The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-12-11


and crew remaining OF board treated
with every severity their avaEcious re-
venge could ihhict.
Having the master and mate on board.
we Immediately stood to sea, and pro-
ceeded to the release Of their vessels.
At daylight, on the morning of the 9th
inst. came to anchor off Point Hycacos.
and within one of the islands at the en-
trance of the bay, and about 10 or IL
miles distant from where the brig and
schooner had been left at anchor, being
bid from our view by Intervening land
We then discovered, some little dis
lance over small island, ship, brig,
and schooner, lying at achor, and, lit
tie further to the leeward, a small
schooner under sail, her deck apparent
ly filled with men, and boats communi-
eating between her and the vessels at
anchor, the two last Of which, at the
same time, getting under way. With
the boats of the Alligator chase was i'm
mediately made after the schooner, and
she with her sweeps endeavouring to
escape by doubling an island nearest
Point Hycacos, and steering up the bay
The wind being light, after rowing
three or four leagues, we had gained
within reach, when the chase rounded,
hoisted red flag, and commenced "a
heavy fire of round and grape upon US.
We soon regained her wake, and when
within reach of our muskets, commence
ed our fire, the men at the oars at the
same time giving way TO lay alongside,
and board on her quarter At this time,
a second schooner armed and filled with
men, had commenced firing upon US,
and passing some distance ahead, brailed
up her foresail on the starboard bow OF
the first, which we were now within
| pistol shot of, and had sienced her fire
with our small arms, when her men
took precipitateiy to their boats, four or
! five in number, rowing on the larboard
side, to get on board their consort.
when our two boats (Iaunch, Capt
Allen, and cutter, 1t DALEY pulled away
10 cut them off. Seeing our object, they
returned on board their vessel. We
Immediately regained our position astern
to pull up and board on her quarters.
returning their fire of small arms; and
they again took to their boats, now on
the starboard side, and escaped on board
the other schooner. Capt. Allen now
directed midshipman with four men
IN his gig, which was near us, to board
and take possession of the first prize,
and with our two large boats rowed I'M
mediately after the second, now rein
forced with from so 10 40 men in addi-
ton to her own, (Which we have since
understood to be from so to 80,) all
we'll furnished with small arms and
boarding pixies, sc. and had gained
within twice our boats length of her
stern and larboard quarter, sustaining
and returning their fire, when the cut
ter begun to veer off, and was falling
round on her starboard bow from the
obstruction of killed and wounded al
her oars, and the launch unable to keep
way with the chase from like causes,
(and Capt. A. having previously been
wounded by two musket balls, of one
of which he died four hours after,)
both boats dropped alongside the prize,
and removed our killed {two) and
wounded Give, two since dead,) on
board her. She was armed with one
long IL FOUNDER, (on a pivot,) two do.
6 Founders, two do. Founders car
rlage guns, and two swivels, her red flag
nailed to the mast In the cabin and run
were a number of bottles filed with
powder, and slow matches through the
corks, some of which having been light
ed, and extinguished, it appeared evil
dent that the pirates had set fire 10 them
on first leaving her, expecting she
would blow up soon after our boarding,
but, returning so instantly on board,
they extinguished the matches, and the
last time they were too closely driven
in abandoning her, to take time to retire
them. The pirates now kept off and
in shore, where they were joined by
another schooner, about three miles
distance from US, of heavier armament
than either of the others, and about 80
men on board, (according to our subse-
quent information y both, however,
kept away under the land and, with
our prize, we stood out to the Alligator.
Having buried our killed, and taken the
wounded on board, crews were sent to
take possession of the brig and schooner
in the bay, both of which had been cut
adrift, and were found without any in