Jenks's Portland Gazette

From a Philadelphia paper, Nov. 12.

PIRACY AND MURDER.

The Ganges has on board three pirates, who sailed from this port in the schooner Eliza, capt. Whelan, for St. Thomas. After the vessel had been 10 or 12 days at sea, these three fellows entered into an agreement to murder the Captain, Supercargo and Mate, with the intent of possessing themselves of the cargo. They accordingly each elected his man, and entering the cabin, one killed the mate and another attacked the supercargo who ran upon deck, and was there mangled in a most horrid manner and thrown overboard while yet alive. The third who had agreed to murder the captain, being less courageous than the other two, approached him in a hasty manner, having an axe in one hand and a sword in the other, and in attempting to strike him with both at the same time, fortunately failed in his object, the axe only wounding him slightly in the head and the sword cutting him on the arm.

By this time, capt. W. had secured his fire arms, when the fellow instantly ran upon deck, where the trio concluded it was best to dispatch one of their messmates who would not join them, and then jointly attack the captain. The sailor accordingly suffered the fate of the mate and supercargo: but the captain maintained his post with such intrepid firmness, that neither of the three dared venture down to attack him. At length, finding it was impossible to effect their purpose, they agreed to terms which captain Whelan proposed to them. These were, that they should spare his life for which he would navigate them to any port they might think proper.

After this they allowed capt. W. perfect liberty, who acted in obedience to their orders until a few days after the affair, when, perceiving two of them were in the forecastle and the other at the helm, then ran forward, drew the batch over the forecastle -and fastened them down by lifting the anchor over the bow and placing it upon the hatch. While he was thus employed, the man whom he had knocked down, was recovered and had ascended the shrouds, where he begged for mercy, which, upon being granted, he descended and suffered himself to be tied by capt. Whelan.

Having secured his prisoners, capt. Whelan made the best of his way for the West Indies, without a soul to aid him in working the vessel, and after 13 days arrived at St. Bartholomews, where his prisoners were delivered to captain Campbell of the Eagle, by whom they were sent on board the Ganges.

The method which captain W. adopted for supplying these fellows with water was, by making a hole in the hatch with a crow bar, and pouring it down. They received it by holding open their mouths under the aperture. Fortunately there was plenty of provisions in the forecastle, so that he had no occasion to take off the hatch.