Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-07-19

5 Lieutenant Downes had conveyed the
prizes to Valparaiso, and, on his return,
brought me letters. informing me that
SQUADRON under the command OF Com.
modore James Hillyar, consisting OF
the trieae Phoebe, of So guns, the Ra-
coon and Cherub sloops Of war, and q
store ship of 20 guns, had ssiisd on the
5th July for this sea. The Racoon and
Cherub had been seeking me for some
time on the coast OF Brazil, and. on
their return from their craize, joined
the SQUADRON sent IN search OF me to the
Pacific. My ship, as it may be suppos
ed, afer being near year at sea, re.
CURED some repairs to put her In
state to meet them; which ! determin-
ed to do, and bring them to action, 1t l
could meet them on nearly equal terms.
proceeded, now, in company with the
remainder of my prizes, to the island OF
Nooaheev.h, or Madisoa's island, lying
in the Washington 5roupe, discovered
by captain Ingraham OF Boston mere
| caulked and completely everhauled
my ship, made for her new set OF
water casks, her old ones being entlrc-
" decayed, and took on board from my
prizes provisions aud stores tor upwards
of tour months, and sailed tor the Coast
OF Chill on the 18th December 1918
Previous to sailing, secured the Sc
ringapatam greenwich, and Andrew
Hammond under the guns OF battery,
which erected for their protection
after taking possession OF this hne ISL
and for the United States, and establish
ing the mort friendly intercourse with
the natives / left them under the charge
of Lieut.. Gamble Of the marines, With
81 men, with orders to repair to Valpa-
raiso after certain period.
! arrived ON the coast of Chilli on the
9Th January 1919 looked into Con-
CO. tion and Valparaiso, found at both
places only three English vessels. and
learned that the squadron which sailed
from Rio de Janeiro for that sea had not
been heard of since their departure, and
we're supposed to be lost IN endeavor'
ing to double Cape Horn.
I had completely broken up the . L
tish navigation in the Pacific the YES
sells which had not been captured by me
we're laid up and dare not venture out
I had afforded the most ample protec'
ton to our own vessels, which were, on
my arrival, very numerous and unpro-
tetted The valuble whale Fl hery there
is entirely destroyed, and tue actual ln-
Jury we have done them may be es'i.
mated at two and half millions OF dol
lars. independent of the expences OF the
vessels in search of me. They have
furnished me amply with sails, cordage,
capies, anchors, provisions, medicines
aud stores OF every description and the
slops on board them have furnished
clothing for the seamen
We had in fact lived on the enemy
since had been in that sea, every prize
having a well found store ship for me.
| / had not yet been under the necessity
| of drawing bills on the department for
any object, and had been enabled to
make considerable advances to my OF.
icers and crew on account OF pay.
For the unexampled time we had
kept the sea, my crew had continued
remarkably healthy | had but one
Gaze If the scurvey, and had lost only
the following men by death, viz:
John S. Cowan, Lieutenant,
Robert Miller, Surgeon,
Levi Holmes, o. Seaman,
Edward Sweeny, do.
Samuel Groce, Seaman,
James Spafford, Gunners Mate,
s 5ss1 Rsas sss''' Or. eonnsr'.
Andrew Nathan, Corporal of Marines,
Lewis Price, Private Marine.
/ had done all the injury that could
be done tho British Commerce in the
Pacific, and still hoped to signalize nv
cruise by something more splendid be-
fore leaving that sea. ] thought 1t not
,mpl obahle that Commodore Hillysr
might have kept his arrival secret, and
believing that he would seek me at Val
paraiso, as the most likely place to find
me, / therefore determined 10 cruise a.
bout that place, and should fail of
meeting him, hoped to be compensated
by the CAPTURE of some merchant ships,
said to be expected from England.
The Phoebe, agreeably TO my expec.
ta,iops, came 10 seek me at Valparaiso,
where I was anchored with the Essex,
nv armed prize the Essex Junior, un-
der the command of Lieut. Downes, on
the look out off the harbor ; but, con-
rsry to the course ! thought he would
pursue, Commodore Hillyar bro't with
him the Cherub sloop of war, mounting