330 AVES ISLAND, 



in said vessel and I visited other groups of said sea, (the Caribbean,) 

 and then proceeded as fast as I could to Arenas and other guano islands 

 in the Gulf of Mexico, where Mr. Shelton's vessels and men were then 

 principally engaged in the guano business." "After sailing from 

 Boston in the year 1854, in the month of June, I arrived at Shelton's 

 Island in the brig John R. Dow about the beginning or middle of 

 July, 1854, (the 15th of the month, I believe.) On the same day 

 arrived the aforementioned Captain James Wheeler in the brig Ma- 

 hala H. Comery, dispatched by Messrs. Lang & Delano, merchants, 

 of Boston, as he stated to me, in consequence of information which had 

 been communicated to them of the existence of guano there, as I have 

 already mentioned. Our vessels were in sight of each other when we 

 discovered the island, and there was not one hour's difference in the 

 time of our arival. The next day I went ashore in company with 

 Captain Wheeler ; and although I did not conceive that, under the 

 circumstances, either he or Lang & Delano had any lawful right, or, • 

 indeed, an equitable one to any portion of the island or to its guano, 

 and I thought that their claim to appropriate it to themselves was a 

 wrong done to Shelton ; still, with a view of avoiding difficulties and 

 for the sake of peace, and because there was enough of guano for all, 

 I agreed with him to divide the island and the guano, and we accord- 

 ingly marked out our respective portions and concluded not to interfere 

 with each other until I had communicated with my principals, leaving 

 it to the parties interested to settle the question in the United States as 

 they should think best. 



Let it not be forgotten that Gibbs's is the declaration which the le- 

 gation has put forth with most confidence and commendation. The 

 legation says, "that the minuteness of his details, his frank admis- 

 sions, and his moderate tone, though firm, everything stamps it with 

 the seal of a faithworthy document; whilst the clearness of his narra- 

 tive distinctly proves that it is the testimony of an intelligent witness. ' ' 

 This being laid down, such a testimony gives most force to the argu- 

 ment adduced against the resort to force and the commission of fraud. 

 Gibbs declares tliat "he told Dias, in plain and unequivocal language, 

 that he would neither leave the island nor stop taking in guano, unless 

 prevented by a superior force ; that he would resist, and that the Col- 

 onel could not effect his expulsion with the force which he then had on 

 the island ; that he had no doubt that they could have captured Dias, 

 his soldiers, and his schooner, and, to make good his declaration, he 

 enumerates the supply and quality of the arms with which his own 

 single party was provided, &c., &c. ; that he did not sign the paper 

 through any fear of personal consequences had he persisted in a refusal 

 to do so, or that he apprehended that, with the force under Dias' s orders 

 on the island, his people could be subdued or expelled." There was, 

 therefore, no reason for Gibbs entertaining any fear, present or remote ; 

 but he was, on the contrary^ satisfied that Dias's force was powerless, 

 as opposed to his, and hence the boastful language of his explanation. 

 After these asseverations, he goes on to show that he acted entirely in 

 opposition to what would have been expected at his hands, considering 

 the posture of things ; and this, too, according to the statement of 

 the self-same Gibbs. He goes on to say that he had reason to believe 



