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troitrjiB IX.
v,rV PUBLISHED (weekly) 3T ALLMAND iIL.TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1805.
Ao. 45jj.-
From the AT. f. Commercial Advertiser
THE following account ofthe Russian and
Massachusetts . enterprize, along the west
caast of North-America, was drawn up by
Jacob Crowningshield, Esq. of Salem, for
DtM Mitchell. It is highly interesting and
has a near connection with the persevering-attempt,
making by Captains Lewis and
Clarke, to penetrate by land to the; Pacific
Ocean. .
ft I fear it will not be In my power, Dear
Sir, to give you very correct information, as
to the points of your enquiry. . Yoa,ask whe
ther I am in possession of any facts, relative
to the settlement and migration of the Kams,
hatkadales, or subjects of Russia, by land or
sea ; along the North-Western coast of Ame
rica." I am in possession of no facts, except
' from the information of others, but I believe"
it is certain that the Russians for eight or
ten years past, have been on the coast, and
that they are extending their settlements, if
they may be called such, to the Southward.
They come from Kamshatka, and their pro
gress is to the.Sotfth, where I have no doubt
they will prove troublesome, either to the
Spaniards, or to ourselves, if we should ever
take possession of that pai l of the .coast (and
vre can produce better titles to' the country
than any European nation whatever.) Al
thcogh I am not now able to point out the
places wherejthey have made establishments,
yet I have been informed, and I think cor
rectly, that, several Russian traders from
Kamshatka have fixed themselves at Queen
Charlotte's Island, and in that neighborhood,
where they canyon an advantageous com
jnerce'with the Indians. They remain over
winter, and collect large quantities of ea
Otter and other skins, which arc delivered to
Russian vessels that regularly visit the coast
from St. Peters and other places on the eas
tern parts of Kamshatka. These vessels
make frequent voyages and supply their tra
ders with such articles as will sell to advan
tage among the natives. 1 am not positive
that I have heard of the Russians making
.'permanent settlement!, but I am sure that
the Americans have frequently" met their
traders on different parts of the coast, to the
north of Nootka Sound. It is said they mix
freely with the natives,' learn their language,
" and endeavor to conciliate them by every
weans in their power: and I was once infor
mrtDy a gentleman who had been on the
coast, that they possessed a veiy considera
ble influence oyer the northern tribes ; and it
was his opinion, as it was mine, that the
Russian government contemplates making
encroachments to the southward, until they
shall be stopped by the Spaniards. The A-
Tnerican traders were assuredly on the toast-
(-it.lv. v iu iui.ii) (Aivjii) iiHiced, mai M
Rutsian vessel or two might have vhitcd that
part of the coast immediately opposite the
astern extremity of Asia, a few years be
fore. . It is about twenty years since the ship
Columbia, Captain Kcndruk, and the sloop
.Mary Washington, Captain Cray, were dis
patched from Boston to the N. V. coast of
America; they made important discoveries,
and took possession of a considerable tract cf
eountry, and Captain Kcndrick actually re
ceived deeds of a large pari from some of the
principal chiefs. The river Columbia, if I
am not mistaken, receives its name from the
Boston ship I hae mentioned. I saw the
Columbia in Canton, on her return, with a
cargo of sea otter skins, which were advan
tageously disposed of in that market. 1 he
Mary Washington afterwards came to Chi
r na,. and made frequent voyages back to the
colasC but I believe never returned to llie U-
nitcd States. Captain Kcndrick having sent
the Columbia home, under charge of Captain
'Gray, remained in the sloop, and finally lost
his life on the coast, in saluting another ves
sel. 1 wm acquainted with Captain Met
calf, of New-York, whoconimanded the brig
Llenora i he was early on the coast, and told
me he had taken posscttiim in behalf of the
United States. Captain Mctcalf was either
cut offby the natives, or ht on the coaJ on
hit second trip, after he lud visiied the Me of
Trance. Captain llobcm and others, from
Boston, soon followed Captain Kcndrick.
Since these voyages were made (and ihcy
were the first undertaken from this country,)
the Americans have carried on constant
trade to the coatt, where they collect oiler
kins and carry them to China, and for itn or
fifteen ycara there hate been from fire to tin
vessels, principally from Massachusetts, en
fcgedinthitlrdc. I have only nferred to
their voyages, particularly lo Captain Ken
drick'i, with a view of shewing yoi that the
Americans, have as good, if not Utter claims
to the country than the ilutsiant can potsi.
tly have. I wish a collection could he made
of all their voysgct j the Information to be
, derived from tlum would certainly be inter
esting, and perhaps importanf, in esUblith
ing our title to the country embraced within
the limits of their discoveries Captain Met.
Calf wis t correct navigaior, and had made
valuable charts and drtwingt of the coast
and harbors which he entered, hut I presume
they were letl with him. Tl. fiivt imi-a-ttora
ate chit fly dead, and it is douttfuUWc
' t"rtktirjouimlt were preserved. Captain
Kendrick's is said to have fallen into the hands
of a Mr. Howell, who, it is understood, died
in Manilla, where it is probable they were
. lost. Captain Ingrabara, who sailed under
Kendrick, in the Columbia, afterwards made
a voyage tc the northwest coast, and thence
to China, and on his passage discovered a
small cluster of Islands ; and I have heard
that his journal was presented to General
Washington, and it is very probable it may
be found among his papers. It is possible
that Captain Magee's may be preserved by
his friends or relations who reside in Boston,
and if a copy can at any future time be ob
tained, you may depend I will not fail to pre
sent it to you. I do not recollect a single
vessel ever having performed a voyage from
'Salem to th Western co4 of America.
Our merchants generally having been enga
ged in other enterprizes, particularly to the
East-Indies by' the way of the Cap& of Good
Hope, few or none from our port, within my
knowledge, have dispatched any vessel round
Cape Horn, upon voyages for sea otter skins,
which are only procured in high northern
latitudes, onthe west side of this continent.
The eastern extremity of Asia is so near
the Western part of North America that the
Russians have easy and frequent communi
cations with it. I have not the least doubt
but that they have views of taking possession
of the whole coast, from the northern extre
mity of the continent (as far ai the sea is na
vigable) to the Spanish settlements to the
southward; .and I am of opinion that the
late Russian voyage of discovery is connec
ted with the general system of extending
their settlements in that quarter of our con
tiHCMt. . The Russians, for the firat time I
think, are now passing Cape Horn, and their
ships are destined to Kamshatka and the N.
W. coast of America. We must wait the
event, but if I am not very much deceived,
you will find their attentipn principally di
rected to discoveries and settlements on our
western shores.
The extreme point of their southern dis
coveries I cannot ascertain. They collect
incsKins oi tne sea otter and other animals, 1
which they carry to Kamshatka. and bv that i
rout they reach Europe and China by land, !
out nave neard ot no Hush an vec i
a voyage from the coast direct lo China ; nor
do I think that any Russians have as yet un
dertaken any commercial voyage from the
eastern shores of Asia to Chi na. exeunt in.
deedthev mav have
ports on the northern and eastern coasts of !
that country, which are not frequented by
our navigators. The European and Ame
rican traders are only allowed' to visit Canton.
11 the Russian government intends to make
-permanent settlementson the American coast
and extend them southward, there can be lit
tle doubt that they may interfere with our
claim to the western part or Louisiana, pro
vided we secure a title to that territory as far
as the great western ocean.
:q:
MEDITERRANEAN AFFAIRS.
Mr. ifarrod mention. In atrliiitn t
-i etuii hiwii v l ii v
information given in our last, that he learnt
at Jsyracusc, that general Eaton, who was in
the vicinity of Aleiandria, in concert with the
cx-bashaw, were going against Tripoli, with
an army of 20,Ogo Arabs. He' also lenrnt
that the American scpudron would com.
mence their operations about the 1st of July,
when our " smallest competent force," will
noikfcbtdo all in their power lo subdue this
heretofore unconquerable race of barbarians.
XXcBbarsfoTt Herald.-
Extract of a Liter fron an American officer, Jj.
led MJt a, April 7.
M A Ictlcrdated January 27, was received
a few days since from Captain llainbridgc,
by way of Tunis. The oir.ctrs were in good
IWth, iiotwiihutanding their rigon.us con
finement. Arrangements are making for
entering on offensive operations against the
IUibaruiit. It will be needless to assure
youthatihc onicers and crew ofthe squadron
arc rulUfacal and ardor, and thai cvciy thing
will be done to insure success, and to restore
our unfortunate piisonm lo their country
ind friends." '
Fxtracl, a Utter from m efcer r-f the United
Stun, tSrra,uie, duied the lth of May,
UO J, U UmmoJ.r, Preble.
" The Commodore is still at Malta his
health something better. The Enterpriie
' expected eery day from Venice entirely
rebuilt. Captiiu lUrrou, .f the lUscx, left
this p,,rt yesterday, forMalia, leaving a brii
cilkd the rrnKhn, whirli I btliCvc he pur
clused in Ttiesfc, intended fr a bomb. A
Mr. larrjuar arrived here a few d.)s ago
jiom AIandria-..Ie laid Hut Mr. Eaton
lial marched Umed.yi before, (alwul the
4th March) with 100 Christians, and the old
llashaw, with abeut 4f00 Tutks ; their l.oj.ii
were very sanguine to get safe, and take pos
session of Dcrnc and Ikngara. We have
had no official accounts from Mr. Eaton at
yet, hit it is rumortd at M.lu that he it in
Dcrne. The Arjutio expected totrit.g ut
fitoisyyu.
Extract of a letter from an American ejficer, at
Malta, dated Aprils, 1805.
In my last I believe i informed you, that
captain Eaton hid gone to Alexandria, in E
gypt, to meet the ci-devant Baslfaw of Tri
pifi, brother to the reigning llashaw, since
which the Argus has returned aud brings let
ters from Eaton. He wasreceived with
nwch attention, and appointed generalissimo
bjf the Bashaw ; he is. now at the head of a
bmt 6000 men, on his march to Tripoli, a'
distance of 1000 miles. He is supposed by
tins time to be at Derne, a province of Tripo- '
li about half way from Alexandria.
" The Argus has been dispatched to Derne
"with provisions, and the Commodore has sent
to Messina lo purchase field pieces, Sec
Great hopes are entertained from this exps
dition. The reigning Bashaw is much alarm
el, and has put himself at the head of his ar
my to oppose them. "
" Commodore Barron continues very . ill
ytt. The Constitution, Constellation, and
brig Vixen, are now off Tripoli, from which
K we have just returned ; the Essex and Enter-
puze at Venice and Trieste, expected leie
daily ; the Congress and Nautilus at Syra
cuse, or on their passage to this place ; the
Syren cruising off Tangier." ,
By an arrival at New-York from Leghorn,
fitters are received in town from our unfor
tunate prisoners at Tripoli, xlated in Novem
ber last. A letter from one of the officers
.mentions, that they had the fall fever of that
climate, but had then recovered from it.
A tedious and lingering confinement in al
ctose and loathsome prison, with poor and
scanty fare, and deprived of their accustomed
conveniences, in the hands, likewise, of such
an enemy, must prey upon the health, and
wear-down the spirits of these brave but un
fortunate men. In spite of the efforts of
some of them, to sooth the anxletv of their
relatives tnid friends by affected gaiety and-
wvoraoic accounts ol their hituation, the
marks of despondency will break forlh.
" Our days," sa? they, drag heavily, we
j are Hill closely confined, not haying enjoyed
asigni oitue Heavens (hut once) excepting
'through, a small grated hole in the terrace,
since May last. We are secluded in a loath
lome prison, surrounded by vermin, without
the enjoyment of pure air, and debaned from
! holding converse with any person outside
the walls ol our prison the policy of conceal
ing the operations of the fleet from the ene
my, cuts off the intercourse with our coun
trymen, and keeps us in ignorance atitl con
stant suspense the letters from our friends
in America are intercepted, opened, and
sometimes never reach us. After spending
a tedious day, sleep, th solace of the wretch
ed, comes to case the burden of our minds,
and sometimes transports us, by a visionary
light, to our beloved friends, but the return
of light awakens u to the drear y realities of
our prison, t-ven nope r.as now almost tlc
ttrtedus, and though we struggle to support
with fortitude the horrors cl our situation,
el human nature is scarcely equal lo the con
flict." It is now twenty-one months since the dis
astrous loss of their ship consigned three hun
dred American citizens lo Barbarian captivi
ty and slavery. During all this time, they
havc-bven doomed to suffering! which cou
rage itself has not meant to lessen, and to ex
perience that " sickness ofthe heart, which
arises from hope deferred." Husbands, fa
thers, sons and brothers, young men in the
prime of life and vigor of their age, arc thus
lost to their country, their families and them-
tvc. But while they pine in slavery, and
thelrTahuliei deploy their" fate, from their
country they have a right to look with confi
dence for relief. Let us believe that the
measures hitherto pursued by our govern
ment hive been the wisest ; that the'delayt
incurred have been unavoidable. The tea
ton for renewing the attackt upon the enemy
hat commenced, and the result, we hope,
will be fortunate. Yet all meant should be
prepared and nothing should be neglected to
insure the liberation of ohr countrymen the,
feeling ofthe people of this country, it.cir
sympathy for the captives, and their tense of
justice, imperiously demand that thit busi
nest should now be concluded, and that ano
ther year should not be added to the misera
ble term f slavery. Jf the Application of
foixe thould prove insufficient if it tl.ould
apuear that no skill, no courage, can remote
the obstructions which natutc hat thrown in
our way, we must then be prepared and con
tent to do at the nations of Europe hate done,
and at we did on a former occasion, to gite
the Barbi riant the paltry turn at which they
value. nur inestimable ciiient the sum )
manded, it it acknowledged, it inignificant
lhetxjence noi an object, and surely with
tuch a nation, If it miy be to oiled, there
can be no point of honor. The rrfiisnlof our
government lo make this provUion, will com,
pel the wealthy friends of individual captive
to procure their rnom by large tumt ol
money, and in relieving a very few, plunge
thr rest into tenfold misery and dctpair.
I'titl. fyftr,
TniroLiTAN"cArTivm.
A IcUtr liviu Jwui'.Ua Cow Jcry, LVj. Sur
geon of the late frigate Philadelphia, now a
captive in Tripoli, to Dr. Mitchell, of New-,-sYork,
dated 24th November, 180-t.
" Dear Sir, . ;v'V- ' ;
1 DOPE you will excuse me for the li
berty I take, in suggesting to you a few re
marks which have occurred since my captivi
ty. The Bashaw has taken me, from the pri
son where my fellow-officers are confined,
and ordered me to attend his sick slaves who .
are principally Neapolitans, negroes, and ouv
unfortunate crew. Some of the latter I this ,
morning saw chained to a cart loaded with
stories, which they were dragging through
the town to repair the fortifications. They
'complain much of hunger, cold," hard labor,
and the lash of the whip. I confess I never
saw any thing that wounded my feelings e
jqual to the sight of those poqr fellows. 1 have"
liberty to walk in the town, but am attended
by a Turk who is loaded with weapons of.
war. I m not allowed to visit any of the
loiuncauons or any ot the foreign consuls..
Captain Bainbrido-e'a endeavor tn rrliev. the
wants of his crew are often countermanded
Ly our new mast&m. Five of our country
men have turned Turks, ami fin'h
their last debt to'nature. Diarrhoea and Dy-
entery have olten appeared among our crew,
Hit on a free use hf Tn-hnnat nf KnHn (V..
ton) which is found in abundance in this
country, and, often white-washing the wall of
the prison with lime where thev sleen. it
soon disappears. Our crew arc now very
iieaiiny.
u Durintr the several 'attarfes nrinn thU
town by our sruadron under the command -
of Commodore Preble, many Turks were
milieu anu wounded, and several men much T
burnt by the explosion of their owtv-pbwd.er;'
of curing burns in particular, many of thich
exurnueu over the whole body.- The Bashaw -
f ii I ... 4
nasau nis wounded brought to an apartment ..
in the Castle, where he visits them and makes
them a present of ten dollars each. He then
orders his Surgeons and Mamelukes to drest
meir wonnas ; no otten assists with his own
hands. The Mamelukes are hUUulv o-irl.
the Marabouts are employed to expel evil spi-
iu anu maKe interccssioij with Mahomet,
their prophet, fur their, fecuverv. Thn
that were burnt, were first annotated with
noney, oereiuHy preserving the skin as much
as possible and keeDinr the narts evnnsptl In
the air. They then sp.-inkle the ulcered parts,
ii any, wan a line powder ot white lcd, (Ce
ruse ;) this is repealed at short intervals uiv
t a i .
in a scao is lornied, that is carelully preseri
ved until a cure is accomplished, which it
.-..tie
rcmamauiy soon.
" I hone and exnect that in Hue tim m
country will honorably and to the 'astonish-
r s i ..
Hicni oi jaruanans and 1 y rants liberate u
from the chains of slavery, and restore us to
our native land, that happy land, the thoughts
of which is a healta balm to oursuuls in
this miserable bondage." .
NEWtYOKK, July 30.
Extract of a letter ft cm Cadiz, dated June
22, 1805.
" By the inclosed papers you will per
ceive the insulting ttile in which the Spa.
niards mention in their public prints, an oc
currence which toc;k place a few days since of
the attack and capture of one oflhc United
Statetgun-boatt No. 3, by three Spanish pri-
valecrs ; the result of thit business we are
yet ignorant of, though it is said the boat hat
been givn up-the captuic appcart lo have
been intended more at an it.fult than any
thing else. .
Omitted.
" " The same letter announces the condenv
nation of the brig Hudson and rarKo,1.y the
Tribunal of Marine ofthe island of St. Leon.
The reason given is that the btig was l.ni;
lish built; fend the want of Spanish certifi
cate! to the property." Thit vessel it Ame
rican built and owned, was bound to Naplct
with; valuable cargo, telonging entirely lo
native citizens. ,
Nonroi.K, August i.
Extract of a letter from a mercantile house
in Jamaica, to its correspondent in this
place, dated Kingston, July 2, 1 BOS.
We enclose you this day 't IU)(;cttcf
wherein you wiU observe the ttror g rt pre
tcntalion acain made to the Cotcrnorby the
Assembly, fr opening the portt to American
vessels at formerly, and hit answer rtfusing.
The fact it hit ordcrt fronf Lngland are po
sitive tiot to open them, and not in conse
quence of tome few pccple here applying to
keep ihcm thut against tailed proviviont."
jKixctTo, (Jam.) July 13, 1803.
On 1 hurtday, the hon. house ofasscmUy
laid before his honor the lieutenant frovtrnor,
their representation of li e miserable situation
to which this island is likely to be reduced,1
by a perseverance In the meaturtt Ja'cly a
doptcd by the command of hit majesty' mi
tiislcrt, f'ir thcprcserition of a supply c-f Si l
ted provisions from ihe United Stsle t of A
merica, lo which lie tutde the following re
ply t
Mr. SpeahrendGinttemrmefthe Amh't,
,.In conscpience -f the mcasurrt which
tvne taken during the late ittattitl Itw, fr
J ari
hunc
itir
ured
ition
teti
of
M
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its
he