This day came before me John Tyrie, late Commander of the Sloop Amelia belonging to London, but last from Senegal, Archibald Sharp, Mate, Luke Cortis, & James Forbes, Mariners, on board the said Vessel who, severally made Oath, on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, & say that on the Eighth lnstt on their Voyage from Senegal to the Island of Jamaica, with a Cargo of Sixty eight Slaves, they were boarded & taken off the Island of Alto-Velo [Altavelle] near Hispaniola by the Tyger Privateer commanded by Captain Davie, a Frenchman, mounting Twelve Carriage; & Twelve Swivel Guns, and carrying Ninety Men, most of whom were like wise Frenchmen; That, as far as the Deponents could learn there was but one American on board the Privateer, & he acted in the Capacity of a common Mariner only; nor was there any Commission from the American Congress produced, but that one Thos Freeman belonging to the Privateer, who had been a Wharfinger, in the Island of Grenada, informed the Deponents, that he had, what he called, a Congress Commission: although, at the same Time, he confessed it, to be, a mere Forgery: That the Deponents, with their Vessel, & Slaves, were carried by the Privateer Tyger aforesaid into the bay of Flammant [Baye des Flamands] in Hispaniola, where the Deponents, with four others of their Crew (the whole consisting of Ten, two of whom had found means to escape at Hispaniola) were shipped on board a French Merchantman, & were landed on the Shore of Fisher's bay, on the South-East End of Jamaica, the Twenty third Instant: That the Deponents before they left the Privateer, at Flammant bay, had been stripped of all their Cash, papers, Clothes &ca except what they had got on; That when they left the Bay of Flammant, the Twentieth instant, the Sloop Amelia was still there, but the Slaves, they were informed, had been carried on Shore; as were likewise two Free Negro Men, who had been hired by the Deponent, John Tyrie, at Senegal as Sailors, & Interpreters. And further these Deponents say not.
John Tyrie.
Archd Sharp.
Luke Curtis.
Jas Forbes.
Sworn before me
this 30. September 1777
Rob: Wood.
(Copy)
