American
property. He answered me, saying, "We shall see more about that
to-morrow morning." He then left me and returned to his own vessel. Soon
after I heard the report of a large cannon from the privateer, which was
mounted on a circle, filled with chain and grape-shot, and pointed
towards the shore, where it cut a decent road through the small trees.
The next morning Captain Mitchell told me the gun was loaded full to the
muzzle, and that when he loaded it he intended to fire into my vessel
without hailing her, supposing she was Spanish, to whom he showed no
quarter. On a second reflection he thought it best to hail the sloop
before he fired. He said, "Had I fired into you, I should have cut your
vessel all in pieces." He discharged the gun toward the shore as a
signal to send a horse to convey him to Mr. John Taylor's, whom he
called his father-in-law, as he kept his daughter Sarah as a wife.

Mitchell appeared to have full control over the island, and no one dare
question his authority. He had made this place his rendezvous for some
time past, bought all the provisions they could spare, both from masters
and slaves, and paid them liberally, having plenty of money on board,
and, like most seamen, was lavish in its expenditure. He had lately
escaped from Carthagena, and brought a few half-starved passengers from
that city. In running past one of their forts, a cannon ball had struck
the schooner's fore-mast and cut it half off.

One of the passengers informed me that Carthagena was so closely
besieged by the royalists at that time, that cowhides were sold at
twelve dollars apiece, for food, and that he was obliged to pay three
dollars for a pilot-biscuit, to prevent starvation. Some time after, I
learned that the city was taken and all the inhabitants put to death.

The next morning after my arrival I was visited by Captain Mitchell,
John Taylor, and most of the inhabitants of the island, who were much
pleased to see an American vessel in the harbor, saying it was the only
one that they had seen there in many years past. I was invited on shore
to dine at Mr. Taylor's, in company with Captain Mitchell, where a good
dinner was provided for us, consisting of roast pig, poultry, &c. My
plate was plentifully supplied by Captain Mitchell. On looking over the
table I did not discover any bread. Soon after a plate of roasted
plantains was set before me. I took one, not knowing how to use it, this
being the first I had eve