be hung as a pirate,” showing me a bottle of laudanum which he had found in my medicine chest, saying, “If we are taken, that shall cheat the hangman, before we are condemned.”  I endeavored to get it from him, but did not succeed.  I then asked him how he came to be in such company, as he appeared to be dissatisfied.  He stated, that he was at New Orleans last summer, out of employment, and became acquainted with one Captain August Orgamar, a Frenchman, who had bought a small schooner of about fifteen tons, and was going down to the bay of Mexico to get a commission under General Traspelascus, in order to go a privateering under the patriot flag.  Capt.  Orgamar made him liberal offers respecting shares, and promised him a sailing master’s berth, which he accepted and embarked on board the schooner, without sufficiently reflecting on the danger of such an undertaking.  Soon after she sailed from Mexico, where they got a commission, and the vessel was called Mexican.  They made up a complement of twenty men, and after rendering the General some little service, in transporting his troops to a place called ——­ proceeded on a cruise; took some small prizes off Campeachy; afterwards came on the south coast of Cuba, where they took other small prizes, and the one which we were now on board of.  By this time the crew were increased to about forty, nearly one half Spaniards, the others Frenchmen and Portuguese.  Several of them had sailed out of ports in the United States with American protections; but, I confidently believe, none are natives, especially of the northern states.  I was careful in examining the men, being desirous of knowing if any of my countrymen were among this wretched crew; but am satisfied there were none, and my Scotch friend concurred in the opinion.  And now, with a new vessel, which was the prize of these plunderers, they sailed up Manganeil bay; previously, however, they fell in with an American schooner, from which they bought four barrels of beef, and paid in tobacco.  At the Bay was an English brig belonging to Jamaica, owned by Mr. John Louden of that place.  On board of this vessel the Spanish part of the crew commenced their depredations as pirates, although Captain Orgamar and Nickola protested against it, and refused any participation; but they persisted, and like so many ferocious blood-hounds, boarded the brig, plundered the cabin, stores, furniture, captain’s trunk, &c., took a hogshead of rum, one twelve pound carronade, some rigging and sails.  One of them plundered the chest of a sailor, who made some resistance, so that the Spaniard took his cutlass, and beat and wounded him without mercy.  Nickola asked him “why he did it?” the fellow answered, “I will let you know,” and took up the cook’s axe and gave him a cut on the head, which nearly deprived him of life.  Then they ordered Captain Orgamar to leave his vessel, allowing him his trunk and turned him ashore, to seek for himself.  Nickola begged them to dismiss him with his captain, but no, no,