The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-04-22

COM. PORTER SfSt 3DiON-
Extract Ct d letter from intelligent officer o. I'aa
the Peacock dated
"C s. ship Pearoh
,U1taa.as, .Haflh 70, 1928.
The fifteenth day after leaving the Capes q
Virginia, the squadron arrived az IT. Thomas
and hearing Of some Porto Rico Pryateers On
tile south side Of the Island, the Shark and three
s.liooners were dispatched an hour after uey
anchored, and the next morning proceeded with
TILE rest Of tie squadron FOR 81. Johns II. l{J ~
call on the government Tor cooperation, coun-
tenance, and support, in our operations, and Ior
information to enable tie squadron 20 know ana
respect the regular cruisers 4 letter 10 tEis
effect was sent ia bv one Of the vessels OF the
squadron. which went IN a little before the Brit
,sh squadron, with whom the Commodore had
previously communicated. Sic was directed to
wait two DAYS for the Captain General ; answer.
On the second day, as We intended 10 bear away
fur the west end Of the Island for water anoih-
or schooner was sent to apprIsc the commander
of the first to that effect, aud Oh approaching the
batteries thry opened their FIRE % her, and the
fourth SHOT Killed her commanders Lieut. Com.
Cooke. The outrage, no doubt, VIII be repre-
scented ID It's true coofs to Our government, ana
nothing can Or ought 10 satisfy but the punish
meat Of the officer who gave the order, which
u
thc pert. Nothing can Justify their conduct and
1t y in vain for them 70 say tllt they did not
know tic true CharaCte Of The vessel
Finding the vessels did not rcioin the squad
ron as soch IS was expected, We repaired q me
west cnd of tie Island, and went Into Aguaaiila,
where in a few days the whole squadron was con
ccntratcJ. These which went down to the sou,h
side boarded several cruisers Of tie Patriot and
Spanish service, all Of which were of good char
actcr, and produced certificates from American
captains, Of eood conduct.
The squadron was now divided into four parts,
two Of which were sent down tie south side Of
St Domingo and Cuba, and iEU 81 The north
side, to scolr the coast, and r4ull1,o.s att
ThornnsOns Island. Tie PcacoCi, auI two
schooncrs formed one division, ana left 10 hole
or corner unsearched, but thus far without sue
cc5s. Tor week past and more, ali the boats
and most 81 the crew ot the Peacock, lhaving
barely sufficient to work tie ship il IL most dan
gerous navigation in the world, the old straits of
Bah1ma,) have been engaged with the two
sChouneTs IN examining Ole Keys and coast fJrl
about three hundred miles 70 the windwar3 ell
this Place, and Joined the Peacock the day a.terl
Ter ARRIVAL al liatcuZ-s.
Several vessel and parties Of a suspicious
character have been fallen in with, but hoR they
are ever q be known as pirates, except they are
caught I'll tile act ID y impossible To say III all
wcx apprcheHded that are suspicious, every
coasting vessel about the Island would be stop
ped Us here il good reason to believe they are
aII concerned. They art one day drogCrs, tLe
next, wOod-cuttcrss saltg ,.tAcreIs, fishermen,
as best suits them and every Spaniard being
armed with knife, they require no other wcap-
Oh III their mode ol warfare.
The most horr1 atrocities committed by
them have come 10 our ears Whole ships crew
have been Unfortunately murdered. a Dutch
vessel was, few days before our arrival, burnt
in a bay TO the windwarl of this, with all her
crew. Several vessels had been taken by them,
but not soul i LEFT 10 tell their fate.
On our arrival, we found a feet OF American
merchantmen waiting Tor conEoy-some had
been ready for twenty days, and not vessel oil
war on the coast To protect them The cOnse-
quence is, that we arc now delayed here TO
give the commerce that protection to which it
las q right Part 81 the force which was intend
ed solely for the pursuit and destruction Of pi-
rates will have to be employed in conveying our
merchant vessels.
-Four piratCal vessels have been moored IN 4
bay called Seguassa, watching for the American
fleet; bat as soon As they heard Of our arrival,
they disarmed and dispersed. Last evening We
heard of Que with her prize to lceWard, and tie
sch0oners and boats were despatched after them.
We shall soon know the fate of the expedition
which, there IS every reason tO believe, viii
prove successful.