THE 
MONTHLY 
MAGAZI NE. 
No 
182.] 
MARCH 1, 
1809. 
[2 of VoL. 27. 
*© As jong as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving to their Opinions a Maximum of 
** Tufiuence and Celebrity, the moft extenfively circulated Mifcellany will repay with the greatet Effect the 
** Curiofity of thofe who read either for Amufement or Inftruction.” JOHNSON, 
--ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS, 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
An accouny of the surrerincs of the 
CREW of TWO scHOONERS, part of the 
SQUADRON Of GENERAL MIRANDA, 
which were taken by TWO SPANISH 
GUARDA-cOSsTAS, i fune, 18063 wret- 
- ten by ONE of the SUFFERERS who made 
his escape. 
[The world knows little of the extraordinary 
expedition of General Miranda, to the 
Spanish Main, in 18063 but it will be re- 
membered that he ceived in the Golf of 
Mexico with an armed Brig, and two 
Schooners, and that in ‘a rencontre with 
two Guarda-Costas, the Schooners were 
both taken. We are now enabled to lay 
before our readers, the ‘particulars of the 
treatment their crews met with from the 
Spaniards. -The trials tend also to throw 
some light on the expedition itself. ] 
FENOWARDS the end of June, the 
Lieutenant-Governor of Caraccas, 
accompanied by four assistant olficers or 
judges, together with an interpreter for 
each officer, arrived at Porto Cavello, 
for the purpose of taking the examunis- 
tion of the prisoners. ‘hey. assembled 
ia the guard-house, within the walls of 
Castie St. Philip, in-a large room fitted 
up for that purpose; in this room were 
placed five separate benches with desks; 
at one of which was seated the- lieute- 
nant-governor, with an interpreter; at 
the other four, each of the other judges, 
with an interpreter also. 
The ordinary appearance of the place, 
tovether with the undignified looks of the 
judges, could scarcely induce the pri- 
soners to believe, that this was the tri- 
bunal before which they were to te tried 
for their lives. Nor were they a little 
surprised, when they ascertained by the 
course of the proceedings, that they were 
to be compelled to give evidence, under 
oath, agamst themselves, and against 
each other; and upon this. testunony 
alone they were to be convicted. 
The judges being.ready to proceed, 
caused five of the prisoners to be brought 
up in the first place. They were informed 
of the charges exhibited against thei, 
viz. piracy, rcvellion, and of murdering board of the Leinder? 
MonTuLy Mass No, 182. 
one of his Catholic Majesty’s subjects; 
they were then asked to describe the. 
manner in which oaths are administered 
in their own country; which having done, 
they were requested to lay their hands 
upon the Bible and administer the vaths 
to themselves, agreeably to the manner 
in which they had been accustomed to 
swear. 
The five prisoners were thus distri- 
buted, one to each judge, seated at his 
respective desk, all bemyg in one room, 
and some little eee ee m each other. 
In the middle of the door 
bef of arms, and instraments,¢ 
as guns, rilles, axes, pistols, pr i 
aud shovels; also, Miranda? 
uniform clothes, and a num! {hiss 
proclamations ; ; all which were taken: n fromm, 
on board of the schooners. cae 
The judges commenced their exami- 
nation by their mterpreters, who puz tlie 
questions in English, and gave ce aus” 
swers to the judves; they continued tO: 
examine them for the space of en or 
five howrs, when they were returned to 
the prison and five others brought up in 
their places. fn this manner the exa- 
mination proceeded for the space: ‘ort twa 
weeks before it ended, 
The following were the general ques- 
tions and answers, put to one of the aap 
soners, who has since regained his 
berty.. a 
‘O. How old are you P 
A. About twenty-two years, . 
O. Where was you es and where “de 
your parents reside? 
A.- 1 was born in the state of Massachusetts; 
my parents reside in New-York. 
Q. Why did you leave New-York? 
A. To seek my fortune. 
@. Who engaged you to go on board of the 
Leander? 
A. Solar Armstrong. 
@. Where was you engaged to go? 
A, To Jacmel, and from there to other 
piaces, not disclosed to me at the time of the 
engagement. 
QO. Did you know 
here ? 
A. No. Porte Cavelio was not mentioned. 
O. Did Miranda also engage ae to go on 
, laygae 
~ 
< 
that you was coming 
Q. aD a! ‘Paid 
