370 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 



board the Friend, and knows them to be truly stated. Saw the 

 PUgrim and Madison taken, the 29th of August, on the Bank, nine 

 leagues distant from the island. 



Henry Coggins. 

 Sworn to before — ■ 



Ether Shepley. 

 .November 6, 1824. 



[Inclosure No. 16.] 



November, 7, 1824. 

 I, Harding Clark, of Dennysville, master of the schooner Hero, of 

 Dennysville, on oath, do testify and say: That I sailed on the thir- 

 teenth day of June last, fitted out for the fishery, and proceeded on to 

 Grand Menan Bank, and continued to fish until the sixteenth; then 

 struck adrift in the forepart of the day ; made an attempt to regain 

 our ground, but not succeeding, the barge of the brig Dotterel came 

 upon us, fired and boarded us; demanded our papers, which were 

 given up, and took possession of the vessel, she being then from six 

 to nine miles distant from the land. Two of my men were taken out 

 and two of his put on board my vessel, and I was directed to follow 

 him. I did follow and wait his movements for fourteen days, during 

 which time he was employed in boarding vessels. Was during the 

 time in Beaver and other harbors. Often asked him to let me and 

 my crew go home, there being opportunities, but was denied. One of 

 the men being sick, was detained on board the barge, and did duty 

 there as did the other. At the expiration of the fourteen days arrived 

 at St. John's; were all there put on board the Dotterel; were detained 

 there two days with only one meal of victuals, and then put on shore 

 and dismissed. Captain told me he had given the vessel up to the 

 custom-house; went to the custom-house; was there told he had not. 

 Asked if I could see the captain again, and he was sent for, and he 

 came; asked him to give up the vessel, telling him I did not consider 

 her liable to seizure ; he said he would think of it ; said he wanted her 

 for about a fortnight's cruise, and did not know but he should give 

 her up to me then. I returned home, and went there in a fortnight, 

 as he desired me. The Hero came in from a cruise three days after I 

 arrived there, having been out cruising thirteen days. She then took 

 in supplies for another fortnight's cruise, and sailed again the same 

 day, under the command of the pilot of the brig. Saw the Captain, 

 and asked him if he would let me have the vessel, as he had agreed to ; 

 he said he had made a new arrangement, and should not let me have 

 the vessel. I came home again and left her. When last at St. 

 John's, I applied to Messrs. Crookshanks and Johnson, merchants of 

 St. John's, to ascertain when she was libelled or proceeded against; 

 and about three weeks ago received a letter from them stating that 

 the Hero had not been libelled, but had been employed as a tender to 

 the Dotterel. The vessel was owned by Manning Clark and myself. 

 The loss is not less than nine hundred dollars. I have not been out 

 before this season ; this being fhe first and only cruise this season. 



Harding Clark. 



Sworn to before — 



Ether Shepley. 



