airing the top-sail; two on the
starboard side of the main-deck, spinning spun yarn; two more on the
forecastle, making sinnet; two more on the larboard side of the
main-deck, running shot in the armorer's forge; the cooper was making
tubs; the cook, and captain's steward in the galley, at their duty; and
all hands, as usual, employed on the ship's duty; the armorer was in the
steerage, and the boatswain in the cabin; Captain Porter, Mr. Ratstraw,
his clerk, and Mr. Lyman Plummer, (nephew of Theodore Lyman, Esq. of
Boston, ship owner,) were standing on the larboard side of the
quarter-deck, abreast of the cabin hatchway.

The chief, Keite, stood leaning on the rail, and called Captain Porter
to look at the skins that were in the canoe, alongside the ship; the
captain accordingly went to look over the side, when the chief, with
some more Indians, laid hold of him, and gave a shout. Immediately all
the Indians alongside of the canoe, and those on board, armed with
daggers, pistols, pikes, and other weapons, seized every man on deck,
who were totally unprepared for so sudden an attack. A most dreadful and
sanguinary contest immediately took place; when, after a short but
bloody engagement of about five minutes, the deck was immediately
cleared of them.

There were about two hundred Indians, it is supposed, on board at this
time; they first daggered Captain Porter several times in the back, put
him in a canoe alongside, and carried him on shore; and, as we were
afterwards informed by Captain Smith, of the ship Mary, of Boston, who
was informed by the New Hecta tribe, was by them tied to a tree, in
which unhappy and miserable situation he languished fifteen days,
refusing every species of nourishment offered him by these savages,
occasioned by his grief at this unfortunate accident.

Previous to this fatal business, there were twenty-three hands on board;
ten of whom were barbarously killed, and nine wounded. Among the killed
were, Captain Oliver Porter, Mr. John Hill, chief mate; Daniel Gooding,
second mate; John D. Katstraw, captain's clerk; Mr. Lyman Plummer, Peter
Shooner, Luther Lapham, Samuel Lapham, seamen; Isaac Lammes, cooper; and
John Williams, cook. Mr. Lyman Plummer survived about two hours after
he was wounded. The cook, who was most shockingly cut and mangled,
languished till about six o'clock the next morning.

Among the wounded were, Ebenezer Baker, seaman, most dangerously, with
daggers, he having two st