View Document Frames
Tuckerman, Bayard, ed., The Diary of Philip Hone, 1828-1851, New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1889, v.1, 378-379, 385.
AUGUST 3I.—There has been great interest excited for several days past about a mysterious
"low, blacklooking schooner," which was seen and spoken several times off
Long Island, filled with pirates, as was said. This "flying Dutchman" was
captured on Monday last, between Gardner's Island and Montauk Point, by Captain Gedney,
in the United States surveying brig" Washington. "She proves to be very
much as reported. The schooner "Amistead," a Spanish vessel. She sailed
from Havana bound to Guanaja, another port in Cuba, with fifty-four slaves belonging
to Jose Ruiz, a passenger on board, who had bought them at Havana from a slaver just
arrived from the coast of Africa, and was conveying them to his plantation.
Pedro Montes, another passenger, had also four slaves. Four days after leaving Havana,
the blacks rose upon the crew, murdered and threw overboard the captain and a mulatto
cook, and compelled Montes (who had formerly commanded a vessel) to take the helm
and steer easterly for their own country, under threats of being also murdered. This
he did during the day, but at night altered his course, and kept upon the American
coast, until on Monday last, whilst at anchor near Montauk, the blacks having gone
ashore for water and provisions, the schooner was descried by the "Washington,"
boarded and taken possession of, the whites released from their dreadful state of
bondage, and the slaves captured. The vessel was taken into New London, and an examination
held on board by Judge Judson, of the United States District Court. The schooner,
with the remains of her cargo, which consisted of dry goods and other articles calculated
for the use of a plantation, were taken possession of, and the slaves ordered for
a trial at Hartford, on the 17th of September.
The ringleader in this revolt is a Congo negro, named Joseph Cinques, about twenty-six
years of age, a fine, intelligent fellow, who would be exalted into a hero instead
of a pirate and murderer if his colour was right, and he had been taken under other
circumstances.
I am afraid this affair will be attended with unpleasant consequences at this time,
when the minds of men in this country are influenced by the question of abolition.
These poor wretches were stolen from their homes, carried to a strange country, and
sold to servitude, from which they sought to escape on the first occasion which offered.
They committed murder, it is true; but their situation may have rendered it inevitable.
They spared their owner,which would seem to prove that human blood was not their
object. If these men are tried in Connecticut, and some condemned to death, Joseph
particularly will be justified by one party, and his case will excite great sympathy.
If, on the other hand, the revolt should be considered only as a measure of self-preservation,
and the culprits escape punishment, it will be considered by the slave holding fanatics
as a new proof of the enmity of the abolitionist fanatics; so that either way it
makes trouble. I wish they could all be sent back to Havana, and perhaps it may take
that course.
