Letter from Gabriel
Johnston to James Abercromby, including report concerning Spanish ships wrecked
in North Carolina [Extract]
Johnston, Gabriel,
ca. 1698-1752
September 18, 1750
Volume 04, Pages
1304-1305
Paragraph
of Governour Johnstons letter of Sepbr 18th to Mr. Abercromby Agent
for North Carolina relating to the Spanish Flota cast away on the Coast of
North Carolina. (1750)
I send
you by this Conveyance a Duplicate of the Account I have sent to the Duke of
Bedford of the loss of the Spanish ships on this Coast last August you may
further inform his Grace that the Captain of the Ship at Ocacock has purchased
a new ship built in this Province of 150 Tons Burthen of one Captain Darling
for 1000 Pistoles But whether he intends to put his Cargo on Board this new
ship or to reship it on the old one which has only lost her masts and rudder or
whether he will divide his Cargo between them I have not yet learned. The old
ship is at anchor within the Bar and the Cargo safely housed on the Island of
Ocacock under a guard of their own People. I have had some of our Custom House
Officers with me who desired leave to seize the ship and cargo because she had
most openly infringed the Laws of Trade because she has not only brought ashore
her Cargo without a permit from any Officer but has likewise trafficked with a
good deal of it and for Things that are not necessarys. All this I knew to be
certainly true as well as they but as I knew the cargo of the Spanish Flota
belongs in a great part to his Majesty's Trading subjects and the French and
Dutch I told them not to presume to meddle with it but to suffer them to take
their own Way to save and carry home their Cargo. That if they (the Spaniards)
applyed to me either for Protection or assistance I should be ready to grant it
to them, but until they did I should take no manner of Notice of them. They
have been now on shore a whole month without making any application I dont know
how my Behaviour may be judged of at home But I believe I may safely affirm that
every Governor who is £12000 in arrear in his Salary would not have behaved so
abstemiously when the Laws of Trade would have justified his seizure.
Sepbr 20.
P. S. I have just now received advice that your old friend Tom Wright of
Charlestown is among the Spaniards at Ocacock incognito That he is their great
Oracle and that it is he who advises them not to take any notice of this
Government But has advised them to carry their cargo on different Bottoms to
Charlestown where I dont doubt you will hear of a fine scene.
———
An
Account of five Ships of the Spanish Flota put on Shore on the Coast of North
Carolina by the great storm August 18th 1750.
One at
Currituck Inlett stove to pieces the Crew and passengers saved, went to Norfolk
in Virginia without stopping in Carolina.
One at
Cape Hatteras sunk in 14 foot water the name of the Ship its Dimensions and
Loading unknown.
A Dutch
built Ship at Ocacock lost its Rudder and had its Mast broke short, all its Crew
safe, her Cargo 400:000 pieces of Eight, besides a great Quantity of Cochineal
and Hides.
At Drum
Inlett a Ship which lost its Riggin and Masts, Neustra Signora Desoledad, the
Cargo reckoned worth 32.000 pieces of Eight besides the Ship. The Officers and
Men who came ashore, have taken a passage for themselves and cargo to New
England from whence they design to proceed to Cadiz.
Near
Topsail Inlet a Vessel named El Salvador or El Henrico was stove to pieces and
is now covered with 7 or 8 feet sand, four of her Crew only saved her Loading
240:000 pieces of Eight Registered besides what is on private Account, besides
a large Quantity of Cocoa Cochineal and some Balsom.
This is
the Account given to the Governor of North Carolina by Don Joseph De Respral
Deza, part owner and Super Cargoe of the Neustra Signiora de Solidad who at the
same time complained to the Governor of the Master and Crew of a Bermudas Sloop
who had taken possession of the sails and part of the rigging which had come on
shore from the Wreck of the El Salvador and the said Super Cargo verily
believes has got possession of some Chests of Money, upon which the Governor
Immediately Issued his Order for the apprehending the said Master & Crew
and Securing their Sloop.
The
Ship at Ocacock has unloaded her Treasure & Cargo on Ocacock Island,
several little Vessels have gone down to Barter with them for provisions. They
have not as yet met with any Molestation, nor made any application to the
Governor.
GAB
JOHNSTON
Septr 18 1750.
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