Eastern times., 1855-11-08
A Ship Seized by two Black Fellows.

We are indebted to Captain Bowles, of the
schooner Black Dog, which arrived from the
Islands July 9Th, for the following report Of
daring and murderous piracy committed on
board the ship John, of New Bedford, by two
South Sea Islanders. The particulars were
supplied 10 Captain Bowles, By one Francis
John, a white man, stationed on Roche's
Island, in latitude degrees 35 minutes north,
long tude l76 degrees, minutes east. 1t ap-
pears that on April 18th vessel was seen
standing towards the Island from the south
east, and the Black Dog being expected there,
several canoes put off to meet her. No soon
er were they alongside, however, than two
natives presented firearms, and drove them
away. Francis John, seeing the vessel in dis
tress, then pulled to her, when he was hailed
BY the natives, who inquired to what country
he belonged, and it not TO London. On an
swerlng In the affirmative, he was warned off,
as ''no white maH was wanted alongside. -
believing the vessel to have been forcibly taken
by the two natives, he Communicated his sus-
picions 10 two other natives who were IN his
canoe, and made an attempt 10 board her but
was repelled with loaded muske,s. Finding
it impossible TO get on board, he returned n
the shore. Subsequently another canoe.
manned by natives, went alongside, and en-
tered into conversation with the pirates, who
divulged the horrid deed of which they were
guilty, and the motives that led to its commit
tai. The captain of the John having i'll used
them, they took advantage of the absence Of
two boats, and the greater portion of the crew,
to indulge an insatiate desire for revenge
Besides two natives and the captain, the cook
and cooper were left on board. These they
killed. After the capture of a whale, the
mates boat went alongside with ii; he was
killed with spades, and all his crew but one
man, who pushed off from their reach and was
left astern, the vessel having some way upon
her. Shortly after the second mates boat
went alongside he and three men were
killed, the remaining two having succeeded in
pushing off from her, and Joined the other
boat. In this predicament they were left on
the wide sea without compass or food. This
statement was voluntary on the part of the pi-
rates, and from information gained from the
natives of Roche's Island, is believed by Capt.
Bowles to be correct. On being asked where
the ship was bonnd, the pirates replied, .sto
Ocean Island, " but if unable to make it, they
would run her ashore where no white man
lived. Francis John, the white man, read the
ships name,-s'John, of New Bedford - she
had jib, foresail, foretopsail, main and main
topsail set. The maintopgallantmast had been
cut away. The mizzen topsail, topgallantsail
and spanker were also set. She was on the
starboard tack, and seemed to have been so
from the time Of her seizure, as both fore and
main tacks were well down, which could hard
ly be accomplished by two blacks. When
last seen she was steering wild from north TO
west. Prior to leaving, the pirates offered to-
bacco and other inducements 10 the natives Of
Roche's Island to join them, but 10 no purpose.
The Black Dog arrived at Roche's Island,
April 30, twelve days after the Johns visit
Had the interval been shorter, Capt. Bowles
would have made some attempt to discover her
hereabouts-Sydney Empire, July IL.
The captain of the John was Otis Tilton, Of
Edgartown, the first mate Henry c. Allen, Of
New Bedford, and the second mate Isaac w.
Gallop, of New London.