Gazette Of The United States And Daily Evening Advertiser

CHARLESTON, April 21.

The passengers, officers and crew of the Prince William Henry Packet, who were landed at Crooked Island, as mentioned in our last, arrived here on Saturday.

DECLARATION

Of Captain Sands, of the sloop Maxwell, belonging to Messrs. William & James Moss of Nassau, Merchants.

ON the 2d instant I sailed from this port, in the said sloop for Crooked Island with sundry supplies, a lady and three gentlemen passengers. On the 8th was captured in the Crooked Island passage, by the privateer ship called the Vengeance, of 18 guns and 100 men, commanded by Capt. Allain. She was built at Baltimore, and sailed from thence, schooner rigged, early this year, but last from Port du-Paix, where the said vessel was altered from a schooner to a ship, as I was informed. Immediately on the privateer coming along side, I was ordered to hoist out my boat and come on board, which orders I accordingly obeyed. No sooner had I set my foot on the ship's deck, but I was knocked down by one of the officers with a sabre; and whilst in that situation received several kicks, and from the captain threats and abusive language. He asked me for the vessel's papers, which I immediately shewed him- he then called me a pirate, and said he would hang me. I was then ordered to be put in the after-hold, where I remained close confined for upwards of 12 hours. The Doctor, and another officer of the privateer, seemed very desirous to have the lady brought on board, and insisted she should be fetched, saying they intended retaliating for some improper usage to a French lady when captured by one of the Providence privateers, called the two Brothers. Mr. Menzies, a gentleman passenger, remonstrating on the impropriety of removing her so late in the night, they then declined sending for her. On the 9th inst. the privateer, with her prizes, (the Prince William Henry Packet, Flying Fish, Capt. Gibon, and the Maxwell) anchored at the French Wells, Crooked Island, where I, with Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Menzies, and Mr. Sullivan, were put on shore, after having every article taken from us but what we were then clothed with, and without the least sustenance of any kind. Seeing some bread lying on the privateer's deck, prior to my being ordered out of her, I asked the captain for a few biscuits, informing him that it would be the next day before we should be able to get any relief from the inhabitants of the island; this he refused, saying he had none to spare. After experiencing a long and tedious journey through savannas, ponds, and woods, we with difficulty reached the hut of a negro belonging to Mr. De Lancey, about midnight, and received from him every relief that he could give us.

(Signed) MARMADUKE SANDS.

Nassau, (N. P.) April 23, 1795

Sworn to before me,

Stephen Haven, Notary public.