Schooner Allen.
About the twenty-seventh of December, 1823, I took charge of the Allen.
She was a small sharp-built schooner, armed with a long six-pound
cannon, mounted on a circle, with a patent slide, and was well fitted
for sea. My crew were three seamen, a mate and cook. We sailed from
New-York the twenty-ninth of December, and made our passage to the
Island of Old Providence in seventeen days, where we stopped and traded
two or three days, and then proceeded to the Island of St. Andreas,
where I met Mr. Henry T. Smith, who had been my former clerk in the
Indian trade. I supplied him with what goods he wanted and then sailed
for Chagres. On my arrival there I wrote a letter to the American Consul
at Panama, informing him that I had a consignment of goods on board for
him. After a few days I received a letter from a Mr. Montaudevert,
informing me that Mr. Craig, the consul had left Panama and departed for
New-York on a visit, leaving him in charge of his business during his
absence. In three or four days after I received his letter he arrived at
Chagres and took lodgings on board with me. The next day he hired a
large canoe to take the goods up the river to a place called Cruses, a
distance of forty-two miles, which is said to be the head of canoe
navigation on that river. The provisions I had on board was all put up
in half barrels for the customary mule transportation over the Isthmus,
by slinging two across each mule's back, two half barrels being a load
for a mule. After all our arrangements were made the canoe was hauled
alongside of the Allen. When she made her appearance there I was struck
with surprise at her length and breadth, she being some feet longer than
my little schooner. I took up a rule and measured her breadth, which I
found was eight feet from one side to the other, and her length over
sixty feet, being dug out of one solid tree, free from shakes or cracks.
In the morning we loaded the canoe with one hundred and forty-one half
barrels of flour, and twenty half barrels of pork and mackerel, and two
hogsheads filled with firkins of butter. The canoe had a large quantity
of other freight on board before she come alongside of the Allen. After
delivering all the goods consigned to Mr. Craig, I sold Mr. Montaudevert
thirteen hundred and forty dollars' worth of goods consigned to myself,
on a credit of ninety days, and took his note, payable in gold dust, at
two hundred and fifty dollars per pound, or Spanish dollars, at my
option. Mr. Montaudevert told me if I returned there in the Allen next
voyage he would ship on board of her on freight, thirty thousand
dollars' worth of dust. This may show the reader that gold dust has been
gathered in that region for many years; and if that country was as well
searched as California is at this day, no doubt many beds of that
valuable ore might be found. I remained in Chagres eight or ten days,
selling goods from the vessel at retail at good prices. Having four
hogsheads of rum and brandy on board, which I found was a contraband
article in that government, I entered them at the custom house for
exportation, and afterwards sold them to an American captain, who agreed
to meet me a few miles at sea, out of the jurisdiction of that
government, where I delivered them and received my pay.
The river Chagres is navigable for small vessels about half a mile
inside of the bar, which has about eleven feet of water on it at full
tide. The town contains about fifty huts, called houses, built after the
model of the Indians. The inhabitants are called Samboes, being a
mixture of native Indian, Negro, and white blood. They are a very
indolent, harmless, and inoffensive race; and their customs and manners
are much like the native Indians.
I got under weigh and proceeded a few miles to sea, when I found the
vessel lacked ballast, so we ran into Porto Bello and purchased a few
tons of fustic, which put her in good sailing trim, when we shaped our
course back towards the Island of St. Andreas, where I took Mr. Henry T.
Smith, and his return cargo on board, consisting of four hundred pounds
of tortoise shell, and five or six thousand dollars in gold and silver,
which he had collected for the owners of the Allen. We soon got under
weigh and shaped our course for New-York.
As my little schooner was a fast sailor, pilot-boat model, I beat to the
windward, hoping to get sight of the Island of St. Domingo and sail
through the windward passage. After a few days we succeeded in obtaining
sight of that Island and sailed along under the lee of it; keeping a
bright look-out for suspicious looking vessels. Knowing that my vessel
had been taken from the pirates, I was fearful that some of the former
gang who once had possession of her might capture me, when I could not
expect anything but immediate death.
[Illustration: Schooner Renegade firing into the Schooner Allen.]
The morning after we got sight of the Island we discovered a suspicious
looking schooner laying at anchor near the land, about five miles to the
windward of us, who got under weigh in great haste. I soon perceived
with my spy glass that her deck was full of men. She bore down towards
us, we hauled close upon the wind, which brought her into our wake about
four miles astern of us. Both vessels had their colors flying. Neither
of us dared to trust the other. Our new neighbor soon after rounded too,
hauled up his fore-sail, and fired a large shot, which we could plainly
discover skipping on the surface of the water some distance from us. I
took the helm myself and kept the vessel close to the wind, fearing my
seamen would be careless about steering her. The strange schooner
continued firing at us about every half hour, while we were going fast
to the windward of him, until about twelve o'clock. In the afternoon the
wind became light, when we discovered that the strange vessel was
gaining upon us. The captain afterwards informed me that he had thirty
sweeps, and most of his men employed in rowing for some hours, being
determined to overhaul us. We kept on our course until about 3 o'clock,
when we found ourselves near the land on the Island of Cuba, and the
suspicious craft gaining fast upon us. We had no alternative but to tack
ship; soon after, he fired a shot which struck under our bowsprit, and
wet our fore-sail up to the gaff, this was followed by another that
grazed our mast-head, and another fell a few feet under the stern. The
fourth shot struck the after leach of the main-sail and cut off the bolt
rope and the after-cloth of the sail, and glancing downwards, struck the
trunk-deck and entered the cabin, passed through my bed, and then
followed the ceiling into the hold, cutting away the plank and three
timbers and landed in a bag of cotton. Although the ball, weighing
thirty-two pounds, passed through the deck within six feet from where I
stood at the helm, being much engaged in giving orders to set the
square-sail, I did not discover that it had passed through the deck
until some minutes after, when the cook came out of the cabin and told
me that Mr. Smith was wounded by a splinter striking him on the head. I
then raised my spy-glass and took a good survey of my antagonist,
supposing him to be a pirate. On looking at him some time, (all hands on
board the Allen being greatly agitated,) I discovered a number of red
coats on her deck, when our grief was turned to joy, being satisfied
that they were English marines. Soon after she approached within hailing
distance of us, when I was ordered to hoist out my boat and come on
board of her. When I got on board I was accosted by the captain with,
"Did you not see the colors flying on board of my vessel." I answered,
"Yes, sir, but I do not trust to colors in these piratical days." He
then said, "You have cost me a great deal of powder and shot this day."
I answered, by saying, "Never mind, King George is able to pay for it."
He then asked me if my vessel leaked badly. I told him that I had but
little time to ascertain how bad she did leak, but knew that she had
some holes in her. He sent a lieutenant, carpenter, and four men on
board of the Allen to examine and pump her out, and invited me into the
cabin to drink with him. I told him I did not drink any ardent spirits;
he then said, "Damn it, you're a Yankee, and can take a bottle of cider
with me." After we entered the cabin and were seated, he looked at me
with a smile, saying, "Curse me if you ain't game, you stand fire well."
In the mean time he called the gunner to the cabin door, saying,
"Gunner, how many shot have you fired at this man this day." The gunner
answered him, "Sixteen thirty-two pound shot, and four long
twelve-pounders."
He then told me, if I thought it necessary to put into some port for
repairs, he would recommend Kingston, Jamaica, as the best to sail for;
and if I had any valuable articles in her, he would take them on board
of his vessel for safety, and convoy me to that port. I informed him
that I had over eight thousand dollars in specie, and four hundred
pounds of tortoise-shell, worth ten dollars per pound. In the mean time,
the lieutenant arrived from the Allen and reported that he thought she
could be kept perfectly free from water by having the pump well manned.
After some consultation together, he agreed to let his carpenter,
sailing master, and four seamen remain on board the Allen, and he would
hoist lights and signals, and convoy her to Kingston for repairs. He
then gave his name, and a history of himself and the schooner he now
commanded. He said, "About one year since I obtained a furlough from my
government, and took charge of a merchant ship bound from Liverpool to
Jamaica and back to that port. On my passage from Jamaica towards home I
was captured by the pirates, robbed of eight thousand dollars, and many
articles, and most cruelly beaten and horribly tortured. The vessel he
was now in was taken from the pirates by one of his Majesty's ships, and
carried into Jamaica, condemned, and then fitted out under the name of
the Renegade, for the purpose of capturing pirates; and that he was
appointed to the command of her, and was determined to cruise after them
until he had obtained some satisfaction from them." After this
conversation ended I went on board my vessel and followed the Renegade,
who shaped her course for Kingston. Night soon approached, when she
showed her signal light, which we followed. During the night the light
winds and smoky weather caused us to lose sight of her until the next
morning, when we found ourselves near a place called the White Horse,
about twelve miles from Port Royal, which lies at the entrance of
Kingston harbor. Our vessels were now laying becalmed a short distance
from each other. Soon after the sea-breeze arose, both vessels being
under weigh, near together, we set all our sails and steered for the
mouth of the harbor, and the Allen arrived there three miles ahead of
the Renegade. This satisfied me that the use of the sweeps on board of
the Renegade caused the long chase between us, and the loss of his
Majesty's powder and shot.
On my arrival at Kingston I called on Messrs. O'Hara & Onfloy for
advice, when we applied to the admiral on that station to allow the
Allen to be taken into the king's dock-yard for repairs, which he
refused. We then applied to the collector of the port for leave to take
out her cargo, in order to heave her bottom out of water and repair it.
The collector informed us that he could not grant us that leave without
permission from the governor, who resided at Spanish Town, twelve miles
from Kingston. We had to employ a competent person to draw the petition,
who let us know that we must advance him thirty dollars to purchase a
sheet of stamped paper to write the petition upon. After the article was
drawn I was obliged to hire a man and furnish him with a horse and
carriage to convey it to the governor, who granted my request. The only
favor I had to acknowledge was, the governor's sending me the thirty
dollars which I paid for the sheet of stamped paper, in consequence of
the assault being committed by an English-government vessel.
The carpenter hove the schooner's bottom out and repaired her in three
or four days; but I was detained eight days in obtaining a permit to
land the cargo for that purpose. The whole of the expenses were about
two hundred and sixty dollars. During this time I often met Captain
Fiatt, the commander of the Renegade, at public houses and elsewhere,
who was a gentleman in all respects. He was profuse in expressing his
regret that the unfortunate occurrence had happened to my vessel; and
was still full of his determination to pursue the pirates until he got
some revenge for the injuries he had received from them. After the
vessel was repaired I took on board four thousand six hundred dollars
belonging to my owners, and returned with the Allen to New-York. About
one year after, I visited Kingston on my way home from the Spanish Main.
When I inquired after Captain Fiatt, whom I left in the Renegade, an
English naval officer informed me that while cruising he landed with his
boat and crew on the Isle of Pines, and was missing for some time, when
another man-of-war's boat was sent in search of him. When the officer
and boat's crew landed on the Island they found the bodies of Captain
Fiatt and his boat's crew strewed on the ground, riddled with balls, and
the captain so horribly and vulgarly mangled as showed that none but
fiends could have been guilty of murdering them.
To give the reader some idea of the horrible atrocities committed by the
pirates at that time, I have thought proper to insert the following
account, copied from _The Evening Post_ of April 15th, 1822:
"_Commodore Porter's Squadron._
"_Piracies._--The last news that has been received from this
squadron is contained in the New-York papers extracted from the
_St. Thomas' Times_ of March 5. On the 4th the squadron got
under weigh and put to sea from St. Thomas'. Piracies of an
enormity that the bare recital of them make the blood run cold,
are continually taking place. A Dutch Brig was taken in sight
of Moro Castle, at Havanna. The French Brig La Jeune Henrietta
was taken on the 17th of March, the captain, passengers, and
all the crew were most cruelly beaten, and they and the vessel
robbed. The Schooner Success, from Matanzas, bound to New
Providence, was captured and converted into an assistant
pirate, two ladies, passengers, made prisoners, one of whom was
hanged up till life was almost extinct, in order to make her
confess where the money on board was secreted. The Dutch Brig
Minerva was captured and burned. The Brig Columbia, from
Washington, North Carolina, was captured, robbed of parts of
her cargo and sails. The Brig Alert, from New Orleans, was
boarded off the Moro by three boats, the captain and cook
killed, and one man mortally wounded. A brig has lately arrived
from the Balize, belonging to Kennebunk, formerly commanded by
Captain Perkins, she was from Port-au-Prince, via Campeachy,
where he was boarded by a pirate schooner of about forty tons,
manned by forty ruffians. 'They stabbed Captain Perkins in a
cruel manner and cut off one of his arms; he then told them
where the money was, which amounted to two hundred doubloons;
after which they cut off his other arm and thigh, placed oakum
dipped in oil under his body and in his mouth, and set fire to
it, which soon put an end to his life. The mate had a sword
thrust through his thigh, and the vessel was robbed of
everything moveable, such as cables, anchors, charts, books,
rigging, sails, &c.' It would seem by these accounts, which
have all come to hand the past week, that our squadron was of
little or no use in those seas. The true way we think would be
to put armed crews on board of merchantmen, at sea, after they
had left the port they sailed from, and in this way the pirates
could get no intelligence of vessels destined to go against
them.
"Captain Harding, of the Schooner Aspray, who arrived at Boston
last Monday, from Havanna, in twelve days, informs that he was
chased out of the Bay of Matanzas by two piratical boats, and
running down for Havanna threw off her deck load to get clear
of a piratical schooner. Brig Alert, of Portsmouth, from New
Orleans, had just arrived off the Moro with a deck load of
hogs. She was boarded in the night by two piratical boats, with
six men each, and Captain Charles Blunt was murdered and thrown
overboard; the cook was stabbed, thrown among the hogs and
partly devoured by them. The crew were maltreated, and the
vessel plundered. Captain Harding states, that when she sailed
from Havanna it was hourly expected that orders would be issued
for the detention of French vessels in port."