AVES ISLAND. 15 



the Aves or Bird Island, situated in latitude 15° 39', longitude 63° 38', 

 for the purpose of obtaining a cargo of guano. I arrived at said Avea 

 Island, with said brig Panola, on the second day of January, A. D. 

 1855, having a permit or order for a full cargo of guano in my posses- 

 sion, signed by Messrs. Lang & Delano, of said Boston, merchants, 

 who had legal possession of said island at the date of said permit, and 

 date of my departure from the United States on said voyage. On my 

 arrival at Aves Island, and the vessel anchored, I proceeded on shore, 

 accompanied by Captain Wass, above named, for the purpose of pre- 

 senting the aforesaid order or permit, and obtaining a cargo in ac- 

 cordance with my instructions, and of said order or permit, and found 

 that the said Aves Island had, a few days previously, been taken 

 forcible possession of and held by an armed band of Venezuelans, 

 under authority of the Colombian or Venezuelan government, and that 

 the agent and men employed by Messrs. Lang & Delano had been 

 driven by them from the Island, and by orders from the said Colom- 

 bian or Venezuelan government. Having an interpreter on board 

 the said brig Panola, I entered into communication with Nicholas 

 Peraro, the authorized agent of said government, informing him of 

 the circumstances under which I had come to the Aves Island. He 

 declined to attend to my case until I had first acceded to a demand 

 made by him for port charges, which he alleged was due his govern- 

 ment, as he had constituted it a port of entry under their instructions. 

 I acceded to his demand by paying him the sum required ; when he 

 offered to collect a full cargo of guano and deliver the same within 

 reach of the vessel's tackles, provided I would pay him the sum of 

 four hundred dollars in doubloons, and to deliver the said cargo at 

 once, on payment of the above sum. Not having the specie on board 

 the vessel, we stipulated an agreement between us to the effect that I 

 should sail with said brig Panola for the Island of St. Thomas, there 

 to obtain said funds and return to said Aves Island. It was further 

 agreed that I should furthermore loan him sundry tools and imple- 

 ments to collect said cargo of guano, and he agreed to collect and pile 

 the same on the beach during my absence. I delivered him the tools 

 and sailed for St. Thomas on the third day of January, A. D. 1855, 

 and arrived on the 7th day of the said month. On my arrival, I ne- 

 gotiated a bill of exchange on Boston, United St^es, procured the 

 necessary funds and sailed again for the Aves Island. We arrived 

 at said island the second time on the 10th of January, A. D. 1855 ; 

 anchored the vessel and proceeded on shore with the said specie to 

 pay for the aforesaid cargo. To my surprise he disclaimed any inten- 

 tion of fulfilling his agreement, and would not allow me to take cargo 

 myself with my own men, although I offered to load the vessel myself, 

 without expense or trouble to him; and also agreed to pay him 

 the stipulated price for the cargo, but with many threats to sink the 

 vessel by pointing a loaded cannon, as slie lay at anchor, and threaten- 

 ing to take our lives if we did not get under weigh and leave the island 

 within the hour, he drove us from the island, in consequence of which 

 we were obliged to return to the United States in ballast. I would also 

 certify that we had a number of extra men on board the said brig 



