DOMINICA

BEFORE Charles Winstone Esquire
One of His Majesty's Justices of
the Peace for the Island of
Dominica.

PERSONALLY appeared Dominick French late Master of the Ship Whim, belonging to the Port of Liverpool in the Kingdom of Great Britain, and owned by Thomas Case of Liverpool aforesaid Merchant, John Spurritt late Chief Mate of the said Ship Whim, and Hopkin Lewellin late Second Mate of the same Ship, And jointly and severally made Oath as follows And first the said Deponents jointly say, That on the Twenty Ninth day of January One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven The said Ship sailed from the said Port of Liverpool for the Coast of Africa and after taking in a Cargo of Slaves and Rice at the Island of Bannanoas on the Coast of Africa the said Ship sailed from thence on the Seventeenth day of November now last past bound to the Island of Barbadoes And these Deponents further say that on the Twentieth day of December now last past being in the Latitude of Barbadoes the said Ship Whim was taken by an American Brigantine of Twelve or Fourteen Guns called the Fairfield¹ whereof one James Hovey was Master, and carried into Carbay² in the Island of Martinico on the Twenty Fourth day of the same Month of December And these Deponents also jointly say That on Saturday the Third day of this instant January they took their Passages from the Port of S^t. Pierre's in the said Island of Martinico on board of a French passage Schooner to be landed on this Island, the said Schooner being bound to the Island of Guadaloupe to call in her way at this Island and upon these Deponents going on board the said Passage Schooner they discovered two Negro Boys on board, which the Deponents knew to be part of the Cargo of the said Ship Whim And the Deponent Dominick French further deposeth That upon his Arrival at Roseau in this Island on Sunday last the Fourth Instant he went to His Excellency Governor Shirley and related the Circumstance of the Two Negro Boys (part of the said Ships Cargo) being on board the said Schooner or French Packet and prayed His said Excellency to have said Schooner stopped by the Fort that the Deponent might recover back the said two Negro Boy Slaves for the Owner of the said Ship Whim, this Deponent apprehending that the property of the said Slaves was not altered by the illegal Capture and Sale aforesaid, which request His said Excellency was pleased to comply with, and the said Schooner was in consequence thereof fired at and brought to by the Fort at Roseau and the said two Negro Boys were landed from on board the said Schooner and carried by this Deponent before Charles Winstone Esq^r. one of the Members of His Majesty's Council and a Justice of the Peace for the said Island of Dominica who told this Deponent he might take the said two Slaves into his possession as the property of the Owner of the said Ship Whim. And all these Deponents jointly swear that the two Negro Boy Slaves aforesaid were two of the Slaves of the Cargo of the said Ship Whim at the time of the Capture by the Rebels And that the Rebel Colours of America were hoisted on board the said Brigantine Fairfield & her Prize the said Ship Whim, when they sailed into Carbay in Martinica aforesaid, at which Bay there were two more Prizes lying, one of which had Rebel Colours flying And that there is a Fort at Carbay aforesaid mounting Four Guns, and garrisoned by a Commandant & Soldiers who these Deponents apprehend & believe were in the Service of His most Christian Majesty the French King, And that the next Day being Christmas Day, the Commandant and several other Gentlemen of Martinico went on board the Rebel Privateer called Fairfield, for the purpose as these Deponents heard and believe of purchasing the Cargo of Slaves of the Ship Whim, which Cargo was landed on the Twenty Sixth of December in the Morning, & disposed of by the Rebels to the French Inhabitants at very low Prices AND this Deponent Dominick French for himself further deposeth that on his Arrival at the Town of Saint Pierre in Martinico aforesaid on the Twenty Seventh of December last he took with him the English Interpreter M^r Michell & waited on the Person in Command at S^t. Pierre's, who this Deponent was informed was the Lieutenant Governor,³ and demanded from him restitution of the Ship Whim & her Cargo of Slaves this Deponent alledging that the two Nations of France & Great Britain were in amity together, that the Lieu^t. Governor asked of this Deponent where the Ship Whim was, whether in the Port of S^t. Pierre's or Fort Royal, the Deponent answered no, that She was in a Bay situate between those Ports. the Lieutenant Governor then told this Deponent he never took cognizance of anything not done in the Ports, that there were Guarda-Coasta's out, who were to take care no illegal Trade was carried on. And then the Lieutenant Governor said to this Deponent through the Interpreter, that no Prizes were allowed to stay in the Ports of Fort Royal or S^t. Pierre's more than Twenty Four hours, that the French Nation was in friendship with all other Nations, and would grant them every necessary Succour. That this Deponent being under a promise to return on board the Rebel Privateer in the Afternoon of the Twenty Seventh of December, with the Master of her, was met with by several Gentlemen in Saint Pierre's who advised this Deponent not to return on board. that this Deponent mentioned to them, as he had given his promise he must do so, on which they said they supposed he was not thereby prevented from seeking his liberty—And advised him to go to the Interpreter, and apply with him to the Lieutenant Governor for his Liberty, and discharge from Confinement by the Rebels. that this Deponent accordingly waited on the Lieutenant Governor and he sent the Interpreter to a M^r. Bingham⁴ who acts (as the Deponent understands) as Agent for the Rebels at Saint Pierre's, to give his the Lieutenant Governor's Compliments to M^r Bingham, and request of him to discharge this Deponent. That M^r Bingham accordingly complied, & wrote a Letter to Hovey the Captain of the Privateer, in consequence of which this Deponent was discharged by him.

Sworn before me this
7^th day of January 1778
Cha^s. Winstone