Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-03-27

taylor, Wells--T1.
ana the Senate adjourned.
CAPTAIN RILEY'S NARRATIVE.
.-hessrs. Crooits and Rntisr.
1 SEM you, herewith, a short acco,nr ne ,h~
loss OF the brig Commerce. late OF H,r.ssI
Con which wish you to publish for The ;ns,rma
~ sHm o. ehe irienas OF that part of the crew who
SUI re'nsin IN slavery, and 20 make public the
saved the lives, redeemed from slavery snd 10y
eored TO our country and friends, m yscif and sH,r
OF my unfortunate companions. 'u
/ satsu rom Connecticut river on the 9Th os
WAY, 1919, hound 10 New Orleans. with a go.
consisting OF George Williams, chiefmate 49,
u. savage, I'd mate, Archibald Robins V;i;aSn
rorter' James Clark, and Thomas Burns. se.msa
- savage boy, Richard Delille, black man
COOK, and two landsrnen, who left the br;m :.
New Orleans, where shipped in their stead 1osr
hogan and James Barrett, seamen. W;th a.
grew sailed tor Gibraltar, where | rec.;vaj -.
BOARD part OF a cargo ofbrandy. wine ana sne.i.
An Ole man named Antonio Michel Of NJ
ou'e~'s VINO was recommended to INV cb,r;,v
was mere taken on board. 4 sailed from G;brsI
=. vu tne z4tn OF August, and EXPIRE enced ye-u
uhicS foggy weather for q number of dive ~
inc evening ofthe 2Sth while we were ~ ~. 80
oIhaiihg tbs brig oft TO N. w. she struck and
was soon driven before a tremendous surf or :.
sandy Beach near cape Basador, coast of A fr;.a
we all reached the shore in safety, but w.r- a.
zen oaoS to our boat on the 3oth by the armea
ataos' ~ except Antonio Michaelj whom they
seaSed and Kept. We then put To sea in our L.,
Ky boat, with a few pieces ofpork and 8 %Sa,"n.
OF water After remaining at ses in this s;tns,;'
on Tor . days and finding no relief we nm, -
'or the land which we regained on the 9th ofSs,
'cmoer, as We Judged in latitude Is. Three 5o,,
%.ep, we were all seized upon by party of Arabs
strPped entirely naked and taken on csmels ana
Gn loo' seven days Journey into the desart off
hara our only sustenance a pnt Of csm.is rM pa
ana me same quantity of brackish water each
per 4ay' changing places and masters every dav.
our SKINS parched off by The heat of the sun -
nesn mangled by The motion of the camela or-
Ieet lacerated by the sharp iint stones. with IN.
secIs and Vernin gnawing oar exposed flesh and
y i',out d ues or even shrub to shelter US f,om
tne damp cold trade windsuSh, oh prevail .tn;aL.
Thus we suffered ill about the last of sarSSa'
when succeeded in prevailing on two .,;na-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 10 purchase MYSELF A ar
~; sewage Horace Savage, James Clark. ana
i homas Burns, and carry us to Morocco -
lnS no more goods, they could not purcbasA ,ba
my unfortunate shiPnates. After a ionr.
" q ua!S' across The drelry desert o fSansra.
turing which we suffered frequent bestngs s.
lgues and all the privations human natnrs . 80
laole OF enduring, we at length arrived in this
kingdom OF Sare, Worn down to the bones go
Incapable OF moving farther Here we nroc,r.d
some barley TO sustain life. 1 wrote 4 note on
'niai P zee OF paper With a stick, which nv mas
.er carried to Mogsdor. hen z DAYS Journey die-
.' ans note lie delivered TO VIM. Wiltshire
Esq The most respectable merchant. in No.
lore, a native Of London, and agent to the TJS;t-
III states consul at Tangier, who in The u1st
.roInPt and humane manner paid ont of ms o,vo
.unds 100 dollars for as, and sent a res,sotshIs
Nloor' named REFS Bel-Cossim, with clothing ana
to our relief. The Moor ON arr,v;ng
vas seized and detained s days but had the aI.
80 70 eiect ms own and our deliyeranee, and
'oN us TO M3gad9re ON mules; here we were re.
;elSed IN The kindest manner by Mr.. WILTSHIRE
mo 'ook us to his own house, add administered
I'll we neeessaries our deplorable situation ~
iured, Having paid cur former masters ne dis
'a'cned them, At, er binding them to IN oath ia
'eArch lor and bring NJ the remaining part OF fine
rev IT they could be found alive.
In my first note to MIR Wiltshire. 7 had pan.5
tioratlo SPrague, a respectable merchant ~
'iorai'ar, Formerly of Boston, as inv friend. tboS
nad only Known him ten days. Mr.. W,nshira
mined aiely wruteto hun describing our sirr,-
on, ana when his express returned, | received
ne following letter, dated Gibraltar Nov. 1S
l7iS 1t speaks the soul of the writer.
my dear Riiey--I VIII not waste a moments
me by unnecessary preamble / have wriftco
% Nr Wiltshire that your draft on me for lo0n
ioi'ars or more, for obtaining your liberty. and
nose With you shall be daily paid. have ssnt
Two double barrelled guns 20 meet bis nro.
MISE TO the Moors. In a short time after Won w..
'eive this hope tolave the happiness of taS M
by the hand under my own roofagaiR !. Won
"il come by the way of Tangier.
Your assured Friend,
HoRAT1o sPRAGUEs
NY FEELINGS on receipt OF this cannot be ex.
3ressed by words. oA my arrival at Gibraltar I
ound those ofmy companions who left NIoos.
Iors ~ a Gibraltar schooner had reached ,berc
y SAFETY was most graciously received bv nv
end'sprague who treated me Ike a brother .
captain Robert Williams ofthe sbip RAID
nost generously offered to myself, Mr., A. X. sas
age and Horace Savage, a passage in bis sh,D.
. winch we are happily arrived here dis dpvP
hanks. O~ "NM1SS
! have the satisfaction TO inform lie Fr;sods os
nose who were left in slavery, that every exer.
ION possible will be made both by Mr.. WiJlsh;rc
Nr Simpson, our consul, for their sneadg
and restoration to their couniryE
my information from them on this aubieet sbsIl
made public : enquiries respecting them mSs
addressed TO me st Middleton, Co3nectic,it
%sp-TOrk, Marcel 10, 1916.