before his departure. Whether this be true, or whether the charge of betraying his excellency be also true, certain it is that P. divulged his instructions on the very day he received them. He had two letters in his hands relative to this business; one written in French, signed, de Miranda, and the other in English, signed by his Columbian majesty's private secretary. The first contained his powers and instructions. The second was addressed to a merchant of Curacoa, who was honoured with an invitation to assist P. if necessary in his negociations, when he could bring matters to bear. Both of these letters he exposed before he took passage for the execution of his mission. P. brought intelligence, on his return, that a number of Spaniards had crossed over from Curacoa to Aruba, with a design on the neck of our chief. One or two of the "virtuous people" of this place were put in irons, and closely imprisoned on suspicion of being privy to this black intent. A boat did actually come from the Main, with several armed men on board; but a knowledge of it reaching head quarters in good season they were pursued, after a few had landed, and fled without being overtaken. LETTER XXII. New captain appointed to the Leander.-His l conduct and cruelty to the sailors.-Condition of the sick on board.-Miranda's treatment of capt. Meade, commander of the brig Commedore Barry.-Soliloquy. Aruba, Sept. 25th, 1806. THOUGH our situation is necessarily bad, it is rendered worse than it need be by the ill management of Miranda and others to whom he delegates his power. In many concerns that relate to our enterprise, they appear to do every thing but that which should be done. Indeed, so accustomed are we to their perverse and impolitick proceedings, that we are disappointed when they do any thing that is not preposterous, or is in a tolerable degree considerate. The commander of the Leander, Waldegrave, as I told you, having become sick and removed to the hospital, it was necessary his place should be supplied. As though we had not enough of unavoidable ills, without some voluntary additions, who should be selected for this place but a man as unfit as can be conceived, either soldier, sailor nor gentleman. Puffed up with his little brief authority, he employs it in a manner, precisely the most offensive and tyrannical. The officers on board have been repeatedly the objects of his insolence; and the men of his wanton cruelty. The former are so much tamed by their adversities, that they do not think of repelling his encroachments; and the poor sailors, what can they do, but bend in silence under the lash of the low bred tyrant? A few days ago he had a man tied to the gang way, ordering the boatswain's mate to give him forty lashes; a liberty with the rights of an individual and the rules of military and naval discipline for which as you recollect de B. was brought to answer before a court martial. An officer who happened to be on board from the island, whilst this brute was gratifying his ears with the cries of the sailor under punishment drew his sword and ordered the boatswain's mate to desist. This timely interference saved four or five more from the dash, who had been sentenced that morning to the gang way, by this vile upstart, A number of the sick troops were some day's ago put on board the Leander, now laying about two miles from the town. To these dis tressed creatures, this man shewed an inhumanity which we should wonder to find in a cannibal. Judge you of their condition to be at the mercy of a wretch who could answer the calls for relief, from those who were lingering under disease and want, frequently with curses; and even refuse them wholesome water to allay their thirst when burning with fever. Instead of sending on shore once a day for a suf ficient quantity of fresh water for the whole ship's company including the sick, he procur ed only a partial supply, and this he husbanded and confined to the use of himself, his dog and a portion of the sailors with whom he was making a party, whilst he caused the sick to be served with water that had been for some time on board, which was stale and sometimes putrified; giving this brutal reason" that the well should be his care, in order to keep them so, as it was uncertain whether the sick would live or die; and if the latter happened, attention would be lost upon them." This conduct was well known at head quarters, yet the wretch, who was guilty of it was continued in a situation, where he had both an opportunity to inflict gratuitous misery, and an inclination to use it that would disgrace a savage. Com plaints after complaints, and representation after representation, respecting the behaviour of this fellow have been sent to Miranda without procuring redress and indeed without obtaining notice. Being placed in command at the instance of the quarter master general, and approved of by the general, he has no occasion to be scrupulous about his duty, his treatment of others, nor his manners. What motive is there to pay court to our superiours, if they will not bear us out in our villanies, and we must behave as well as if we rested on our character. Become a favourite, if you wish the liberty of being a domineering poltroon with im punity. * You will remember, mention has been made s of our being attended to the Spanish Main by two merchant vessels; the brig Commodore Barry and the schooner Trimmer. Capt. Ed-. ward Meade commanded the first, and capt. Hancock the last. It is proper in this place to relate the conduct of Miranda towards the com-. mander of the brig. I shall take some other opportunity to speak of capt. Hancock's affair.. Capt. Meade arrived from Philadelphia at Port of Spain with a cargo of flour sometime before |