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seamen by a British prisoner on parole, as coming from 

 your ship. One of my seamen has also assured me, that 

 the crew of an English ship now in port, have showed him 

 a letter bearing your signature, holding forth encourage- 

 ment to my people, for deserting the cause in which they 

 are now engaged. The style of the two papers is a suf- 

 ficient evidence, that they were not written by a common 

 sailor. But, although I have received the most positive 

 assurances respecting the letter, my knowledge of the cha- 

 racter of Captain Hillyar, will not permit me to believe 

 him capable of so base an expedient to effect the object of 

 his cruise — notwithstanding the circumstances, and alleged 

 object of the Phoebe's flag might induce a suspicion. It 

 appears that my ship's company have made some reply to 

 the first of these papers ; and it is highly probable, that it 

 was couched in the ordinary language of sailors. The 

 most insulting epithets have been applied to them, and in 

 the most public manner. I have not therefore thought it 

 proper to restrain that indignation my people have felt, in 

 common with myself, at such proceedings. Their charac- 

 ter, as well as my own, has been misunderstood ; and if it 

 is believed that we have wished to shake the loyalty of 

 your seamen, I can positively assure you, our intentions 

 have been equally misunderstood. It is not necessary for 

 us to resort to so pitiful an expedient — and were it neces- 

 sary, I should spurn it. My men are equally prepared with 

 myself, to do our duty : they have given me innumerable 

 proofs of their readiness at all times, to die in support of 

 their country's cause : they have my unHmited confi- 

 dence — I have theirs. 



I have the honour to be, &;c. 

 (Signed) D. PORTER. 



Captain James Hillyar, ^c, ^c. 



To this letter Captain Hillyar returned a temperate re- 

 ply, disclaiming in the strongest terms, the conduct I had 

 attributed to him ; retorting the charge, of his people being 

 the aggressors in this paper war ; charging my men with 

 blasphemy ; and finally hinting at various reports he had 

 lately heard to my disadvantage, but which he wished not 

 to believe. Some other letters passed between us ; of 

 which both the originals and copies were lost in my cap- 



