The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-03 00:00:00

AFRICA.

MOZAMBIQUE--CAPTURE OF A SPANISH SLAVER.—
His Majesty's brig Leveret, on her arrival at Mozambique
on the I 4th of June, found the Government imprisoned by
some of the soldiers and Portuguese inhabitants. The tem-
porary Government requested our assistance in liberating
the Governor and restoring tranquillity and good order in
the city. The crew of the Leveret were landed under the
orders of the Commander, who, having gained possession
of the fort, released the Government, and arrested two
officers and nine men of the principal insurgents. Our ar-
rival appears to have been most providential, for on that very
evening the Governor and most of the white population
were to have been murdered, it being the intention of the
insurgents to act the same scene which was acted last year
at the Cape de Vcrds, and now acting at Para, in Brazils.
We were, undoubtedly, the means of preventing much
bloodshed. _ _

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On the 9th of September his Majesty's brig Leveret,
when on her return to the Cape of Good Hope, from a six
month's cruise on the east coast of Africa, in latitude
about 24. 50. south, and longitude 40. 46. east, fell in
with a brig under Spanish colours, which, having conside-
rably the advantage in point of sailing, and the wind
being light, the boats of the Leveret were sent away
for the purpose of boarding her. Mr. Foote, mate, in
the gig, and :Mr. J. T. Russell, second master, follow
ing in the cutter, armed. The former, when under the
stern, hailed the brig, and inquired where she was from ; a
person answered in English, 80 days from Havannah,
bound to Manilla. Mr. Foote told them he. wished to
come on board ; the same person replied—" If you attempt
to come on board we will kill you all."' But the Leverts
were not to be repulsed without a trial, and pushed steadily
on, when on a sudden a number of men, to the supposed
amount of sixty, made their appearance on the poop and
quarters, and opened a very smart fire of musketry and swivel
guns, killing one man, and wounding severely several more,
Mr. Russell, second master, being shot through the arm,
and the sailmaker being so severely woundedmin the elbow-
joint as to render instant amputation necessary. From the
number wounded our men Were obliged to return to the
Leveret, being then distant about two miles. A light
breeze springing up enabled her to increase her distance,
and by sunset she was nearly out of sight ; however, most
of those in the boats and many on board, by the aid of
spy-glasses, managed to make observations which could not
possibly escape them in the event of falling in with her a
second time. The Commander, being determined to trace
the haunt of the pirate, returned towards Mozambique,
anchoring there on the 20th September, and on the 25th,
whilst lying at anchor under the Island of St. George, off
, Mozambique, towards noon, a rakish-looking brig was de-

'N

scried in the offing, which, on nearing the land, hoist'

Spanish colours. -
The Leveret was disguised in every way to give her the
appearance of a Brazilian slaver ; the ruse answered admi-
rably. The Spaniard continued neariug the harbour very
cautiously ; not a person was to be seen about the Leveret's
decks but the kroomen, who were placed purposely in the
boat amidships, until 3. 30. p.m., when the Spaniard having
got so far within the island as to be impossible to extricate
himself, the Leveret (being previously hove short) tripped
her anchor, made sail into the harbour, and boarded in good
style the Spanish piratical and slave brig Diogmzes, mount-
ing 8 long and short 9.4-pounders, and having on board a
crew consisting of 56* men, 5 of whom were slightly wounded.
At the moment of boarding she threw her slave coppers
overboard, and the Port-no-nese Fort St. Sel:ast:an,moin.,ting
80 guns, 23 of which at blot time trained upon the Leveret,
opened fire on the Leveret, one shot entering her larboard
side. A message was sent to the Governor to inform hint
of our having taken possession of g ,Spanish pirate, This did
not satisfy trlem, and they were not content with insulting
the British flag by firing into his Majesty's brig Leveret,
but they endeavoured by sinister means fet get our Com-
mander on shore, and make a prisoner of him. After amus-
ing themselves for three days firing at the Lever.et and her
lawful prize (five shots having struck the Levert:Of they
made an attempt to retake the prize, which proved unsuc-
cessful; they opened fire, which appeared to be more in-
tended for the destruction of the prize, nine shots havino
entered her hull. We hauled down our colours to prevent
downright murder, for we were lying within pistol-shot oF
their fort, and the Portuguese sent off a large launch, ac-
companied by several small boats filled with soldiers (who
it is supposed were Spaniards belonging to the Spanish ships
in the harbour, and dressed out for the occasion) ; they
took forcible possession of the prize, and hoisted Portu-
guese colours, our men in the confusion being obliged to
talze to the water for their safety.—The South African.