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PEDRO GIBERT AND OTHERS.

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ashore. Don’t think Perez was
in the boat; there were only two
of the prisoners, and they were
the men whom I have mentioned.
Remember going to the river
Bona in the Curlew. Some of
the prisoners ‘were on board the

‘anza, and others on board
the Curlew. The mate, the ear-
penter, and three others were in
irons. Captain of the Panda
did some translations for Cap-
tain Trotter; Captain Trotter
might have regaled him with
wine and brandy, When we were
in the River Bona, the Fsperanza
got aground rather less than a
mile from the shore; a great
many of our hands had gone up
the river in boats; fourteen or
fifteen only remained on board.
Don’t know whether all the
prisoners were ox board her at
the time. They assisted our men
readily in getting her afloat
again, Do not think the prison-
ers outnumbered our men, While
at Nazareth, consider we were in
some danger from the natives—
ean’t tell whether it was by the
intercession of the captain and
mate of the Panda that Captain
Trotter was not killed. A search
was wade to find the money tak-
en from the Mexican, but it was
minsuccessful. Captain Trotter
recovered $683 of it at Cape
Lopez. I know of no place
where slaves cannot be purchased
for money, excepting in the in-
terior. The natives take the
dollars to the English merchants,
and get goods.

The principal object of the
Curlew was the capture of slav-
ers. Four years is not an ex-
traordinary eruise for such a ves-
sel as the Curlew. All the men
belonging to the Curlew and
Panda were sent ashore. Prison-

ers were guarded by sentinels;
they were allowed to go into the
skirts of the town. Don’t know
whether prisoners were in irons;
did not see irons on them; did
not see them go ashore, Saw the
eaptain and mate of the Panda
in irons on board the Curlew,
Do not know whether the senti-
nels were placed to guard the
English crew 2a well as the pris-
oners. Cannot say whether there
‘was any part of the crew of the
Curlew appointed especially to
perform guard duty.

Ascension is a small island,
perhapa 14 or 15 miles in cir-
eumference. Curlew’s people
were mostly employed ebout the
vessel; some allowed to go ashore
when ‘they chose; don’t know
what they did on shore. There
‘were about four hundred soldiers
in the town—also a few boats be-
longing to the island, and our
own boat lying on the beach, A.
sentry ‘was stationed at the end
of the wharf. No boats in any
other part of the town; there are
no boats owned by the inhabi-
tanta; a guard from the ger
ison is constantly stationed
over the boats; wharf forms part
of the fortifications, Captain
Trotter did not eruise after a
prize to replace the Panda, thet

know of. He (Captain Trot-
ter) could not return to Eng-
land without orders; am sure of
this; did not show me his sailing
orders; was not accustomed to
do eo. Think there ara about
four hundred inhabitants in As-
eension; they reside in two parts
of the island. Prisoners could
not have procured a boat to leave
the island, unless they eut down
8 tree and made one for them-
selves. Prisoners never tried ta

eseape, to my knowledge. Once,

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