The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-01-21
Domestic.
From the Salem Register, Jan. 9.


lNlT hISOONlEsN
The following deposition of Mr.. ISAAC
CLARk, OF this town, who has been torn
rom his family and country, and for three
years compelled to serve on board His
Britannia Majesty's ships of war, is entitled
TO an attentive perusal. Those Americans
who can read this narrative without the
strongest emotions of Indignation and wrath
towards the insolent and naughty oppres-
sors OF our brave and honest mariners, and
commisSeration for their sufferings or who
can attempt to justify and palliate the afro
cIous conduct of our man stealing enemies,
can be mt only for slaves to the Corrupt
court OF st. James. and had better take re
fuge with their favorite =" Bulzvark - thew
are unworthy to breathe the pure air of
Liberty.
This narrative affords most strikins
and affecting view of the sutfer!ngs whiCa
not only cur townsman Mr. CLARK, but
Thousands of American Seamen haze en-
dured, and which all have bee Has'e to
endure, by this Internal practice of I'm
Pressment on the high seas from cur YES
sells. But the day of retribution VIII come,
and 1t ought to be the determination of eve
ry patriotlc American, to compel the enc
my to abandon the most insuiferabie and
degrading practice, or in the language of
the Hon. Mr.. MASON, "to nail our CO.
iours to the mast, and sink in the effort. -
ISAAC CLARK, of Salem, in the
county of Essex, and .commomw ealth of
Massachusetts, on solemn oath declare,
that was born in the town Of Randolph,
IN the county of Norfolk have sailed out
of Salem aforesaid about seven years that
on the fourteenth day of June eighteen hun
dred and nine, was IMPRESSED. and forci-
niy taken from the ship Jane of Norfolk by
the sailing master (his name was CARR of
MS maJesty's ship Porcupine, Robert Elliot
commander. had protection from the
custom House in Salem, which Showed
to captain Elliot-he sworc / was an En-
gilshman, tore my protection to pieces be-
fore my eyes, and threw it overheard, and
ordered me to go to work. told him ]
did not belong to his flag, and / would
do no work under it. He then ordered nv
legs put III irons, and next morning order
ed the master at arms to take me on deck,
and give me two dozen lashes--after re
ceiVlng them, he ordered him to keep me
IN irons, and give me one biscuit and a pint
OF water for twenty four hours. After
Keeping me in this situation one week ]
was brought on deck, and asked by cap
tam elliot II would SO to my duty--on my
refusing, he ordered me to strip, tied me
up second time, and gave me two dozen
more, and kept me on the same allowance
another week then ordered me on deck
again and asked if would go to work
still persisted that | was an American, and
that lie had no right to command my SER
vices, and would do no work on board his
ship. He told me he would punish me un-
I'll was willing to work-and then gave
me a third two dozen lashes, ordered a very
heavy chain put round my neck, (such as
they had used to sling the lower yard) fas-
tened to ringbolt in the deck, and that
no person, except the master at arms
should speak to me, or give me any thing
To eat or drink, but my one biscuit and pint
OF water for twenty four hours, until
would so 20 work. / was kept in this ST
tuation NINE WEEKS, when being ex
hausted by hunger and thirst, vas OBJ :,
ged to yield. After being on board ,I,
ship more than two years and ha,f amt
beng wounded III an action with Z. Frenci
f"ga'e, was sent to the hosyitaJ-wbe,
partially recovered, l was .ent ON boar,
the lmpregnable, a 90 gan shin NJ,
wound growing worse, ]. was retnrne6 +,
the hospital, when the American consul re-
ceived a copy of my protection from So.
lem, and procured nv discharge an ~,
twenty ninth day of April last Jbcr,
were seven impressed Americans on boar
the Porcupinc, three Of whom who baI
entered ">
ISAAC CLARK"