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 shall present itself. Captain Jervoise speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of Mr. Downey, senior lieutenant of this ship, who was constantly near him and to whose presence of mind and steadiness he was much indebted. Lieutenant Downey has been several years with me; and I sincerely wish that the circumstances had been of a more important character, on his account; for he is an old, gallant, and deserving oficer. Lieutenant (John) M‘Donell, of the Pandora, was the organ of communication between Captain Jervoise and myself, and is most highly spoken of by his commander; who also reports, in the strongest terms, the officer-like conduct of Lieutenants Sawyer, of the Amherst, and (John Septimius) Roe and Noble, of the Tamar:– in truth, the presence of mind and steadiness of every officer and man was admirable, in a situation (surrounded as they were) in which the smallest indecision might have produced most deplorable consequences, and a shedding of blood, which it was my most anxious wish to avoid, – consistently with my determination to shew that we must be respected.

“Captain Maillard, of the Amherst, ran his ship into an unknown port, in admirable style: and I can only say, that, on real service, I should not desire a more able coadjutor.

“I fear that I have been betrayed into great length in the relation of these circumstances; but, when officers and men have so well performed their task, I trust you will consider that I ought not, as I feel that I could not, refrain from offering my testimony as to their merit.

“The Atholl having chased to leeward, by signal, did not gain the anchorage until the afternoon; or I am sure I should have received all the assistance from Captain Murray which the occasion could by any possibility have required. I now beg leave to proceed in my narrative of subsequent events.

“On the day appointed, ten or twelve of the Sheiks came on board: they expressed their contrition for the outrage on the brig, and their earnest desire to make every restitution in their power. – They said, however, that, unfortunately, the season throughout the whole country had been peculiarly bad; that their people had, in a moment of panic, destroyed the town, and a great quantity of valuable goods; and that the alarm of our visit had been so great, that the caravans from the interior, by which alone they could hop« to repay us, would not approach the coast: they therefore besought us to deal as leniently with them as possible. Thirty thousand dollars were at first demanded; but on their expressing their utter inability to pay so large a sum, it was finally reduced to fifteen thousand, which is to be paid in three yearly instalments, of five thousand each, either in money, or produce to that amount. They swore on the Koran to abide by this arrangement; and numbers of the people returned to the town daily, after the result was made known. Considering, however; that it would be necessary to have a written document regarding the transaction, I drew op articles of agreement, binding them to a due 