Gazette Of The United States, & Daily Advertiser

Extract from the Journal of Mr. Gray, Supercargo of the ship India, Ashmead, from Calcutta.

"June 10, 1800, after a tedious and disagreeable passage of 108 days arrived at St. Helena; the next day the ship Jefferson, captain Morris, from Batavia, for this port, the Ship Northern Liberties, Seton, from Bengal, for New York, the ship Perseverance, Wheatland, from same place, for Boston, sailed from St. James Town.

June 12th, the India left St. Helena, in company of the ship Mount Vernon, captain Rutter, of and for Baltimore, from Calcutta; mounting sixteen guns.

June 18th, lat 8, 46 S long 17, 50 W, passed a ship to leeward of us; standing same course, which we were pretty sure was the Northern Liberties.

July 10th, lat 18, 00, N long 54, 40, W spoke the sloop Phenix, of and from Boston for Berbice, out 24 days.

July 12th, at 4h. A. M. lat 22, 33, N long 61, 05 West, discovered a schooner to the Eastward lying to; at 5 A. M. she made sail after us; at 7 A. M. all hands at quarters, and ship cleared for engaging, men all eager, should he prove of Sans-culotte extraction, to shew the ardency of their affection for their ci-devant allies!!! made as good breastwork as possible in the situation of our ship, with spare sails, hammocks and bags of clothes; sufficient to guard the men from langridge and small arms. The Mount Vernon hailed us with three cheers; captain Rutter said his crew were all on tip-toe at the prospect of dispensing their favors, entre leurs chers amis! We returned his cheers; and assured him of our resolution to give him every assistance which our small force could impart, and to live in open air with him, or with him to share the more retired pleasures of a French Jail!--At 10 A. M. schooner gaining upon us astern, captain Rutter and captain Ashmead agreed to give chase. At 11 A. M. both ships tacked and hauled their wind for the stranger: no sooner had the Mount Vernon shewed her broadside, than Monsieur, not much liking it, up helm and away; when tacking, like a true cur, he shewed his teeth but was afraid to bite. He outstripped us on the wind and was soon far enough from us. At 1 P. M. (by log the 1st of the 13th) we gave over chase, and stood on our course. The schooner was soon out of sight. Our chasing was certainly very fortunate, from events--

At 3 o'clock, 30 minutes P. M. in lat 23, 05. N long 61, 45, W. saw another schr. to leeward, standing S S E by the wind, carrying a small red flag (between a burgee and a pendant) at her mast head, most probably a private signal.' At 4 o'clock 30 minutes: she tacked and stood for us; having every other appearance of, and by this action plainly demonstrating that she was, a privateer. At un-etting she was in our wake, coming up with us. At 8 oclock 30 minutes P. M. in company with the Mount Vernon, and, as captain Rutter proposed, to surprize the outrecuidance, tacked ship and hauled our wind to S S E; at 9 P. M. captain R. a-head perceived the schooner about half a mile to windward, and fired a gun, which not being answered, both ships saluted her with a broadside. Tacked immediately and stood after her to the Northward; in the mean time the schooner had tacked to the Southward, (endeavoring to beat to windward) and about the same distance to windward, received, en passant, another broadside from each ship, without returning a shot. We continued our course. Unfortunately for our enterprize, when first putting about, the Mount Vernon missed stays, or we should have had him under our lee, and might have given a better account of the gentleman.

July 12th, at 1 A. M. again perceived the schooner dogging to the windward. At day-light he crowded sail after us, and gained upon us slowly. Captain Rutter and captain Ashmead agreed to jog on under easy sail, and when the schooner drew near to heave to, and offer battle. The day was squally with thunder and rain, and in the interims, winds very light. At meridian Mount Vernon fired a stern-chase, and shewed American colours

At 15 minutes P. M." (by sea account July 14th) the vessel in chase, hoisted her ensign, tripartite, and fired a gun, without ball!--Some say this was by mistake; but I, who have a more favorable opinion of Messieurs, affirm, that this inoffensive mode of commencing, was an effect of the effervescence, produced in his mind by an assimilation of the two passions most predominant in the breast of a true and legitimate Citoyen of the Great Nation, viz. FRIENDSHIP! and POLITENESS! !--He would not offend those he so dearly loved, by the uncivil, though common, procedure in such cases-- No!--he had much rather we had trusted at once to his real good will, without forcing him to do such violence to his inclinations, as our want of Bienséance compelled him to. At 30 minutes P. M. Mount Vernon up courses and hove to, the India hove to under her lee quarter. The privateer immediately brailed up her foresail, shewed us her broadside, a random shot to windward, with nine ports, and gave us six guns, and afterwards two; all of which fell very near one or other of our ships, and two passed over both, but none struck. The Mount Vernon returned her broadside; but before the fourth gun was fired, the robber not being in tune to relish such music, hauled aft his fore-sheet. and braced close to the wind. The Mount Vernon filled her sails and plied: him with broadsides, so quick, so regular, and so well directed, (for we could see the shot, fall in all directions close round the schooner, and saw one of them pass through one of her sails) that our good ally concluded the sooner he got disengaged from such a game the better for himself. As often as by backing and filling we could make our guns bear free of the other ship, we fired. But all was to no purpose; the privateer, though not a brisk sailer, could lie too near the wind for us; at two o'clock, therefore, the Mount Vernon, firing one gun, gave over the useless chase. Monsieur soon after doused his national pride, and replaced his little red flag original. She appeared a tolerably long schooner, and probably, though she shewed 18 ports, did not carry more than 12 guns. His deck was full of men, but entirely without bulwark, or quarters of any kind; the day being cloudy and rainy, we could not distinguish whether they were our black or white brethren. We have some reason (from a bustle on board while the Mount Vernon fired her second broadside) to think that she got at least one shot about her forecastle.-- From their sound two of his midship guns must have been pretty well sized, the others, at most, not more than fours.

Had she been larger, singly, the Mount Vernon had nothing to fear from her. Backed by a real American enthusiasm in his ship's company, and directed by his own cool judgment and deliberate spirit, his ship was in no danger. And though the India was weak, many of her men who had been feasted in West India jails, knew their comforts; and all were besides Americans! But captain Rutter was resolved we should both go one way, and under his shade, we were as secure (from such foes) as Teucer while he kept behind the Telamonian shield.

We parted from the Mount Vernon the 21st inst. in the latitude of Virginia--All well.

Same day saw an English Ship, deep laden, with her main-top-gallant-mast struck, standing in for the Chesapeake, with the wind at N. E."