Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-28
Gibraltar. Nor. Is. 1916.
DEAR FRIEND,

LEAR L RIEND,
We left Naples on the Doth of
August, and arrived in McssIna on the 3!st.-
We passed Mount Streinbolis, volcanic monn-
tain, (Which you have often heard off, in our
Way to this place /; aud between Charybdis and
Sc.la, two whIrlpools, rendered famous by the
immortal Homer They are situated at the en-
trance OF the Straits of hIessna, opposite to the
town OF McSsina, on the Caiabrian shore, is the
village where Murat was taken prisoner, and
SHOT. The distance from Sicily to Calabria lin
italy,) at MeSsina, is about 8 miles at the
mouth of the Straits, ii IS not more than two or
three, the tide runs through here at the rate f
two or three knots an hour.
At Messina, we had the misfortune to lose
Captain GoRDoS, of the frigatc Constellation,
who died the 9th of September, in conse-
qIence OF wound which he received some
years since in America, III a duel He has
Deea lingering with II ever since and his dc IL
is melancholy consolation to his friends, as il
eased linn from all his pains and sorrow. He
was valuable officer, and his death is a loss
to the service. Heiived believed and died la
mented by all nnder his command. Why can
we not lay aside this foolish practice of duel
Ing, n; only for 4 dark ard barbarOns age, AMI
adopt some wiser and more generous plan of
settling our GuSrrels, without cndangering our
own lives or those of oar fellow beings. You
may laugh al me Tor moraZlng but yen must
lind the cNcIse in the instance beioreu us. We
buried him OH the lltli, with the henors of
war, in the English graveyard. Commodore
Chauncey ,isSent, on a visit to Mount TT
"a, and did not return nmti! day or two after
the funeral The officers OF TIE squadron were
crIpe for30 DAYS
ASwe intend to make this our principal port
during our stay in this sea, we landed our spare
spars, water casks, SC in the navy yard at Ibis
place, having Obtained permission from the 20
vernon to land what we pleased. This hayward
is very ancient aud the buildings are moulder
ing into ruins. There are few galeys kept in
employ and manned by convicts, commonly
known by the name of galley slaves
They live III the navy yard, and do all the
public work such as repairing streets, clean
ing them, &c. They are chained together By
pairs, and al tended by guard There IS con
siderable number here. There is a number OF
gun-boats hauled up, and sheer hulk, iorner-
Nv Sloup of war. A Guard of marines is Kept
here, and the station commanded by commo-
dOrc There is Il spacious mole here, much lar
ger than the one at Naples, but tia anchorage
Is bad tits atherastoHi,hng, tliatthc wharyes
here az well as at Naples thou ia the shore il
very bold, are not bu!t out so that Il ship can
law along SIDE IF thcni, and discharge or take IN
a cargo. This business mas to be done by light
erS.
The Notifications are very strong and extern
sive The English, when they left this place
took the greater part of Tho guns, which were
brass rs Founders. with them.
hiessina IS place of greater commerce than
Naples, and the town has a mere Industrious
appearance. The manners are nearly the same
as those Of Ma pies. There is no foreign troops
4 ept up here when we arrived here, Charlotte
Princess Of Wales, was here. She was ia
common merchant ship, riding quarantine.
As tho ship was from COnstautiu0ple, they had
$50 hopes of getting pratiqHe, ani sailed day
OF two after our arrival
On the 23d, we got under way and made sail,
bound 10 Trpo,i. I'm altar took place I'M Mes
sna, which, though trivial 10 itself, may he
greatly misrcprcsented, and make considerable
noise in the Tnssh aud American newspapers
there was IN English schooner laying here,
commanded by ono capt Bell "A sailor belong
ing to the iligato Java, went on board Toe scbr.
a few days after our arrival, to sec one of her
crew, WHO was formerly a shipmatc Of his on
board an English frigate-when The American
sailor was about leaving tie schooner the other
gave him some leather belonging 90 the schr.
to make suais for canvass shoes. The Captain
ofthc schooner was on shore, but the mate
sceinzhi getting INTO the boat with the leather
inquired how he got it, and, notwithstanding
one of his own men had given II to him, lac seiz.
ell bin, tied him mp and gave hin two dozen on
the bare back. Thisirritatcd rs oil very much
we did not like The idea Of an EDgtisliman
tOpnnsh one Of our men. Even IL
the nimn had stolen the lealier,it WAS their da-
tsto report to lis commander, who would have
taken proper notice oft, aud bad h'n punish
ell But as the case was Otherwise, the punish
inr AN innocent man was sufficient To rouse
orr passions laying aside all national prejudice.
After this, when any OF our 0tnctrs 81 men tell
in with any EHsiishInen OH shore, they were