AVES ISLAND. 65 



hauling down the American flag and hoisting the Venezuelan flag in 

 its stead, at same time threatening the immediate expulsion of all the 

 Americans on the island. Finally the said Captain Dias drew up a 

 document in Spanish, which he said was a permit for them to continue 

 to load guano, provided they placed their armament under his control. 

 I was present when the purport of said document was explained to 

 Captain Gibbs, (who did not understand Spanish,) as explained, it was 

 simply that Gribbs and Lang were to assist the garrison left on the 

 island with provisions and water ; and the most positive assurance 

 was given them that the document contained nothing whereby they 

 assented to the title of the island being in Venezuela. I am positive 

 on this point, as Captain Gibbs asked my opinion in reference to it. 

 And I further certify that said Dias insisted that unless they signed 

 said document, they must leave the island forthwith. Captain Gibbs, 

 under these circumstances, felt compelled to sign the document, hoping 

 by so doing they would allow him to load the vessels there and those 

 expected, saying to me that if the document contained anything differ- 

 ent from what had been explained to him^ he did not suppose a paper 

 signed under such circumstances could be considered of any binding 

 force. 



J. F. SAFFOED. 



Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 

 Suffolk County, 



Then the above named J. F. Safford personally appeared and made 

 oath that the foregoing declaration by him subscribed is his free act and 

 deed. Before me, 



CHAELES HOMEE, 

 Justice of the Peace. 

 Boston, June 20, 1855. 



B. 



I, James Wheeler, hereby certify, that I was, in the early part of 

 the year 1854, in the employ of Messrs. Sampson & Tappan and Philo 

 S. Shelton, of this city, collecting guano on an island in the Gulf of 

 Mexico ; that some time in the month of March, in said year. Captain 

 Nathan P. Gibbs arrived at the island in the brig '' John E. Dow," 

 and informed me that, by direction of our employers, he had visited 

 "Islas Aves," or Bird Island, in the Caribbean sea, latitude 15° 4(y 

 north, longitude 63° 35' west, and had found quite a large deposit of 

 guano upon the principal island. 



I returned to Boston in the month of May of same year. I left the 

 employ of the gentlemen above named, and persuaded Messrs. Lang& 

 Delano to fit me in the brig M. H. Comery for said island for a 

 cargo of guano. I left Boston harbor in said vessel on or about the 

 2 2d of June, understanding I was to be immediately followed by Cap- 

 tain N. P. Gibbs, in the brig John E. Dow, sent out by my former 

 employers. 



Ex. Doc. 10 5 



