Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-09-23

armed with muskets and spears, surrounding
,wo, oftbe boats, which they had drawn up on
the beach and were plundering. Capt. Graves
ran in advance Of us towards the boat, which
was at anchor, and was pursued by six or seven
of the natives, as far as the water, when tney
overlook him and speared him. When ne leh
into the water, they left him, and ran BACK "
the boats on the beach. For a few moments
Capt. Graves rose, and staggered 70 the shoie'
where he was again attacked by them, and "hi'e
raising up his hands to ask mercy OF them, wa.
speared several times and at last shot. ne ien
OF. his back, and was Immediately surrounded
by the natives, who stripped him OF every thlng'
While this was going on, we were emp
our escape, but they cut US on ana Only ,nree
of us reached the boat. l was last, ara was
pursued by two OF them, each armed win t"o
spears, as far as the boar, when l selzeu a fusty
musket, and aimed it at them. lhey lmmeal-
ately sunk, and did not rise againtll they reaci',
ed the shore. Several OF our shlpmales haa
waded off up 10 their chins, crying Tor help,
but the natives pursued them, and stabbed them.
On getting into the boat found John Mills ana
John Adams, who had run down the beach a.
head of me-, the cook 10 whose charge the boat
was left, two Portuguese who had come OH a
few moments before the massacre, and a little
boy, John Loft, who ran down with the captain
and swan TO the boat
The whole number, we left on shore was
fourteen, all Of whom were massacrcd. except
ing Charles Fisher, a little boy, and two. OF the
men, who were made prisoners by the natives.
Fisher was afterwards ransomed by Captain
Bates, of this town, but soon died in conse'
uuence of the ill treatment, which he had re-
ceiyed from the natives. The two men were
prisoners at the time Fisher was ransomed.
We got under way and steered northerly Tor
Maiumba. ALL we had on board TO subslst up
on was a little water, and a small quantity OF
bread dust, which we found at the bottom oil
the bag. We continued thus coastlng Tor ten
days, stopping at times in search OF shell f'n'
and only finding three crabs and an eel, which
we divided among US. We were frequently
pursued by the natives.
On the eleventh day, in the afternoon, a o1g
passed within eight or nine miles OF us, but we
were unable TO make known to her our situa-
ton. We sailed up the Bay, and soon disco
yered several vessels at anchor. we roWed up
TO one Of them which proved the Reaper, be-
longing to this town, commanded by captain
Johnson. One Of the other vessels was the oy-
reu, Captain Kinsman, likewise belonging TO
this town Capt. Johnson received us ON board,
and TO the kind and assiduous attentions which
were paid to us by all on BOARD, | feel that we
are indebted for the preservation OF our lives.
The next morning, after we arrives a boat came
along side, which proved TO be our missing
boat with the mates crew. They had arrived a
few hours before we came in, and had Fortunate
ly succeeded in getting provisions from the ma
along the coast.
| shipped on board of the Syren, Captain
Kinsman, and sailed soon after for the East
Indies, aud thence to this town, where | arrived
on the Goth of last month. Mills and Adams
worked their passage to Pulo Penang, and then
TO London. l left the two Portuguese at Ma
iumba The other of my shipmates, who es-
capped the massacre with us, John Loft, was LETT
with Capt. Bates Of this town, who sent him on
board of a British man of war
| was at Vavoo, one of the Friendly Islands,
in the same ship, commanded by Capt. Powell,
in the voyage before this, when the captain and
our boats crew were cut off by the natives.
HENRY CRUTTENDEN.
Salem, Sept l2h, 1926.