William Rotch
Memorandum, Continued...
part 5
not bear the motion of the vessel -- But we got safe to New York
in a few days after it abated.
Admiral Digby had arrived -- Commodore Affleck (since Ad-
miral) still being there, and he having kindly assisted in getting the
Permits for a few whaling vessels the year before, we applied first
to him -- We asked him to introduce us to the Admiral, and assist us
in procuring protection against their cruisers in our harbor, and
some Permits for the Fishery.
He looked very stern, and said, "I don’t know how you can have
the face to ask any indulgence of us -- I assisted in getting Permits
for you last year, which I have been very sorry for. I find that you
have abused the confidence we placed in you, for Captain--------
who cruised in Boston Bay and its vicinity told me that hie could
hardly find a vessel but what had the Permits, and you deserve no
favor" &c &c --
I heard him patiently through, while he was giving
us such a lecture, knowing I could overthrow it all -- I then
answered "Commodore Affleck thou hast been greatly imposed upon
in this matter. I defy Captain ------- to make such a declaration
to my face. Those Permits were put into my hands -- I delivered
them, taking receipts for each, to be returned to me at the end of
the voyage, and an obligation that no transfer should he made, nor
copies given. I received back all the Permits except two before I
left home, and should probably have received those two on the
day that I sailed. Now if any such duplicity has been practiced,
I am the person who is accountable, and I am now here to take the
punishment such perfidy deserves."
He immediately became placid, and said, "You deserve favor.
I am now going to the Admiral -- do you be there in an hour" -- We
attended punctually -- He introduced us to the Admiral, and in-
formed him that his predecessor Admiral Arbuthnot granted the
people of Nantucket a few Permits for the Fishery last year, adding,
"and I can assure your Excellency they have made no bad use of
them."
Thus after a storm came a pleasant calm. We obtained an Order,
as heretofore, respecting the property in our harbor, and Twenty
four Permits for the Fishery -- And I returned home much im-
proved in my health.
It was necessary to secrete these Documents from American
Cruisers, but such was the difficulty of distinguishing them, that
two were presented to American armed vessels, who immediately
took the vessels as prizes. This occasioned us to pursue other means
for the security of this small privilege, though a very useful one
to us, which I shall mention hereafter.
We were now brought into the most eminent danger, which no
human effort could check, much less prevent. Nothing short of the
interposition of Divine Providence preserved us from apparent
ruin. Several sloops of War, and a number of Transports intended
paying us a destructive visit. They were in sight of us in the three
days, near Cape Poag (Martha’s Vineyard) -- They got under way
three mornings successively, and stood for the Island with a fair
wind, which each morning soon came round against them, and the
tide by that time became unfavorable, which obliged them to re-
turn to their anchorage still in view of us.
Before they could make the fourth attempt, Orders came for their
return to New York for some other Expedition.
Thus we were mercifully relieved for that time, after more fear-
ful apprehension than any we had before witnessed. Messengers
were arriving one after another, and twice I was called up in the
night, with the disagreeable information that they were at hand.
A solemn time indeed it was, and can never he obliterated from my
memory while life and reason are vouchsafed.
We had a few restless Spirits amongst us, who were continually
involving us in perplexity whenever opportunity offered. From a
misrepresentation it was sometimes charged upon the Inhabitants
at large, though without the least foundation, therefore this Arma-
ment was prepared to strip us of what could be found.
When this misrepresentation was discovered, those who author-
ized time Expedition appeared very glad that it was not executed.
I was one with ten men, and two Women friends, captured in
going to our Quarterly meeting at Sandwich by a British Privateer
from New York. They had just before taken a Cedar Boat, and
ordered us to depart in it immediately, having first plundered us
of what money they could find, but they took neither baggage
nor provisions from us.
The Vessel was mine, and I pleaded earnestly for her, and some-
times nearly obtained a majority to give her to us -- But another
Can of Grog would be stirred up by those who would not consent
to release her, and this never failed to gain several to their side.
They repeatedly ordered us into the boat and to be gone, ‘till the
Captain of the Privateer called to the. Prize Master, to know why
he did not send us away. He replied, "they will not go." He then
sent a furious fellow to drive us off. Samuel Starbuck and myself
were standing together, he approached us with a violent countenance
QUEST, P.O. Box 82, Bellefonte PA 16823
E-mail: quest@quaker.org
Web: http://quakertheology.org