The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-07-24
THE PIRATICAL SEIZURE OF THE
SCHR. QUEEN OF THE WEST.

~S~SA'
The following, taken from the New Bedford
Mercury, contains some further particulars of
the capture OF the schr. Queen OF the West, of
Dartmouth, Mass, and massacre of her crew,
On the coast Of Madagascar, noticed, some
time back in the Dispatch. They are derived
from report addressed to Mr.. s. de Billigney,
Consul Of France, at Zanzibar, by Mr.. Dau.
riace. captain Of the French steam corvette
Luchimidu. dated
am at this mome6t very miSi ol5up up&adG, az
we'll as the Special Commandment, with an af-
fair of some importance. We learned about .
week ago, that the entire crew OF the Amer
can schooner Queen of the West, which sailed
from Mes Ben in November last, for the purpose
of looking for tortoise shell, on the eastern
coast OF Made gascar, at Port Levro, few
leagues from Cape Amber, was massacred BY
tortoise hunters, who afterwards pillaged and
burnt the vessel. The men who committed
this act of piracy belong to Mas Mitzen, whose
chief Ismaire has frequent intercourse with
the Special Commandment. As soon as we
were apprised Of this event, we decided to ex.
act from Isimiare the surrender OF the guilty
parties, and Of such goods as they might have
in their hands. IL is not always easy with
these people-wh0 are very nearly certain oi
impuniiy-to obtain satisfaction for their mIs
deeds. They are, SO TO say. wandering tribes;
are very little confined TO their huts ; and al
the least fear, they take refuge 10 the high
lands, where ii is impossible to pursue them
with success. Atiast, lsimiare complied with
toerably good grace, but not without many
stratast IN .lHe sent Us from Mas Mitzien hll
the criminals but one, who had succeeded IN
reaching Madagascar; there were fifteen OF
them: each one brough his share OF the boo
~ /: we collected a sum of l400 francs, silver
bracelets, some pieces Of tortoise shell they
only took the silver and such objects as could
be easiIy carried away, their pirogues not
being large enough TO carry of the merchan-
die. .,ooo
The schooner might be at distarss ofl0OO
10 200 metres from the shore OF the Island Of
Mas Miizien, anchored in five faihoms 0i wa
ter: these villains eudeayored to sever the
chain by fling il, with the expectation OF get
ting the vessel on the beach, ibut they did not
succeed. They might easily have effected
this. had they noticed the chain was divided
into several pieces, joined together merely by
lock. After about an hours work OF plum
der, they cut down the masls, and made use of
them 10 FIRE The vessel, which continued burn
ing until the next morning. II seems that al
low water she may be seen at the bottom.
We have established committee OF inquiry,
IN order To 0DtaiU u kuOWiCuSC Os sAS soSsSt
and especially TO make sure that all the men
who have been given up TO Us are indeed the
guilty parties. All the deposiiioDs agree to-
seiher. The FIRST, Who wasj taken alone and
immediately inierrogaied, is quiie 2 young
man, who, through iear, and in the hope o.
saving HE life, has entirely revealed the con
spiracy. Confronted with the others, whose
plan OF defence had been perfectly concerned
although void OF probability, ne Obliged Inem
TO tell the truth. Confounded BY his appear
anee. they concealed nothing further, and ex-
planned to US bow they had proceeded. We
even know who killed each individual OF inc
crrw. The captain and his brother wess =.
snssiraled ia the room into which the vHlaans
had Induced them TO descend on Pselenee -
There wele Eve persons on beard, one g!
whom was ship boy. The isiaes nos
killed, he having hid hi,nrelf in the noao snd
persisted there, either BY IRE or ~ consequenee
of the sinking Of the Schooner. z salsoa,
armed with q three OF four bsffeiIed pocket
pistol, fred OF each barrel success'vely, but
without hitting any 81 The pifaies. nve O. wnom
threw themselves into me go = ing nIst cs-
charge. Seeing lhal be VS. about y g over
come. BE eudeavored - Dc hkswise ] the roo
bers caught him nsas the buiwasks and muir
dcfed him.
We could ues fsd cut The prscise day On
which Is e1ins was eommiasd. We are