Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

Charleston. Dec. 20.

PIRACY.

Extract from the log-book of the schr. Emily, Capt. Robbins, arrived here yesterday from Matanzas:--
"Dec. 12th, (on account) at 1 P. M. the schr. Mary-Rose in company, half a mile astern, saw a small schooner 2 miles to leeward, supposed a drogher from Havana; at 2 P. M. distant 10 miles from Matanzas, standing N. E. by E. close hauled, the Mary-Rose distant about a mile, observed the schr. which had then got in our wake, to tack which caused suspicion that she was a piratical cruizer. At half past 2 the Mary-Rose hove too--the schr. then came along side and sent a boat with 10 men on board the M. R. took possession of her, and stood in for the land. After the boat left her for the Mary-Rose she gave chase to us, and we observed her apparently full of men. At 4 P M. they fired a musket at us--we hove too, when we were hailed and ordered to lower our foresail, we were then boarded by 9 men armed with muskets, cutlasses and knives, driven into the cabin, and confined. They then made sail on the schr. for the shore, the pirate in company The crew appeared to be Spaniards. After being confined for a short time, one of the pirates who spoke good English, came below and demanded of Captain Robbins the money on board. Capt. R. replied there was none, to which the pirate retorted, "unless you deliver all the money you have, your coffee shall be taken and your vessel burnt." and then left us, in a state easier imagined than described, expecting nothing short of death. Shortly after he returned and ordered the captain and crew, six in number, and a French gentleman (passenger) on deck--immediately on reaching the deck we were driven forward and confined in the forecastle, after beating us with muskets and pricking us with dirks--we found the forecastle pillaged of every thing, and the people's chests broken open. in the mean time they plundered the cabin of every article of value, breaking open every chest, trunk, &c. and strewing the articles about in search of money. About 4 P. M. they opened the scuttle and ordered the captain and passenger on deck, as we supposed to be murdered, securing the scuttle afterwards so tight as nearly to produce suffocation, and placing two sentinels near it with drawn sabres, to prevent our rising. After keeping us confined in this manner until 8 P. M. we were ordered on deck to take in sail and let go the anchor, distant about a half of a mile from land: which from appearance was the extreme east point of Matanzas har. bor. The pirates informed us they had let the Mary Rose go. Their schooner being near, the captain of this banditti ordered her along side of us, had her made fast, unsto wed our boat, broke open our hatches and compelled our crew to pass the coffee from the hold to their vessel:--of 212 bags which we had on board, they robbed us of 210. During our confinement in the forecastle, they twice hung Capt. Robbins by the neck in order to extort confession; and whilst we were passing out coffee the four commanders of this gang of robbers, which consisted from 25 to 30 in number, were beating him most unmercifully with their swords. After the whole crew had satisfied themselves with beating Capt. R. and that there was no money except $344 which they had taken having plundered the cabin of every thing, they sent for the cook (a black) to come into the cabin. They, after demanding of him where the money was, beat him most cruelly with their swords, and let him go. The mate was then brought forward; six swords pointed at his breast, threatened with instant death: the same demands made. and after beating him so severely as scarcely to leave him able to stir, let go, and sent again to assist in getting out coffee. After plundering us of every thing they could find of any value, and ripping off the ceiling, in search of money, they cut our cable, then about 20 fathoms out, and ordered us to steer to the northward. for if we returned to Matanzas, and were again captured by them, death should be our portion: having plundered us of 210 bags coffee, 150 lbs. new rigging, 2 pr can-hooks, 1 small bower anchor and 20 fathoms cable, 1 kedge anchor, half bbl. sugar, all our knives, and forks, davit tackle, blocks, falls, charts, quadrants, boots, shoes, hats, all our stores, cooking utensils, &c.&c."