Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-09-12

Ferhaps, however, the strongest points are adhe-
slvenes-, coneentrstiseness, and frmness. These
indicate mistaken courage, and intense love Of home
and kindred. He is, taking him fou ali in all, one
calculated to excite the deepest interest in his be-
half, ard just the man to invent and become the
leader in such an event as that which has thrown
him on our shores.
For four days after leaving Havana, oil went well
except that the winds were ahead. Guanaja is only
about 800 miles from the city of Havana, aud is stu
eted in the province ofPuerto Principe, on the Island
of Cuba.
On the fifth night, the Captain being asleep on a
mattress on deck, with his mulatto slave by his tide,
was attacked by this Chief, with a sugar knife
The first blow did not infict great injury, for after
receiving it, he called to Antonio, also his own slave,
and a cabin boy, to get some bread and throw it
among the negroes, hoping thereby to pacify them.
The Captain defended himself brayelv, but he was
overpowered by Joseph, who split his head open.
While Joseph was engaged with the Captain, three
others were attacking the mulatto slave and the
white men In the meantime the other negroes
were making the most dreadful noises imaginable.
While killing the Captain and the mnlatto, the man
at the wheel and another Spanish sailor. let down
the stern boat and escaped. After the bloody BUSH
ness was finished, Joseph attacked Senior Montez,
and would have killed him but for the interference
OF others. As it was, Senior Moutez received a
very dangerous wound on the head, and another on
the arm. When the attack ceased, Montez went
below. Ruiz had been on deck, but no attempt was
made to hurt him. Joseph followed Montez, and
leading him on deck, tied his hands. Ruiz was tied
Immediately afterward, and then both were dashed
together. Joseph and his three companions then
went below and ransacked the cabin, after which,
he armed them with sugar knives, similar to that
be used. This weapon is about2 90 inches long, and
3 broad at the end. From that width il tapers off
to the handle, where it is simply a piece Of bar steel,
about an inch square. There were but four mus
kets on board, and the use of these was unknown to
the slaves. When the ransacking was ended, Mon
tez and Ruiz were allowed to go below. Next NOR
ming Montez was taken out Of the cabin, and, al
though dangerously wounded, compelled to steer to
the Eastward. Having been master of a ship in
early life, he understood boxing about without ma
king head way. All this time the negroes pointed
to the sun and then to their knives, and if for a mo-
ment the vessel veered perceptibly, they brandish-
ed their knives over the head Of Montez in a most
horrible manner. The poor wretches knew that
they had come from where the sun appeared to rise,
but they understood nothing of navigation, and were
easily deluded.
About two days after the rising they had a heavy
gale, which drifted them into the Bahama Channel.
Here they boxed about again, but saw no vessels;
at last, being out of water, the negroes ordered
Montez to make the nearest land, which proved to
be the Island of St. Andrews. Here the negroes
met no one. After this Montez steered for New
Providence, but the negroes we're not disposed to
land. by this time Joseph had learned 10 steer,
and he took the helm in the day, leaving one of the
white men to steer at night. Every night Joseph
slept near the helm, and had two of the most trusty
negroes by his side watching, and ready to awake
him on the least alarm.
During this interval the negroes broke open the
matches and pillagcd the cargo. Among il they
found wine, raisins, and a great quantity of medi.
cinei all this they ate Unfortunately. Ten died
IN a short time, and others would have done so, had
not Joseph forbidden the rest to touch any thing
but what he gave them. ANY infraction Of this
wholesome regulation brought down on the head of
the offender a severe personal chastisement from
the hands of the Chief. Joseph lived temio
during the whole trouble, and insisted on the most
perfect obedience to his orders. The only food ca
ten was p~ortioned out by his hand, and not a box of
the cargo opened but under his direction. He di-
vided the spoil, taking the smallest portion for him
self. he was the master spirit on board; every
thing felt his influence. We confess that during all
this time the whites were in a most wretched con-
dition, and their hope of escape very small. In
the night they steered to the west, and succeeded
in Persuading Joseph to keep to the north of east
in the day.
About the 18th of this month, as the Spaniards
suppose, for they had lost knowledge of dates and
days, they came in sight ofLong Island. In the in.
terval they had been boarded by several vessels, one
of which supplied them with a d~emijohn of water.
They had seen many vessels and signalized them,
but were unable to call their attention. When any
vessel came alongside. Joseph would stand by Ruiz,
the only man who speaks English, and watch him
with fearful intensity.
The organ of communication between Senior Ru-
IL and the Congolese, was Antonio, the Captains
slave. He is by birth an African, but has lived in
('lhn aIObf or ton Ha snaalsa In,h g..
lese and Spanish. He had been employed as cabin
boy, and could Joseph have dispensed with his as
sistance, he would have been killed.
On the 20th of this month they were hailed by
pilot boat No. 3, which gave them some apples
Joseph having some fear of betrayal, would not al
low Ruiz to speak with these. Pilot boat No. 4
came alongside also, but they were not permitted
to board. On the Gath they made Montsuk light,
and stood for it, hoping to run the vessel ashore,
but The tide drifted them up the bay. They then
came to anchor off Culloden Point, where the me-
groes went ashore 10 lay in water. Between the
18th and gath they had anchored about thirty times,
at different places on the coast.
The negroes who went ashore at Culloden were
almost naked, and the inhabitants were exceeding
ly alarmed. They were two days in the neighbor-
hood without any attempt being made to arrest
them. Only in two instances did they succeed in
bartering with the inhabitants for provisions, once
for a d~oubloon, and once for a musket. While en-
gagged in watering they were fallen in with by Capt.
Green, and another gentleman from Sag Harbor,
who had visited the roint on a shooting excursion.
Capt Green immediaielysa saw that all was not right,
and gave them to understand that they should be
taken care OF. There appears to be something con-
Trajectory in the report of these gentlemen, who
say that the negroes asked what country they were
in, to which the Americans replied America. Then,
according to the statement of the gentlemen, they
asked the negroes if they had any money on board,
had, and went on board and brought back two
trunks, which they said contained 400 doubloons.
Capt. Green said he lifted the trunks and heard the
money rattle. He then told them that in the NOR
ming be womb pilot them into Sag Harhor. nnon