| Citation |
BG.748.011
30 Aug 1748:21,22 (1476)
Extract of a letter from Capt. Isaac Freeman, Commander of
the Bethel Frigate, to his owners in this town [Boston],
dated at St. Johns's in Newfoundland, Aug. 1. 1748.
[9 lines]. . . & the 19th in lat. 36.N off the Isle of
St. Mary's, we met with & took a rich Spanish merchantman,
Don Antonia de Borges Commander, from the Havanna for Cadiz,
with 110 men and 26 guns. . . [8 lines] We having such a
vast number of prisoners to secure, and both ships to man,
and only 37 men and boys on board, were obliged to put into
Fyal, where we have been most barbarously used, as
imprisoning myself & people, attempting to force our prize
from us &c. In short, must refer particulars 'till I have
the pleasure of seeing you, which hope will be in a short
time. We left Fyal the second o July, very poorly mann'd,
as you may easily judge, and arriv'd here the 28th. We have
apply'd to the Judge of Admiralty to condemn the ship, and
hope the affair will soon be determined.
P.S. The particulars in taking the ship are as follow.
At 6.P.M. made a sail, to which we gave chase,. . . [8
lines] but we having the heels of her, over-hall'd her a
pace, and the night, tho' very dark, was not able to conceal
her from our sight.--- At 12 at night was along-side, when
after a serenade of French horns, trumpets, &c. demanded
from whence she came, and whither bound ? when after a few
equivocations allowable in such cases, as pretending to be
from Suraman for Holland, &c. . . [14 more lines]
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