The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-09-10

safely into the port of New London. We are
indebted 30 the New London Gazette for an Of
fetal account of the capture, and M interesting
description of the condition of the schooner
and the history of the crew, which we give be
| low:
United States brig Washington, }
New London, August 26, 1889.
"Whils this vessel was sounding this day be
tween GARDENERS and Montank Points, Il schoon
| er was seen lying in shore off Culoden point
under circumstances so suspicious to author
Use Liuet. Com. Gedney to stand in to sec wha
was her character. Seeing number of people
on the the beach with carts and horses, and q
boat passing to and fro, boat was armed and
dispatched with an officer to board her. On
coming alongside number of negroes were
discovered OH her deck, and twenty or thirty
more on the heach-two white men came for
ward and claimed the protection of the officer
The schooner proved TO be the "Amistad." Capl
Ramonhues, from the Havana, bound to Guam
ala, Port Priscipe, with fifty four blacks and
two passengers on board. The former, four
nights after they were out, rose and murdered
the Captain and three Of the crew, they then
took possession of the vessel with the intention
of returning TO the coast of Africa. Pedro
Monies, passenger, and Jose Rues, owner of the
slaves and part OF the cargo, were only saved
| TO navigate the vessel. After boxing about foI
| four days in the Bahama Channel, the vessel
was steered for the Island of ST. Andrews, near
| New Providence from thence she went 10
Green Key, where the blacks laid in supply OF
water. After leaving this place the vessel was
steered by Pedro Monies for New Providence
| tue negroes being under the impression that she
was steering for the coast of Aricu-lhey
would not, however, permit her to enter the
port, but anchored every night off the coast
| The situation of the two whites was all this
time truly deplorable, being treated with the
| greatest severity, aud Pedro Monies, who had
charge of the navigation, was suffering from
| two severe wounds, one in the head and one in
the arm, their lives threatened every instant
He was ordered TO change the course again for
the coast OF Africa, he negroes themselves steer
ing Ivy the sun in the day time, whilst at night
he would alter their course to bring them
back to thCir original place of destination. They
remained three days off Long Island, TO the
eastward of New Providence, fter which time
they were two months on the ocean, sometimes
steering to the eastward, and whenever an occa-
sion would permit, the whites would alter the
! course to the northward and westward, always
in hopes of falling in with some vessel of war
or being enabled to run into some port when
they would be relieved from their horrd situa-
ton. Several times they were boarded by yes
sells once by an American from Kingston. On
these occasions the whites were ordered below,
while the negroes communicated and traded
with the vessel the schooner from Kingston
the moderate sum of one doubloou-the schoon
or, whose name not asccrtained finding that
the negroes had plenty of money, remained
dashed alongside the "AmiSad' for twenty four
hours though they must have been aware thai
all was not RIG INT on board, and probably sls-
Pected the character of the vessel--this was on
the 18th of the present month. The vessel was
steered to the northwG::! and westward and on
the 10Th instant, distant from New York twenty
tive miles, the Pilot boot No. 3, came alongside
and gave the negroes some apples. She was
also hailed by No. A, but when the latter boat
came near, the negroes armed themselves and
would not permit her to board them they
were so eXasperated with the two whites Cor
bringing them SO much out of their way, that
they expected every moment to be murdered
On the 24th they made Montank Light and
steered for it i'll the hope of running the vessel
ashore, but the tide drifted them up the bay
| and they anchored where they were found by
the brig Washington, off CulEoden point. The
| negroes were found in communication with the
shore, where they laid in fresh supply of wa
ter, and We're on the point of sailing again tol
the coast Of Africa They had a good supply
OF money with them, some of which it is likely
was taken by the people on the beach. After
they were disarmed and sent on board from tho
beach, the ringieader, jumped overheard witt
three hundred doubloons about him, the proper
ty of the Captain, all of which he su cceeded il
loosing from his person, and then permitted him
sefto be captured, The schooner was taken il
tow by the brig and carried into New London
The above account of The capture was writ
ten by one of the officers Of the Washington
On Tuesday morning, the editor of the Nov
London Gazette went on board of the Wash
ington and Ell Amstad, and gives the following
account of his visit:
. Tuesday, IL o'clock, A. NJ.
| We have Just returned from a visit TO tn,
Washington and her prize, which are riding Il
anchor in the bay near the fort. On board thu
former we and conversed with The two
Spanish gentlemen who were passengers oil
board the schooner, as well as owners of the ne
groes and most Of the cargo. One of them
Jose kues, is very gentlemanly and intelligen
young man, and speaks English fluenty. III
was the owner of most of the slaves and cargo
which ne was conveying ito Ehis estate on lh
island OF Cuba. The other, Pedro Monies, il
apout nifty years ofage, and is the owner of 8 o
Inc slaves He was formerly n shin master auC