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"The Spanish Slaver Again," New York Morning Herald, 27 August,
1839.
THE SPANISH SLAVER AGAIN.--ATTEMPTED PIRACY.--Further intelligence, and corroberation
[sic] have been received from this vessel. A week ago yesterday she was boarded by
Captain Sears of the Sch.Eveline, now at Philadelphia, 70 miles from Egg Harbor.
They, as usual, wanted water.
Capt. S. upon boarding her, found her sails in bad or[e]er, umbrellas, looking glasses,
crockery, &c. strewed about decks, and understood that the Capt. was sick, and
all the white people had been washed overboard. Her name was L'Amistead, the same
as reported by the John E. Davidson, with a large eagle on the bow, topsail yard
gone, and bottom very foul. He towed her until dark, about 30 miles, when hearing
a voice in English ordering sail to be made, so as to get alongside and "take
sails and water," he cut from her. The crew were armed with knives, and doubloons
were plenty among them. Captain S. received one for some provisions, with some silver
coin.
She chased the Bark Hercules, also at Philadelphia, for two hours on the 11th inst.
off the Isle of Pines and attempted to board her, but fortunately the Hercules escaped.
She has now been seen nearly a dozen times, and each account corroborated the one
previously given. According to this last account she has been for over fourteen days
in our waters.
We have not yet heard any thing from the Wave, but suppose ere this she has captured
the slaver.--If this piratical vessel is not brought into some port, in less than
one week, we shall think there is no great danger in being a pirate. By this time
there are four revenue cutters cruizing for her, but the steam frigate Fulton, the
best vessel that could be sent on such a chase, is laid up in the Bight or Buttermilk
channel, perhaps to rot. This famous steamer was despatched last Friday, in pursuit
of the pirate, but returned in twenty hours after for fuel, and they have not yet
been able to get any! The Wave is the only vessel worth a farthing in an emergency,
for she is always ready, and we hope Lieut. John R. Mitchell, her commander, will
soon bring the pirate into port.
The Captain of the slaver is the only person on board who knows any think [sic] of
navigation--the rest are a parcel of ignorant blacks.
