returned on
board ; at Bh. 30m. armed two boats, the one
headed by the chief mate, the other headed by the
third mate. and went on shore. On coming near
the Leach they perceived a man naked, sitting on the
beach ; on cawing up to him, they discovered hint
to be Thomas Moore, armourer, covered with blood ;
he was perfectly sensible, ar.d informed them that on
'their first landing the Spaniards appeared very
friendly, giving them bread and meat ; afterwards
they persuaded them to deliver up their arms,
bound them two and two, and carried them about
three miles into the island; after that they brought
them back nearer to the beach, amongst some bushes,
and as soon as it was dark they stript them and put
them all to death, excepting him, whom they left
for dead, having received 23 spear wounds in his
body and two sabre cuts, one on each side of the
neck. He was immediately brought on board,
when I examined him, and found that his lungs
hal been pierced upwards through the diaphragm,
one ach side ; he told me he had counted twenty-
five men just prior to their being murdered. Soon
after the boats returned, a great number of men,
supposed to be about fifty, were seen coming
towards the beach; soon afterwards a man pre-
sented himself, dressed in the Captain's clothes, and
waved his hat for a boat to come on shore ; he was
accoompanied by three or four, who appeared to be
officers in green uniform, with cocked hats and
sabres; the rest we could discover lying behind the
beach. The man on the beach appeared so much
like Captain Hales, that I questioned the armourer
whether he was positive the Captain was killed ; he
assured me he was, and said the Captain or leader of
the Spaniards very much resembled Captain Hales,
as to outward appearnnce; that he had remarked it
when on shore. We immediately weighed anchor,
and stood for Conception. At 5 P. K. the armourer
much worse; 9th do. departed this life,"
The above is a verbatim copy of the Surgeon's
sa cement of the circumstances.