Page:American Historical Review vol. 6.djvu/533

Miranda and t lie British Admiralty 523 board General Miranda and loaded with pieces of ordnance and military stores ; from his having on board but one cask of water and being short of provisions I took him under convoy and after touching at Grenada and consulting with His Excellency General Maitland ' and consistent with General Miranda's own wishes, I am now making the best of my way to Barbadoes with the Leander under convoy. General Miranda has made one unsuccessfuU attempt to land on the coast of Caraccas to leeward of Port of Cavella where he unfortunately met a Spanish brig and schooner, Guada coasters.- they took two schooners he had in company having on board ordnance and military stores, and sixty of his most confidential officers and men." The Master of the Leander appears to me a perfect pirate in idea, the crew perfectly disatisfied and nearly in a state of mutiny, nor does there appear the smallest credit attached the Expedition. The Leander mounts eighteen brass nine pounders and has now in all on board about one hundred persons. I chaced the Leander thirty-six hours nor should I then have come up with her had the Lilly not been favoured by winds. General Miranda ha,s produced no document from the British or any other [government] authorizing his expedition, he acknowledges having been some weeks at Jacomel S! Domingo where he appears to have been disappointed in his expectations of augmenting his force, there is not a native of that colony on board the Leander. I have the honor to be Sir Your most obedient humble servant D Campbell. XL Rear-Admiral Sir .Vlexander Cochrane to the Secretary.* Akirihiimberland, Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, 6'." June 1806. Sir I enclose for the consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty copy of intelligence sent me by General Beckwith from S' Vincent, which adds to the authenticity of that enclosed in my letter no 147 ; and I do not think it improbable as they were steering N N W before they spoke the American vessel, that they may call at these islands in their way to Europe : a strong s(|uadron is certainly expected by every intelligence I can collect, but whether it is the above-mentioned or that said to be fitting at Rochfort, I am yet unable to find out. ' Major-General Frederick Maitland, lieutenant-governor of Grenada. ' Guarda-costas. ■'Their fortunes may be followed in the letters of Ingersoll, the narratives of Sher- man and Moses Smith, and the anonymous account in the Monthly Magazine for March, l8og. After losing them, .piil 2S, Miranda had made for Bonair, and then sailed about the eastern Caribbean ; Biggs, 69-93. '. -Admirals' Despatches, Leeward Islands, Vol. 25. Marked as received July 12.