The Virginia Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, May 1.

From Bermuda we hear that about the beginning of February last Captain Jones, from Antigua, bound for North Carolina, was drove on that island in a distressed condition. The affair is as follows: The sloop sailed from Antigua in October, with Captain Jones, one Williams the owner, the mate, 3 seamen, 2 Negro men, and between twenty and thirty Negro women and children on board. After being at sea some time, they had all their sails tore to pieces, that it was impossible to make any way, and they were left to the mercy of the seas. In this condition, and in want of provisions, they were put to the necessity of eating one of the dead Negro children, which so exasperated the Negroes on board that they fell on the crew, killed Mr. Williams and the mate, cut them in pieces and threw them overboard, wounded the Captain in a terrible manner; but he taking to the shrouds, where they followed him, then slipping down the gib stay, got into the hold unperceived, and lay there until the sloop got to Bermuda, which was the next day. The Captain, it is thought, will recover; but one of the seamen, who was much wounded, died soon after he got ashore; the other two seamen escaped unhurt, by hiding in the hold until the bloody rage of the Negroes was cooled, when they called them up, and told one of them to be Captain: Thus did the unhappy crew fare, after being at sea 15 weeks, 40 days of which almost without provisions. When the Negroes and sailors landed, they were so reduced that they were forced to be carried to lodgings provided for them.