The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-07-14
From the Charleston Courier Of June 25
PIRACY AND MURDER.

rived at this port Yesterday, from Havana, via
hey West. We are indebted to captain G.. fol
the following account of the capture of YES
sci by pirates and The murder cf portion OF
the crew.
HAVANA, june 19.--The following is II state
ment, with some Of the particulars, Of the loss ri
The Br brig Vernon, having been captured by
pirates ON the LIST of May 1910, together will, a
list OF the crew saved, and those murdered
which you are at liberty To publish, with what.
ever additional comments you are pleased Ia
| make. '.r l'a.....
! The Br. Brig Vernon left Janlnica on the 26tl,
OF April, with cnrgo of IS puncheons of rum,
ami crew consisting Of James Cunningham
master, resident of Halifax, John McCloud
mate, resident Of Halifax, George Mccoy, Ben
lanin Peach EdwardNorton and james TYLER
coored man, cook, all bound for HnIiinx. On
the LIST of May, AT 10 o'clock A. M. with San
Antonio bearing S. of W.. 3 leagues distant, n
boat was seen coming from the shore and ma !.
king for the brig. Al first sight the captain sup
posed it to he filed with some shpwrecked sea
men, he bore down for it, but the wind being
light there was but little progress made. On
the proximity of the brig to the boat, the latter
was discovered TO contain seven men, armed
with muskets and knives. ..'
When within reach Of their shots, they poured
volley after volIey at the briggs crew, who were
obi'ged to retreat below, with the exception of
hInd the masis. Here they remained without
any hopes OF life except by quiet submission, for
there were no arms on board, until the pirates
came alongside, when, by motion to go below
made by the waving Of the hand of the hand
made ny one OF the pirates, they too reluctantly
went below and thus left The deck clear for the
pirates, who Immediately boarded and order
ed the captain TO come OIL deck.-On the cap.
tains oheying their command one of them sta.
ted that Spanish man of war was lying at an.
Choir in the river and had sent for their papers
They next ordered the flag to be hoisted, and
OF dered the vessel steered toward the land
which was done, ard at night the brig was an.
chored in shore, close to fishermnn's hut. The
sails were Glued up and the crew ordered aloft
to furl them; after this was done they conduc.
ted each one as he came down from nloft end
confined them together in the forecaste, and
closed il tight In about an hour and half they
opened the scut,le and ordered them on deck;
on coming on deck they saw there Was an
addition 10 the pirates gang, of four fishernen;
who with The first SET, were eating and drink
ing The crew were then allowed something
to eat. During the whole night strict watch
WAS kept by the pirates, and no one was allowed
10 approach them.
The next morning they ordered the crew to
get the brig underway, and after all the sails
were set they steered the vessel about ten miles
along the coast, where river discharging
itself into the sea Up the river they conducted,
the river is Panic Del Rio. Here they ran the
brig ashore, and ordered the crew to discharge
the cargo. They obliged Capt Cunningham to
assist in unloading, although he was feeble from
age. When the cargo was out, they ordered
the captain aud three OF the crew INTO their boat
which had already five pirates in It. The pi.
rites told them oil that they were not going 10
kill them, hut going to get ballast for the brig.
They made the sailors row the boat, and
when about four gnnshots from the brg,,he work
Of death began, by one of the pirates in the how
Of the boat stabbing the cook i'm the heart. This
was about four o'clock, and the signal they had
TO commence the massacre was The order to
cease rowing.
After killing the cook they threw his body
overheard, and then stabbed him again, while in
the water. AT this moment Peach jumped over
board, and made for the shore, among the man
grove bushes, in which he secreted himself
Once he looked back, and saw the captains
head over the gunwale OF the boat, and the pi
rates cutting his throat. The body Of another
sailor of Passport (Nle.) was hanging lifelesss
a,hwnrt the boat. Young Peach after thns es-
Gaping from their hands, travelled ten miles,
through mangrove bushes part OF the time, and
Ivy swimming the rest in the water. He was strip.
ped, as they all were by the pirates of every
thing but their panialoons; hence his feet were
continually bleeding, from the crtsg he received
on the coral rocks. During this long period he
had nothing TO subsist on hut wild ppgeon he
killed with stick, on the 81 morning when in
the mangrove bushes; still he wandered on
sucking the blood and eating the flesh Of this
bird. At last he saw a small schooner sailing
along the coast, but il growing dark he soon lost
sight other.
Here he slept all night, and on the morrow
saw with mistrust the schooner had reached
in shore, and fearing lest he was about to fall
Into the hands of some Of the same gang, he hes
itaied n moment. but such was his miserable con
dition from starvation and thirst, anil the heat OF
the sun on his bare body, that he had rather die
than continue such n miserable existence. He
therefore swan off to the schooner, and threw
himself upon his knees and begged for life and
water. The captain not understanding him
but surprising him to he a cast away sailor, took
care of him, and by signs made him understand
that he was safe. After seeing the unfortunate
attended to, Capt. Antonio Peloso, the worthy
Spanish captain of the schooner coasted along
the shore in search of the vessel supposed to be
wrecked. When he came within six miles of
Cape Antonio, he landed at the place where
English sailor pointed out thinking that the
r