354 CORKKSPONDENCE, ETC. 



ami faithful history of all the proceedings this season between our 

 fishermen and the officers of that vessel. 



I have been particularly cautious, in taking the testimony, to give 

 it without coloring it by the feelings of excitement manifested by our 



citizens. 



Inclosed, also, is a bill of services and expenses for attending to the 

 business. 



With the highest respect, I am, sir, your most obedient servant, 



Ether Shepley, District Attorney. 



[Inclosure No. 1.] 



I, Eobert Small, master of the schooner Reindeer, of Lubec, on oath, 

 testify and say: That it is my practice, in fitting out for the fisheries, 

 to fill the barrels which I use for oil barrels with water, and, as I 

 use the water and empty the barrels, to fill them with oil. I pur- 

 chased the barrels while fitting out this cruise, and did not see them 

 till after filled ; there were eight filled with water. We left the harbor 

 the twenty-sixth day of July, and proceeded on the fishing ground 

 near Grand Menan Bank; continued to fish two or three days, and 

 then discovered that the water in six of my barrels was salt, so that I 

 could not use it, the barrels having been used for salting beef and pork. 

 Finding my water all bad and expended, ran in to Two Island harbor 

 for water, and went on shore and obtained my water; laid there till 

 the next morning, becalmned ; then made sail for the Banks ; got out 

 about a mile and a half or two miles, and the wind died away and 

 left me becalmed again ; soon discovered the barge of the British armed 

 brig Dotterel, the Ruby, the Friend, and boat Diligence, lying in the 

 same harbor, and near me; the barge came up and fired; ordered the 

 anchor to be dropped, which was done; the master of the barge then 

 ordered us to part— the Ruby and Reindeer being connected by a small 

 line — which was obeyed; the vessels parted; he then ordered the 

 Ruby to drop her anchor, which was done; he then came on board our 

 vessel, the Reindeer, in a great rage; he demanded the papers, which 

 were given him ; they then threatened to carve us up like a turkey or 

 a piece of beef, brandishing their cutlasses about our heads; took the 

 crew all out and put them on board the schooner Friend; then took 

 out the crew of the Ruby and put them on board of the schooner 

 Diligence, and ordered the Friend and Diligence off ; told them to go 

 off and about their business ; then got the Reindeer under way, bound 

 for St. Andrew's, and ordered the Ruby to follow ; passing up a little 

 past Harbor de Lute, two other vessels hove down upon us; one, the 

 schooner Madison, came down upon the Reindeer, there being about 

 twenty men on her deck with muskets, but no bayonets upon them; 

 Jones, the master of the barge, being on board of the Reindeer, 

 ordered all hands and directed them to fire into the Madison; I then 

 said to him, if you fire into that vessel, every man of you will be shot ; 

 he said, I believe it; he then said, what do they want, and who are 

 they? I said to him, they are my neighbors; they want this vessel, and 

 they will have her; he then laid down his sword and said, I sur- 

 render; unlocked his trunk, took out the papers of my vessel and the 

 Ruby and gave them to me; Skipper Coggins then invited him on 

 board the Madison; and upon my assuring him that he might go with 



