Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-07-16

IAN. or bfadiSoa's island, lying in the IYash.
nSton group discovered by Captain In
graham OF Boston here I cauiked and COM
pletely everhauled my ship. made for her
new set OF water casks. her old ones being
entirely decayed, and tool. on board from
my prizes provisions for upwards of four
months, and sailed for the coast of Chill on
the 18th December, 1913. Previous to sail
ing, secured the Seringapatam. Green
witch. and Sir Andrew Hanmond under the
guns of a battery, which erected for their
protection Cater taking possession NJ this
line island for the United States, and esta.
bl,shinS the most friendly intercourse with
the natives left them under the charge of
Lieut.. Gamble the marines. with twenty-
one men, with orders to repair to Valparai>
SO after certain period.
arrived on the coast of Chill on the Itch
January. 1874; looked into Conception
and Valparaiso. found at both places on
~ three English vessels, and learned
tnat the squadron which sailed from
Kip de Janeiro for thatsea. had MOI;
been heard OF since their departure, and
were supposed to be lost in endeavoring To
double Cape Horn. US
had completely broken up the British
navigation in the Pacific; the vessels winch
had not been captured by me, were laid vi,
and dare not venture out. ] had afforded
the most ample protection to our own ves>
sells. which were, on my arrival, very nune
rons and unprotected The valuable whale
fishery there is entirely destroyed. and the
actual injury we have done them may be
estimated 1t two and a half millions OF dolls
lars, independents of the expences of the yes
sells in search of me They have furnished
me amply with sails. cordage. cables, an.
chors, provisions, medicines and stores of e :
very descript;on--and the Stops on board
them have furnished cloathing for the sea-
men. We had in fact lived on the enemy
since l had been in that sea, every prize
having proved a we'll found store ship for
me. had not yet been under the necessity
OF draw wing bills on the department for any
object, and had been enabled to make con-
siderable advances to my officers and crew
on account of pay.
For the uncxampled time we had kept
the sea, my crew had continued remarka-
bly, healthy / had but one case of the sour
Wy. and had lost only the following men by
death, VIZ. ~,
John S. Cowan, lieut..
Robert Miller, Surgeon,
Levi Holmes. o Seaman,
Edward Sweeny, do.
Samuel Gr0ce, Seaman,
James Spafford, Gunner's Mate.
John Rogers Sser'' Scr. Gppnsrs.
Andrew Mahan, Corporal of Marines.
Lewis Price. Private Marine.
I had done all the injury that could he
done the British commerce in the Pacific.
and still hoped to signalize my cruise nv
something more splendid before leaving IN a.
sea. ] thought it not Improbable that com.
modore Hillyar might have kept his arriyaj
secret, and believing that he would seek me
at Valparaiso, as the most likely place to
find me, l therefore determined to cruise a.
bout that place, and shonid / fail of meet
ing him. hoped to be compensated by the
capture OF some merchant ships, said to be
expected from England.
The Phoebe, agreeaoiy to my expectations.
came to seek me at Valparaiso, where Twas
anchored with the ESSEX, my armed prize
the Essex Junior, under the command of
Lieut. Downes, being on the l1ok out off the
harbor but, contrary to the coursef thor
he would pursue, Commodore HiIlyar bro't
with him the Cherub sloop of war, mounting
% guns, eighteen 80 pound carronades s
24's, and two long 9's on the quarter deck
and forecastlc, aud a complement of 1870
men. The force of the Phoebe is as fol-
lows: thirty long Is ponnders, sixteen SO
pound carronades, one howitzer, and six 8
Founders IN the tops, in all SIS guns, and
complement of $40 men making force of
81 guns and FIVE hundred men; in addition
to which, they took on board the crew of an
English letter of marque lying in port. ---
Both ships had picked crews, and were sent
into the Pacific, in company with the RAJ
coon OF % guns and a store-ship Of 90 guns.
for the express purpose of seeking the rs
sex. and were prepared with flags bearing
the motto, g God & country; British Sailors
best rights Traitors offend both.'' This
was intended as reply to my motto," Free
Trade e Sailors Rights" under the Gro.
neous imprt ssion that my crew were chiefly
Englishmen, or to counteract its effect on
their own crews. The force of the Essex
was 46 guns, forty 80 pound carronadeg
and six long 12's, and her crew, which had
been much reduced by prizes, amounted on