Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-07-28
Nep- YORK, July "a.
ATRnCIoUS PIRACY.

The brig fed!ar- capt, Srthiiye, drIi-
we'd last night in 43 days from Hsvre-de-
Grace, and 3S from Plymouth. England,
having been obliged to put in thither by
stress of weather. and detained there tour
DAYS by continual gales from the west
ward. On the 9th instant, in lat. "a, 90,
long. 54. the brig was boarded by an arm
ed schr (having an armed ship in company
under French colors) mounting II guns,
and manned by blacks and mulattoes.-
They came on board, with pistols, swords,
and long knives, and having severely beat
en- the officers and crew, and driven them
all into the forecastle, they commenced an
indiscriminate plumber of clothing, money,
liquors, dry goods, &c. They broke open
most of the packages ON board, and took
away the most valuable parts OF the cargo.
Having been occupied about FIVE hours IN
taking away and securing their plumber,
they permitted the brig to proceed on her
voyage.
Capt. Vermilye has left at this office Sc
veral packages of Paris papers, which were
stripped of their directions, by the pirates
who plundered his vessel. Any gentleman
who may have had package put on board
may call and select his own. [Com. AdO.
Philadelphia, July "a.
A gentleman travelling in the northwest,
writes The best port to make for in a
voyage to the Upper Lakes is Erie. From
thence you can at any time in the summer
season, secure passage on board some mer-
chant vessel, bound for Detroit or Mack
mack. Lake Erie is not so wide but you
can at all times, of a clear day, see land
on one or the other of its shores. Though
not so large as the lake. above, il is rot ge-
nera!ly considered of so safe or pleasant
navigation. In comparison with lakes HUI
ron and Michigan, it is narrow and shall.
low. II affords but few good harbors, and
is subject to frequent and heavy squalls OF
wind, creating short, quick sea, more
dangerous and unpleasant than the noun
famous roll of lake Huron"
The first harbor that is made is one of
the Putin Bay Islands, numerous cluster
near the head of the lake, rendered famous
in the last war. Some OF these islands are
large and well timbered, of good soil,
and afording quantities of limestone, from
whence the inhabitants of the southern
shore of the lake are supplied with this ar
ticIe. They are again sabdivided into
smaller clusters, and are designated by the
sailor as 'the old SOW and her pigs, tine Old
men aud her chickens, Tire three sisters,
SC. SC.
One of the Put-in-B Bay Islands had been
much improved by Col. Edwards OF the
Connecticut Reserve, who had a good farm
and a stock Of cattle on it at the commence
ment of the war, bur since his death in
1918, has been little or none attended to.
From Erie to these islands is $50 miles,
and from thence it is 80 more TO the mouth
of Detroit river, which you greet with in
finite pleasure, after suffering, as you ire
quently do, in boisterons and unp!ea-
SAINT passage Of six or seven days, III
small but dirty vessel. Though latterIy
the accommodations have become much
better, and the steamboat will almost de-
strol the unpleasaDtness OF lake voyage.
Maiden, small dirty town OF few hou-
ses, and British garrison, you leave on
the east side, and pass little above the
mouth of The river, up which you continue
youl course nearly due north. This is a
beautiful strait through which all the wa
te!s of the upper Lakes pass on to the Falls
of Niagara. 1t is from one to two miles
wide, and deep enough TO receive ships OF
the largest cIass-aI Maiden alone it is
narrow, and divided 10y the island OF Bois
Banc, the ship channel running on the
east, on British side. Fifteen miles above
this, on the same side, is Sandwich,
small but handsome town, on the bank OF
the river, from which you have a full and
beautiful view of the city and settlement
of Detroit, extending for nearly Smiles on
the bank of the river. This view, ola clear
day, i, extremely picturesque and beauti-
full; as the wind gently waits you up the ri
yer, lis green banks, fine farms, covered
with orchards, and their houses OF sinsu-
lar order of architecture, which you can
bnt inst discern through the trees planted