The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-08-30
From the BoRon Gazette, Hng,R 10.
SPANISH YALOUR.

From the Bo9on Gazette, AyggRi s.
SPANISH yALOUR.
The publication of The following extrae. from
letter, dated at La Gura, in April lat, has
been delayed until proper representation of
the affair, with the ncctfiary documents, could
be laid before the American government ; it is
now given to the public as another evidtrce of
that .fiiendjciip and good qvM which the Spani-
ards are daily exerci6ng towards us.
"On the 92i March, we failed down this
coat with hne breeze, until JUL before fupfet
when being within reach CT the guns of La Gui-
IA, the wind left us becalmed, with heavy
fwe'l letting on n.ore.-Half an hour before
dark we were hailed from The fort in SpanilI,,
to which the captain replied in Epgliih, that
we were Americans from Cayenne. This not
appearing to be satisfactory, they continued
hailing about ten minutes, by which time the
brig {" White Oak" of Botton,) had tirifted
To near the fort, that the voices of thofe CONVEX
hng on the walls, were eafily diRinquiihed, and
1t was 70 perfectly calm that the captain order
ed our boat ahead to tow the vefiel from the
turf which we were fat approaching. Several
boats were now fecn coming from ihore, the
perfons in which hailed, and upon receiving an
| anfwer, fuddenly retreated, after difrharging at
us voey of mufketry, immediately upon
which britk cannonade WIS commencing from
the fort. The fecond bali having p,iied through
our forefai', and cut away fone of the rigging
Captain Mouatfort jumped into the boat and
attempted to land, but the fhot flying in every
direction, he was obliged to retnrn.-A lanthern
was hoted, but finding that it ferved only as
a mark for the better directing of the guns, it
was foon removed, and all the lights on board
extinguilhed. For.unaelyit had now become
lark, and we had drifted pat the fort, but
when within three quarters gun ihot were for
ced to drop anchor to keep clear of the lee
!hore. The firing waskept I'D from the fort,
batteries, feveral guh-boatS and an armed brig,
until 10 O'Clock, whenthe captain, happily for
us, who were thus etpofed to the barbarous
caprice of men 70 overcome by their fears, as to
imagine they faw an invading enemy in a clum-
ley, unarmed, American lumber veflel, effected
aianding, and relieved the trace Commandment,
nd bis courageous toRozver5 from their appre-
entions, for we Immediately heard them hol-
lowing from fort to fort, to ceafe firing for the
danger euaS orer and the captain on fl1ore &!
This tep faved the whole of us, for we have
hnce been told, that they had prepared, aud
were determined, as foon as the moon rofe, TO
fink the brig.-Some of our rigging is cut away,
and one Is pound f!,ot truck juft forward of
the main chains, carried away timber head,
and detroyed two water cafks. The captain
was placed under guard during the night, and
IN the morning j went on fhore with the papers,
where we were prefented to the commandment,
who appeared {carccly to have recovered from
the fright of the preceding evening. The vef-
fel was ordered to be moored under the guns of
one of the batteries until directions lhould be
received from Caracas.
The accounts given of the late buftle and
conformation which our appearance cauied are
highly diverting, and place the conduct of the
Commander, &c. in the mott ridiculous light.
All the foldiery were under arms firing upon us,
the whole coat was alarmed, and perions ira
Yelling from Caracas, were topped upon the
road and forbidden to proceed. The cowar-
dice and fears of thofe appointed to guard the
port, were 10 great, that no one dared approach
us, and at the commencement of the firing, a
man belonging to one of the gun-boats, was 70
terrified that he jumped overheard, Euan, A.
fhore and afierted that he had receive a tall il,
the leg! and the commander of another repor
fed that he had loft one man Killed BY or hot,
and they are hardly perfuaded that we did not
hre upon them / have no doubt that had we
have been armed with few guns well icrved,
the whole town would have been deferted and
we fhould have feen the folders flying full fpeed
TO the mountains, with the gallant Don V1y/1se,.
The commander, at their head Capt. nj. &
myfelf as we walk the ftreets, are pointed at
as brodigieJ Of vaior, for having food fuch |
zviibsnt Icing kIled!! In fact
IL!
the more provideutial appears our prefervation. !
About three weeks Gnce, IAN Engliih armed
vefel was off the harbor under American col /
ours, and at S o'clock in the afternoon, fent in
boat with an officer and few men, who cut out
fine Spanifh fhip which anchored within
mufket fhot Of the batteries This is the execute |
offered for the qcGrni reception given us.
I" The heads of Government are at variance, |
and the affent of one is certain to produce the !
diffent of the other. Ten days elapfed before |
received an anfwer to my petition for liberty to
fell, and then was told that might difpofe of |
enough to raife 500 dollars, which was confider-
ed fuffcient to dfcharge their demand for pow
der and fhot fired at us, and to pay for the re-
pairs of the vef1el. Upon representing the in
juftice Of the demand and the neceflity of diff |
charging the whole cargo to afcertain and re-
pair the damages in the hull, the Intendaat, a
man ofvery mediocre abilities and extremely OBJ
Rinate, referred me to the Captain General his ,
counterpart, who replied, that it was not his
province to decide, and fent me back to the IN
tendant, and he again 10 the Captain General.
You may judge whether it does not require |
goos flock of patience to deal with fuch AMI
mails.
"The bill for powde- and fhot ] confider Gu
rioity and fend you an extrad from it. To
3o7 lbs. OF. powder at reels, 26s dolls. 5
cts. do. 81 balss weighing 900 lbs. at