Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-07-03

brig Reuben and Eliza, has sent the
editor of the New York Mercantile Adj
lyertiser the following particulars of his
capture, and the circumstances within
his knowledge relative 20 the capture, of
the brig Mechanic, ofthat port Great APP
prehensions are felt respecting the fate
of Captain Ray, and the crew OF this
vessel.
| sailed from Cadiz in the brig Reu-
ben and Eliza undermy command, with
a cargo of salt. wine, fruit, sc. bound
to Havana. On the 5th May, the hills
of the Isle Of Pines bearing North, dis
tant 80 miles. saw schooner in chase
orus. Alto A. NJ she run alongside,
ordered me to come on board with my
papers Immediately, or Trey would sink
me. ho;sted out the long boat, (hav-
ing previously lost my small boat and
went on board. They ordered me and
the men that we re with me on her deck,
and sent or 10 men armed on board
of the brig to search for money, but
found none. They then robbed the brig
of all her provisions, spare rigging, light
| sails, &C. Six sail of vessels were then
deserted in shore OF us, and the men
were all ordered on board except the
Prize master, and the brig was ordered
to steer in for the Isle of Pines, and in
case of deyiating from that, all on board
| were threatened with instant death, and
myself * the two tina were with me
put on board pirate. The schooner gave
- h. lie A
IL o'clock at night we were up with
them, but fearing there might be an ar
med vessel among them. they put oil
boarding them until morning. Soon
after getting among them, it got to be
very dark and squally, and we lost sight
Of them in the morning not one of them
were to be seen, They then steered for
my brig, when hailing her, were inform
/, ed that the mate, with two men, cook
and boy, made their escape in the. long
boat, and taken all the money with them
lone of my men having told them that
| hadfour thousand dollars on board.
! They then determined to murder me,
but with great difficulty, ! at last per-
suaded them to put it of until they made
further enquiries. They then sent the
boatswain and six men on board, where,
after interrogating the passengers, they
lwere convinced that there we not any
money on board, but what they found in
Ip1y trunk. At 4 p. NJ. they run the brig on
shore, in attempting to run into Port
Francis, in the Isle of Pines; the schr-
anchored close by her. Shortly after
they shot the man that told them had
money on board. On the 9th they put
me on board of my brig, and despatch
ed men, to search the Isle of Pines for
the mate and the men that were with
him, thinking he had landed on the
island. On the 18th, the schr. went on
, a cruise on the 18th she returned, in
6 company with the brig Mechanic her
: lprize. Previous to her return, the men
left on board of my brig had got her OF,
= and run her up the Bay about twenty
five miles. They anchored the brig,
and then ordered me on board of the
: Pirate, where Iremained until the 18th.
In the mean time they, discharged the
: cargo of the brig Mechanic, consisting
of sugars -all of the hogsheads and bar
: lrels were searched for specie, and then
9 hove them overheard. hey then took
out the cargo of the Reuben and Eliza,
, except the salt, and put it on board the
Mechanic. Two of my men were on
. board of the Pirate, when she went out
on her cruise, but when she returned
they were not on board of the schooner
5 or brig, nor any person belonging to the
p brig. The captain of the Pirate, told
5 me he had put them on board of the
brig Harriet, but as that brig has arrived
at Boston without them, fear they will
not be heard ofany more, as there was
a great quantity of blood on the Me-
chanic's deck. They told me that they
had killed pig, which was the cause
of this blood. They informed me that
there were eighteen persons on board
of the Mechanic, and that they fired
into them when they came along side,
which was in the night. They informed
; me that previous to my capture they
had taken a Newbury port schr. from
the Island of st. Domingo, and the
brig South Carolina, from Marseilles,
= bound to Havana, and that another pi-
rate had taken Capt Morgan, in a YES
sci belonging to the United States, from
New Orleans, bound to Havana, name
; not recollected. On the 18th they put
me on board of my brig, giving me one
/ trunk, two old suits of clothes, and four
/ shirts. They then left her in charge OF
their men and four from the shore. On
the 10th the brig Mechanic, and Pirate