Nous capitaine pierre Antoine Massie de Marseille commandant Le navire Le Bon pasteur party du Fort Royal Isle Martinique Le 4 octobre 1777 pour marseille notre destination, officiers major, passagers et Equipages d'iceluy, certifions et attestons que Le 21 Decembre meme année Sur les 4 heures du soir nous trouvans par le travers du cap de Gatte distants 4 Lieux avec un vent D'ouest fraix, un navire portant pavillon anglais et marchant Superieurementa nous, vint jusques par notre travers a demy lieu loin et nous tira un coup de Canon a boulet qui nous passa fort pres, nous mimes tout de Suite notre pavillon, menames tout de suite nos bonnettes hauttes et basses et cargammes nos deux basses voiles, ayant mis a travers tout de Suite Sous nos deux hunniers, il nous fut sous peu a la portée de La voix. il nous cria d’où nous Venions et où nous allions, luy ayant repondu de la Martinique a Marseille, il commanda que Le capitaine y fut tout de suite a bord avec Son Canot; luy ayant representé par L'en tremise d'un de nos matelots qui parlait Anglois que nous n'avions qu'une Lourde chaloupe trés enbarrassée qui demandait au moins trois quarts D'heures pour etre mise a la mer et que La nuit S'avançait il repondit qu'il allait mettre le sien, en Effet il L'envoya a notre bord avec Şix hommes armés de deux paires de pistolet et un Şabre chaques, ils disaient etre officiers de La fregatte, il fallut ceder ses Six hommes armés montérent a bord, firent embarquer de force le capitaine en luy ordonnant de La part du leur de porter avec luy tous ses papiers ayant mis le pistolet Sur la gorge du timonier ils S'enparerent du gouvernail et du commandement du Navire Le dit cap^ne. S'etant embarqué dans Le canot et ayant abordé a bord de La dite fregatte, ils le firent dessandre dans La grand chambre ou le dit capitaine Etait avec un passager qui parlait francais et Son Chirurgien il luy fit demander tous Ses papiers, il luy remis une balle de fer blanc renfermant L'expedition de L'amirauté, Le congé dé Monseigneur L'amiral, Le role d'Equipage et L'expedition du domaine qui constatait Le chargement, il ne Daigna pas meme ouvrir la boëtte ou ils Etaient renfermés il fut La mettre tout de suite dans son bureau; il me fit dire pour lire par cet homme qui parlait Francais et qui nous servait D'interpretre qu'il etait tres persuadé qué je ne venais pas de La martinique et bien de La nouvelle Angleterre, que mon chargement devait etre composé du Tabac, du Ris, du bled et autres denrees provenant de ce pays, et qu'il etait dessidé de me menner a Mahon pour faire La visite Exacte et decharger mon Vaisseau. il fit passer tout de suite Douze de Ses matelots armés dans mon bord, nomma un capitaine de prise et mon navire fut totalementa Sa discretion ayant donné tous Ses ordres, il redessendit dans La chambre où j'avais resté tout Etonné de cette scéne. je luy Representai Qu'il n'avait qu'a faire verifier tous mes papiers et qu'il verrait que je viens reelement de La martinique et que mon chargement n'etait absolument composé que de denrées venant du cru de cette colonie. il me fit dire pour toute reponse qu'il allait me mener a Mahon et que La on verrait, sans vouloir jetter un coup d'auil sur mes papiers. Le voyant determine de La Sorte, je luy dis que cedant a La force, je protestait des ce moment de tous domages retard quelconques tant pour La Sureté de mon navire que pour La cargaison, et qu'ayant eu beaucoup des mauvais temps je fesais 28 pouces d'eau par heures avec Le beau temps et belle mer, et que quand Le navire fatigoit j'avais de La peine a faire laisser les pompes, que S’Etant Enparé dé mon navire c'etait a luy ay faire prevoir. Cet homme pour lors devint furieux, et je me vis Sur le point d'etre mis aux fers, il voulait a toute force me faire bonne prise et que je ne dis mot.

Monsieur Le Baron D’arbaud de Jouque major general de La Martinique L'un de mes passagers fut aussy mandé a bord, on luy fit Subir L'interrogatoire, luy proposant de Luy donner La moitie du chargement S'il voulait avouer que nous Eussions des marchandises de La nouvelle angleterre, Le tout avec violence et mauvais procedé. il fit son possible pour faire entendre audit capitaine que nous venions reellement de La martinique chargés des denrées coloniales & que nous n'avions Relaché en aucun port depuis notre depart. tout cella ne satisfesait pas ce capitaine qui voulait absolument nous conduire a Mahon il poussa La violence jusqu'a vouloir le retenir dans son bord en ottage à la fin a forces des sollicitations et des prieres il Le fit Reconduire a Bord du bon pasteur

Deux soldats deserteurs qui etaient embarques par ordre du gouvernement furent pareillement mandés a son bord et furent interrogés hors de ma presence; Enfin apres m'avoir fait bien des reproches de ce que les francais favorisaient ouvertement les nouveaux angleterriens et autres mauvais propos, sur Les 11 heures du Soir il me fit dire qu'il allait me rendre mes papiers et me faire conduire a mon bord, m'offrant si j'avais besoin de quelques vivres de me les ceder en payant ayant deja 78 jours de navigation et les vivres commençant a me manquer, je le priai de me vendre 2 quinteaux biscuit, une barrique d'eau, 12 poulles, et un petit Cochon, luy ayant payé pour Le tout 4 guinées, m'ayant donné en sus la moitie d'un barril lardier [illeg.] la moitie d'un fromage et 4 à 5 livres de beurre sans vouloir de L'argent, je luy fit envoyer en reciproque 25 livres caffé, 12 bouteilles Sirop, 6 bouteilles Vin de Bourdeaux et 2 bouteilles Rumb. toutes ses provisions etant embarquées Dans le canot il my fit Embarquer moy meme et conduire a mon Bord en me souhaittant bon voyage. j'arrivai a mon bord, où je trouvai tout dans une Confusion extreme, le capitaine de prise et ses matelots ayant mis mon navire dessus dessous et visité autant qu'il fut possible de toute part. Le sieur Gautier mon capitaine en second luy ayant representé pareillement que nous faisons beaucoup d'eau, et qu'ils eussent Soin de faire pomper, ils ne voulurent jamais le faire ni permettre qu'on Le fit et repondirent ironiquement s'il avait peur de couler bas, enfin tous ces gens La se debarquerent et je me trouvai sur les 11 heures du soir maitre dans mon navire.

cette fregatte s'apelle The Westmoreland armée de 22 pieces de canons de 8 et beaucoup du monde, commandée par cap^ne. Michel party de Londres depuis 15 jours sans avoir Relaché en aucun port, allant a Mahon et de La a Livourne.

fait a bord Du navire Le Bon pasteur le 22 Decembre 1777

[Translation]

We, Captain Pierre-Antoine Massie of Marseilles, commanding the ship Bon Pasteur, having sailed from Fort Royal in the Island of Martinique on 4 October 1777 for Marseilles our destination, senior officers, passengers and crew, as here below, certify and attest that on 21 December of the same year, at 4 o'clock in the evening, we came abreast of the Cape de Gata at a distance of 4 leagues; with a strong breeze from the west, we came upon a ship flying an English flag, and sailing at a speed faster than ours. She closed on our beam to within a distance of half a league and then fired a gun, the shot passing very close to us, we immediately hoisted our flag, immediately took in our high and low studding sails and furled our courses; having immediately come abeam under our two topsails; she shortly came within hailing distance and shouted to us from where were we coming and where we were going; we answered we were coming from Martinique and going to Marseilles; she then ordered the captain to come immediately by boat to the ship; having explained to him through one of our sailors who spoke English that we had only a heavy rowboat in very bad condition, which would require three quarters of an hour to put in the water and that it was getting dark, the captain answered he would put his own boat in the water; as a matter of fact he sent it to our ship with six men each armed with two pairs of pistols and a sword; they said they were officers from the frigate; we had to allow the six armed men to board us; they forced the captain to get into the boat while ordering him, on behalf of their captain, to bring all his papers; while holding a pistol against the helmsman's throat, they took control of the tiller and the command of the ship. The aforesaid captain, having embarked in the boat and having gone aboard the aforesaid frigate, was forced to go down to the great cabin where the captain was with a passenger, who spoke French, and his surgeon; the captain was asked for all his papers, which he handed over in a tin box containing the Admiralty's sailing orders, my Lord Admiral's authorization, the muster roll, and the customs clearance confirming the nature of the ship's cargo. The frigate's captain did not bother to open the box in which the documents were enclosed. He had it immediately put in his desk; he had me told, through the man speaking French and who served as an interpreter, that he was certain I was not coming from Martinique but rather from New England, that my cargo had to contain tobacco, rice, grain, and other produce coming from that country, and that he had decided to take me to Mahon for a thorough inspection and to unload my ship. He then sent immediately twelve armed men from his crew to board my ship, appointed a prize master, and now my ship was completely at his disposal; having issued all his orders, he went down again to the cabin where I had remained completely stunned by this scene; I put it to him that he had but to have all my papers checked, he would then see I really did come from Martinique and my cargo was made up entirely of produce grown in that colony. As his only answer, he had me told he would take me to Mahon and it would be decided there, still without trying to look over my papers. Seeing his determination, I told him that, having had to give in to a show of force, I was as of that moment protesting against all damages and any delay as well as the safety of my ship and its cargo. I also stated that, having met up with bad weather, I was leaking at a rate of 28 inches an hour during good weather and calm sea, and when the ship was laboring I had trouble keeping the pumps working, and since he had seized my ship, it was up to him to order precautions. This man then became furious, and I could see myself being put in irons. He wanted at all costs to make a fine prize of me and for me not to say a word.

Baron d’Arbaud de Jouques, Major General of Martinique, one of my passengers, was also summoned on board and was subjected to an interrogation, suggesting to him that he would be given half the cargo if he would admit that we had goods from New England. All of this was accompanied with violence and nasty behavior. The baron did his best to make the aforesaid captain understand that we were truely sailing from Martinique laden with colonial produce and that we had not anchored in any port since our departure. None of that satisfied the captain who was intent on taking us to Mahon; he continued with his violent behavior to the point of trying to hold him as a hostage on board the ship. Finally, after many entreaties and pleas, the captain had the baron returned to the Bon Pasteur.

Two soldiers, who had deserted and had been put on board the Bon Pasteur by order of the government, were likewise ordered on board the captain's ship and were interrogated outside my presence. At last, after having upbraided me about the French openly favoring the New Englanders, and other nasty remarks, at eleven o’ clock at night he had me told that he would return my papers and have me taken back to my ship and offered, if I needed any provisions, to let me have them for a price. Since I had already been sailing for 78 days, provisions were getting low, I asked him to sell me 2 quintals of biscuit, a cask of water, 12 chickens, and a small pig. After I had paid him 4 guineas, he gave me, in addition, half a barrel of lard, half a cheese, and 4 or 5 pounds of butter, without wanting any payment. In return I had sent to him 25 pounds of coffee, 12 bottles of syrup, 6 bottles of Bordeaux wine, and 2 bottles of rum. After having all his provisions loaded into the rowboat, the captain had me get in and had me rowed back to my ship, wishing me a good voyage. On arriving on board my vessel, I found everything in extreme confusion. The prize master and his sailors had ransacked my ship, having gone into every nook and cranny. Sieur Gautier, my second in command, likewise had pointed out to him in protest that we were leaking badly, and that they would have to see that the pumps were worked; they never attempted to do it, nor did they allow anyone else to do it; they scornfully responded whether he was afraid of sinking. At last, those men left the ship and, at 11 o'clock at night, I was master of my own ship.

The frigate is called the Westmoreland, carrying 22 eight-pounders and a lot of men, under the command of Captain Michel. They had sailed two weeks ago from London and, without dropping anchor in any port, were making their way to Mahon and then from there to Livorno.

Done on board the ship Bon Pasteur on 22 December 1777.

P^re Massie, Captain

Gautier

Massie, the younger

I, the undersigned, Pierre Antoine Massie, captain of the ship Bon Pasteur, and in the name of Messers Ventre and Pascal, the owners of my ship, do solemly protest all damages and expenses resulting from the failure of the pump, which may have spoiled several large barrels of sugar in the bottom rank in the hold, as well as the delay which it unjustly caused, reserving to the owners of my ship their right to file such claims as they believe to be in their interest when the damages have been determined. On board the Bon Pasteur, 22 December 1777.

P^re Massie—