9. Deposition of Thomas Smith. November 30, 1741._[1]

[Footnote 1: Records of the Admiralty Court held in Boston, "vol. V."]

The Deposition of Thomas Smith of Boston Mariner, Master of the
Briganteen _Sarah_ as follows vizt. That on the 17th day of Septem'r
last he being Master of said Brigantine in her Passage from Barbadoes,
in the Lat. of 28 Degrees and 38 min's North and the Long. of Bermuda,
said Briganteen Was Surprized and taken together with her Cargo
Consisting of Rum, Sugar, Cotton and money to the Value of About
Eighty Six Pounds Sterling by divers Subjects of the King of Spain in
a Privateer Sloop mounted with Sixteen Guns Commanded by One Capt.
Ponch[2] manned with upwards of Forty men, who took Out of the said
Briganteen all the Aforesaid Money and Continued all the Rest Of the
Cargo on Board of her, and the said Spanish Privateer Ordered the
Depon't And four of his men on board the said Sloop and put some of
their men on board The said Briganteen and turned her Long boat adrift
and the said Sloop and Briganteen were Ordered to Keep Company with
One Another and Steer for the Havannah and the Spaniards plundered
said Briganteen both of Rum and Sugar And on the 26th of said
Septem'r, said Briganteen being in the Old Streights of Bahama, Capt.
Benjamin Norton in a Privateer Sloop from Rhoad Island Came up with
the Aforesaid Spanish Privateer and the Depo'ts Briganteen, Took the
Privateer and Retook the Brig't and Cargo and the said Norton took All
the Spaniards out of said Sloop and Brig't and put them on board his
Own Sloop and the Depon't Saith that Capt. Norton's Quarter master
took out of his Brig't Some Cloaths, a Rug and Blankett, which was
upon freight, Contrary to this Depo'ts Request, who told him said
things were upon freight, and said Quarter Master also took from this
Depon't forty pieces of Eight. Capt. Norton then Ordered this Depon't
on board his Own Brig't with his own men and ordered the Depo't to
keep him Company and Proceed to Rhoad Island. at The same time One
Jeremiah Hariman, one of Capt. Norton's men, came on board The said
Briganteen, but the wind being fresh and a very strong Current Setting
Capt. Norton Outsailed the Brig't, who fell to Leward on the Bahama
Banks[3] In About five fathom water and lost Sight of Capt. Norton for
twentyfour Hours and then Stood for the Gulph,[4] designing for Rhoad
Island, but in their Passage thither on the fourth day of October at
Ten a Clock in th