DIARY OF CAPTAIN LAMSO^ 215 



ceeding. Then he stated that his orders 

 were positive, and as a gentleman, know- 

 ing the rascality of the British Government, 

 he politely showed me his printed orders. 

 I could do no more. The wind came to 

 the eastward. In two days I was back to 

 Gibraltar, where I found about fifty sail of 

 my countrymen in the same anxious state. 

 I applied to the Judge of the Board of 

 Admiralty for a license to proceed to Sicily, 

 and I obtained it and was getting ready to 

 go aboard, having sold my sugar and coffee 

 and landed it. 



A few days before I was ready to sail a 

 terrible gale 1 blew from the East, and, as 

 the Bay was full of vessels, the destruction 

 was horrible to lives and property. No less 



1 "Arrived ship 'Rachel' from Gibralter. The late 

 gale was said to be almost the severest ever known there. 

 The 'Mary' of Boston, the 'Two Brothers/ the 'Mi- 

 nerva* and three others were stranded. The 'Venus' of 

 New York and the ' \Yells ' of Salem were driven to sea. 

 At Algesiras thirty-six vessels were driven ashore." 

 Salem Gazette, March 31, 1808. 



