The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-18

Interesting from tho straits OF Magellan.
Messrs Hudson & Smith, of the Merchants Ex-
change. Boston, have furnished the following inter
esting intelligence:
Mn. Il. II. BOURNE, FnEE.--Several letters. which
had been enclosed in bottles and thrown overheard
in the Straits of Magellan and the Pacific Ocean,
have been picked up and forwarded TO the city.
The most important of these contains the gratifying
intelligence that Mr. Bourne, mate OF the schooner
John Allyne, had escaped from the Indians IL will
be recollected that the schooner John Allyne, Cap
tain Brownell, from New Bedford, while ut anchor
in the Straits, had three of her men, who
shore, detained by the Indians, who demanded
ransoms for their liberty. Their demands
complied with, but they treacherously detained Mr..
Bourne, and the schooner had put off without him.
The following letter explains the circumstances:
"BoRoIA BAY, Nov. 20, ls49.--On the 18th day
OF February, lS49, the schooner John Alyne sailed
from New Bedford for California, Allen Brownell,
master, Is. +. Bourne, mate, and % others. On the
last day of April entered the Straits of Magellan
and came to anchor at IL o'clock the same night,
10 miles below the First Narrows. On the LIST Of
May, with three others, went ashore and were taken
prisoners by the Indians. They let the others go
by paying bottles OF rum and lbs Of tobacco, and
agreed TO let me go by paying. the same which was
brought ashore and given to them; but after they
got it they would not let 60, but carried me Off
They would not take to Port Famine, but to
Port Santa Cruz
English boat, and was taken to Sea Lion Island,
where arrived August Z. was prisoner ninety
seven days. On the 9Th of OctoberI went on board
the ship Hudson, Captain Cliff of Mystic, Conn,
tender, the schooner Washington. On the 2sth Of
October boarded the schooner Hopewell, Of Bos-
ton, Captain Norton, from Antigua for San Fran
CISCO On the next day we entered the Straits, &c.
Any person finding this, bound to England or the
United States, would confer great favor by pub
fishing it. BENJAMIN F. BOURNE"
Another letter signed by Mr.. Bourne, but written
in different hand contains account of the muir
der of Captain Eaton, who appeared to be trading
for horses with the Indians. The name of the ves-
sci to which he belonged is not given. The letter
says:
Captain Eaton had bought and paid for horses,
but the Indians refused to deliver Them but after
wards six Of the Indians went board and told
Captain Eaton the horses were coming, and while
looking through his spy to see if such were the
fact the Indians stabbed him. Douglass rushed to
his assistance, but ovcrpowered and taken pri-
soner. Sims also made prisoner. The Indians
agreed to release them for rum beads copper, Sc;
so Mr.. Bourne told by Captain Hull Messrs.
Sims and Douglass did not belong to the vessel of
which Eaton was captain. They were guano ira
ders on the coast
The above, though imperfect in ITSELF may serve
clue by which to trace the fate of these men.
Here is another letter dated "On board the schooner
Hopewell, of Boston, Morton, for San Francisco:
"BoRoIA BAY, Nov. 90, 1s49.
awe anchored here yesterday, eighty five days
from Antigua, West Indies Have been twenty
four days in the Straits of Magellan, with a fair
prospect of being a month longer. All well.
shall sail tomorrow, the Lord willing. Hoping the
finder Of this better luck, &c.
COLBERT MORTON,
"Master of schr Hopewell."
Captain Morton picked up bottle, which con-
tanned letter from on board the schooner Francis
CO, Mayo, from New York for California. On the
25th Of August, she encountered severe gale, in
which she sprung her foremost and jib- BOOM She
put into st. Caharne's, and sailed again October7
in company with the barque Perseverance. Captain
Heath, from Providence, one hundred and three
days. for California. On the 9Th of November, the
schooner Francisco anchored at Port Gallant, and
found there the schooner Curlew, (of Salem,)
Treadway, from Providence, October 800 for Cal
iforna. The Francisco remained at Borgia Bay,
November Is, at p. m, detained by a head wind.
The letter from which the above is compiled is
signed by Geo. Gilbert, of Providence, RI, and
also by the captain owners, and eight passen-
gers.
A postscript says eve have supplied the schr.
Curlew with thirty fathoms of chain, she had
lost anchor and chain in Passage Bay; also sup
piled her with a second mate, Charles d. Wooley,
Of New York"
Roanoke, (Which arrived at San Francisco Deem
Der 81 } also picked up. II dated ''Forte
que Bay" October 10. II gives brief account of
her passage through the Straits of Mallegan, and
ends with request, like all the others, that the
finder would "pease publish" We indebted
to John Tirre Smith, esq, for the of the letters
from which the above is compiled They were
Ian, by Indians, and from them were obtained by
trader, who sent them to Mr.. Smith.
FRoM SAN FRAScrsco.-The New York CONNER