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

WAsHINcroN CRY. July 49,
COPY ofa letter from Cahf. Porter, TO the
Secretary ofthe Nary.
ssex Junior, July Sd, 1874, at Sea. =
have done my self the honour to adj
dress you. repeatedly, since / left the Del
aware; but have scarcely ahope that enc of
my letters has reached you therefore con-
slider it necessary tn give you brief history
of my proceedings since that period.
sailed from the Delaware OH the 9th OF
October, 1912, and repaired, with all dill
gence, (agreeably to Instructions from Conn
modore cambridge. ITO Port Praya. Fernan
do de Noronho, and Cape Frio: and arrived
at each place on the day appointed to meet
HIN. On my passage from Port Praya to
Fernando, de Noronho. captured his Brio
tannic majesty's packet Motion and after
taxing out about 1l,c00i. sterling in specie,
sent her under command of Lient Finch, for
America, Icrdized off Rio de Janeiro, and
about Cape Fro until the 18th January 1913,
hearing frequently of the Com odore, by
vessels from Bahia. here captured but
one schooner, with hides and tallow I sent
her into Rio. The Montague, the admirai's
ship, being in pursuit of me, my provisions
now getting short, and finding it necessary
to look out for supply. to enable me to meet
the Commodore by the LIST of April, off St
Helena, proceeded to the island of St. Ca
tharine's, 1.-THE last place of rande zyous ON
the coast of Brazil,) as the most likely to
supply my wants, and, at the same time, af-
ford me that secrecy necessary TO enable me
to elude the British ships of war on the coast.
and expected there. here could procure
only wood, water, and rum. and few bags
OF flour; and hearing of the Commodore's
action with the Java, the capture of the
Hornet by the Montague. and of consider.
lableaugnentation of the British force on the
coast, and of several being in pursuit of me.
l fornd 1t necessary to get to sea as soon as
possible. now, agreeably to the Commo,
dore,s plan. stretched to the southwark.
securing the coast as far as Rio de la Pla-
ia. heard that Buenos Ayres was in a
state OF starvation, and could not supply our
wants; and that the government of Monte
viedo was very inimical tous. The Com
modore's instructions now left it completely
discretionary with me what course to pur.
sue, and determined on following that
which had not only met his appreciation, but
the appreciation of the then Secretary of the
Navy. ! accordingly shaped my Course for
the Pacific; and after suffering greatly from
short allowance of provisions, and heavy
gales of Cape Horn. (for which my ship &
men were lily provided,) arrived at VAL
paraiso on the 14th March, 1873. here
took in as much jerked beef. and other bro.
visions, astny ship would conveniently stow.
and ran down the coast of Chill and Peru
in this track ] fell in with Peruvian COR
sair, which had on board twenty-four Ame-
ricans as prisoners, the crews of two whale
ships, which she had taken on the coast of
Chill. The captain informed me that. as
the allies of Great Britain, they would can.
ture ali they should meet with, in expectati.
on OF a war between Spain and the United
States. consequently threw all his guns
and ammunition into the sea, liberated the
americans, wrote respectful letter to the
Vice Roy, explaining the cause Of my pro-
ceedings, which delivered to her captain.
1 then proceeded for Lima, and re-captured
one of the vessels as she was en- terine the
port. From thence proceeded for the Gal.
IaPagos islands, where I cruized from the
18th April. until the Sd October, 1873 du.
II s which time touched only once on the
coast of America, which was for the purpose
of procuring supply of fresh water, as none
Is TO be found among those islands. which
are perhaps the most barren and desolate
of apv known.
While among this group, captured the
following British ships, employed chiefly in
the sperma ceti wha.e fishery. viz.
LETTERS OF MARQUE.
fays 1ue3f Al. 81