Deposition of Joseph Eels

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Deposition of Joseph Eels, qmstr of Mary—20 Dec 1716

Depositions – Joseph Eels, qmstr of Mary, 20 Dec 1716

411. i. Copy of deposition of Joseph Eels of Port Royall, Carpenter, Dec. 20, 1716. Deponent last March sett sail on board the Mary sloop, Capt. Leigh Ashworth commander, and soon after arrived at blewfields, where they found Capt. [Henry] Jennings, Capt. [James] Carnigee and Capt. [Samuel] Liddal, and from thence sail'd in company with them designing for the wrecks. About six leagues from Baya Honda they spyed a sloop with two periaguas putting from her, and found her to be Capt. Young's, who told Capt. Ashworth they were two maroon periaguas, and had obliged him to tow them over from the bay of Honduras, etc. Describes boarding and capture of a French ship in the Bay of Hondo, by abovenamed. A periagua commanded by a Spaniard informed them that there was in Porto Mariel a French ship a trading, whereupon Carnigee went to seek her, but next morning the periagua which had followed him reported that [Benjamin] Hornigold had taken the French ship, whereupon Jennings and Ashworth weighed anchor to go after them, but not being able to overtake them stood in again to the Bay, and came to an anchor, the ship being in the offing, one of the periaguas being on board ship and several of her men halled her alongside and threw the money being about 28,500 odd peices of eight into the periagua and immediately went away with it. Soon afterwards the ship came in again and acquainted Jennings and Ashworth the money was gone, and then by order of Jennings one of the periaguas was cut to peices and Young's sloop burnt. Next morning Carnigie halled aboard the ship and hoisted out of his sloope into the ship all his guns ammunition provitions and stores, and going on board with his men took the command of her without controul. Jennings, Ashworth and Carnigie weighing anchor in order to go to Providence, and coming out of the harbour Carnigee gave the Frenchmen that were left on board the ship his sloop, and then all three sail'd for Providence where arriving they shared the goods in three parts one for the owner of the three sloops, and the other two for the men. The owner's share of the goods were put on board the sloop Dolphin, and then wrote to Mr. Daniel Axtell and to his brother Jasper Ashworth. Deponent saw part of the letter, importing they had taken a ship, and that the sloop was coming with the goods taken out of the ship. Deponent, with James Spatcher, Commander of the Dolphin, delivered the above letters to Daniel Axtell, who ordered the sloop to go from Cowboy to Pigeon Island, and thence to Manatee Bay, whence deponent and others brought dry goods in a canoe from the Dolphin to Port Royal, Mr. Axtell receiving them himself into his storehouse at night. After which the sloop being seized by Fernando in Manatee Bay was sent into Port Royal Harbour, etc., etc. Signed, Joseph Eels. Endorsed as preceding. 1½ pp. [C.O. 137, 12. Nos. 41, 41 i.; and (without enclosures) 138, 15. pp. 204–212.]

"America and West Indies: December 1716, 1-15," in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 29, 1716-1717, ed. Cecil Headlam (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1930), 211-232.

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