Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

From a Nassau, (N. Y.) paper, of July 25.

About a fortnight since, some of the Islanders on Exuma, passing Water Key, were much terrified at an alarming and warlike bustle that prevailed on shore, and made the best of their way to Exuma, where they reported, that the French and Spanish standards were planted, and 500 men drawn up in battle-array, to repel every one who offended them. Immediately on this alarm, two gentlemen from Exuma, on the 10th inst. set sail, in a small vessel for Water Key, to ascertain the truth of this report, where they arrived about two o'clock next morning, and on approaching the shore, they discovered that the standards of our enemies were neither more nor less than an old shirt fixed on a pole, and that the two warriors were three poor American sailors, who had been there for almost four months, having been cast away on the 17th of March, in a vessel called the Olive Branch, Jones, from St. Thomas, to the Havana, with salt. Their situation was truly pitiable, as they had not saved an article from the wreck, but a box of candles: this with an old knife, was all their moveables; and wilks, green apples, prickly pears, and handfuls constituted the whole of their subsistence during that time; the crew originally consisted of six, but on the 1st of May, the captain and two men had gone off in a kind of raft which they had constructed, and have not since been heard of. These three men were put on board a small vessel with plenty of provisions, and the next day they arrived at Exuma.