218 CAPTAIN ZACHARY G. LAMSON 



with grapplings, and broke off my fore and 

 main yards in the slings. In one minute 

 one hundred were on board. I ordered all 

 my men below as they boarded and threw 

 myself into the cabin till the first onset was 

 over, but in a moment my cabin was filled 

 with as motley a set of villains as ever 

 manned a vessel. Such was the confusion 

 with pistols at my head and cutlasses wav- 

 ing and threatening instant death if I did 

 not give up my papers. I told them when 

 they got my vessel in, the proper authorities 

 should have them. Finding them savage, 

 I told them if there was a Captain of any 

 of the privateers among them who would 

 clear the cabin, and sit down and give me 

 a receipt for my papers, I would deliver 

 them, consequently one of the New Orleans 

 Creoles said he was Captain, and cleared 

 the cabin. I gave him a few of the papers 

 and took his receipt. They towed the ship 

 into Algesiras l and secured her at anchor, 



1 "Reported at Algesiras, ship 'Wells' of Salem, Feb. 

 20." Salem Gazette, April 5, 1808. 



