William Rotch
Memorandum, Continued...
part 6
and uplifted Cutlass, saying "Begone into the boat, or I’ll cut
your heads off." I looked him earnestly in the face, eye to eye, and
with a pretty stern accent, said "I am not afraid of thy cutting my
head off -- We are prisoners, treat us as such, and not talk of cutting
our heads off." -- He dropped his arm with his cutlass, and seemed
very much struck at my boldness.
There were now two vessels coming rapidly in pursuit of them,
and we thought it was time to be off. They soon retook our vessel,
and pursued the Privateer, and took her, but the men left her in
their boat, and got on shore on the Vineyard. They hunted them,
and took all except that one who threatened to cut off our heads,
and he made his escape.
Our vessel being retaken, I recovered her by paying salvage, as
did a young man the most of his money, who had two hundred
dollars taken from him.
I now return to the Permits granted us by Admiral Digby. The
American Cruisers generally had knowledge of our whaling
Vessels having them, therefore every deception and disguise was
resorted to, to entrap them. They were too successful in drawing
the Permit from two and taking them as prizes.
It was now evident that we could proceed no further without
having Permits from both contending Powers. Accordingly the
Town was convened, and Samuel Starbuck and myself were sent
to Congress, to represent our distressed situation, an endeavor to
obtain their permission, as well as that of the British for a few
vessels.
We set off in mid-winter and arrived in Philadelphia where Con-
gress was sitting. We opened our business first to General Lincoln,
Samuel Osgood, Nathaniel Gorham, and Thomas Fitzsimmons. The
first was Minister of War, the others were members of Congress.
The last a great commercial man. To them we opened our whole
business -- We drew up a Memorial but did not present it until
we had an opportunity of stating our case, to the most influential
members. Among them was President Madison, who as well as
others, treated us with great civility, and seemed to take an interest
in our sufferings.
We went to one of the Massachusetts Members, who resided in
Boston. He was extremely prejudiced against us. I fell in with him
alone, and conversed about two hours with him, endeavoring to
impress him with our situation, and the necessity of our having the
aid of Congress, but apparently with little effect. At last I asked
him three questions, which were "is the whale fishery worth pre--
serving in this Country?" -- "Yes" -- "Can it be preserved in the
present state of things by any place except Nantucket?" -- "No" --
"Can we pursue it unless you and the British will give us Permits?"
-- "No" -- "Then pray where is the difficulty?" -- Thus we parted.
We reported this conversation to our beforementioned friends.
We had now drawn our Memorial, and desired them to look it
over. They approved it, and advised us to get the same person to
present it. Accordingly we repaired to his apartments, requested
him to examine it, and give us his judgment whether our statement
appeared correct. He approved it -- We then requested him to pre-
sent it to Congress, if it was agreeable to him to do so. -- He accept-
ed, and presented it accordingly. It was deliberated upon in Con-
gress, and a disposition appeared to give their aid in its accomplish-
ment. They eventually granted us Permits for Thirty five vessels
for the Whale Fishery.
They were delivered to us, and the next day a Vessel arrived
from Europe, bringing a rumor of a Provincial Treaty of Peace
having been signed by our Ministers and the British Government,
to take place when the Peace between England and France should
be concluded. And it was not long before an official account of it
reached Philadelphia.
Thus ended this destructive War, with the separation of the
United States from Great Britain.
Our arduous labors, after five or six weeks attention, were now
terminated, and might have been spared, if we had apprehended
Peace had been so near. The British were still to hold New York,
and other Territories now ceded to the United States, for a limited
time. I obtained liberty to proceed to that City to accomplish some
business, and then returned home.
The happy return of Peace was now enjoyed in the United States,
but poor Nantucket, whose distresses did not end with the War,
though rejoiced at the event, still seemed doomed for a time to ruin
in the Whale Fishery. Separated from Great Britain, the only mar-
ket of any consequence for Sperm Oil, we were necessarily brought
under the Alien Duty of 18 pounds Sterling per Ton -- A duty laid
upon Aliens to encourage British Subjects. Such we then were, but
this duty had its full force upon us. Sperm Oil was sold at Nan-
tucket after the Peace at 17 pounds Sterlg pr Ton, which before we
were separated was worth nearly 30 pounds Sterling. 25 pounds
Sterling was necessary at that time to cover the expenses, and leave
a very moderate profit to the Owners. Thus a loss of nearly 8
pounds Sterlg per Ton attended the business.
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