Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1799-11-18
Horrid Barbarity !!

Mention was made in the ait Gazette, ofthc capture
of fehooner Mary. Capsin Blake, OF this port, aud the
nhuman murder of his Mate. Mr. Potter. Capt. Blake
has fnee returned and fuinihed the following parou-
lars
ssIeft this port on the fri Augua aud made Tobapo
on the zS,h, bur becalmed and drifled ,eward
Endeavoring make ST Crox, on the morning of The
9Th of Sept abrea of the forts in he span iiand of
Margsrta, leagues from the beach boarded by
two boats from French prvateer, the ir boat thar
reached commanded by the Captain OF the pri.
vateer, having fix armed with long knives uikets
and blunde buls. The fecond boat contained The
Lieutenant and ten men, armed as before Alter in
penouay demanding where from and where bound they
began damuing the Americans, aid Immediately board
cd me. The trit ON board Italian, with a long
knife concealed under his garments, who followed
by the Captain with fwords and piitols, and French
man armed with blunderbufs who formerly failed ouc
of Newyork, together with three others. Soon after
boarding and making fome enquiry, the Capt of the
privaeer pointed at me and the unfortunate Mr. Poi
ter mailer and mate and uttering iomething. babe
his followers % Begin mmedistely'--on which the
Frenchman with the blunderbuE aimed il at ms blu.
fortunately il miilee fire. AT the fame ntan another
one itabbed Mr. Potter in the back of the neck who
in defence iezed handfpike and knocked tAe murder
er down on which the Frenchman. having princd his
blum Ierhufs, ihot MIR Potter through the head Af-
ter he fell, the inhuman Captain cut him acrofs the
high and leg with his fword, and the one Knocked
down recovering hmiel srAped his kniic and ripped
OUT tHe bOWts ~ FOttcf. tDtf tLcn Grove
fef and the ref of my people below and carried nv
veiIel into the harbour of Pantapa. We were kept
confined below for three days and then myfc fen a.
1iorc the Governor being repeatedly threatened
with death. My treatment OF, ihore was mott
barbarous and infulting and nylelf & crew
in continual danger of our lives. The Gov
ernor and fecretary afa treated me very i'll
abuled the Americans, and refufed me protec
ton. was then ordered on board, and fome
folders were alto fent to prevent the veHeI and
cargo from being injured, which were to be
tent to Guadalupe. Remained in this fit-s
uation till the tenth of September, when the
brig Edex, Rolando, arrived flowing tier of
guns. Immediately app;ized Capt. Rolan.
do of my fituation, who memorialled The Cow
ernor on the fuhjea, and produced an immedi-
ate alteration in my treatment. On the zth,
with perm,ilion of the Governor, myielf and
people failed in the EHex, for ST. Thomas's,
but falling to leward. the frlf land we made:
was the eat end of Porto Rico, on the 10Th
ient boat alhore, to inquire for French cruif-
ers, and was told there were no Fren:h, but
ieveral Englih cruiiers on the coat. Making
fail to the wellward, for Cape Francois, at
midnight on the Ioth, fchooner came along-
fde. and fred a great number of fhot without
haing, then boarded the brig. took The Cap
tain and crew out, put them on board the pfi-
vateer, and next morning took them into la
goon on the fouth eide of Porto Rico, & plum
dered the veHI of great part of her cargo.eon-
filing of dry goods, &c. and in the evening
difmifed her.
:. The people who carried my ve1el into
Margaritta, were French but thofe of the ichr.
am confident, were Englilh, from fome of the
Wndward lllands, although they pretended to
be from Porto Rico, under the command Of
Augulus Love-"