[Untitled], August 15, 1863.

[Untitled]

My Dear Wife: I taking a pleasure of writing this few lines to you for to let you know that I am going away, but I do not know; but I am going away on board a ship that I do not know, but I will let you know the first port where we shall run in. My dear wife be happy that I will come back again to Cape Town, but mind your lines, and my friend James, he sign the same, so we send our best compliments to everybody in Cape Town.

Thomas Armson, master of the bark Ellesmere, states: The bark Ellesmere, which I command, is the property of Mrs. Alfred Marcus. I say so because she is registered in her name. On Monday, the 3d August, I shipped a crew before the shipping-master at the Sailors’ Home, consisting of six able-bodied seamen and cook, which last also performs the duties of steward; I had a mate already on board.

On Saturday morning last Captain Elmstone, of the firm of Rubent, Granger & Co., asked me if I would allow my crew to go off to take charge of the confederate prize Sea Bride, if they could be induced to go, and I acquiesced.

I went aft and asked the men if they would go. I told them they would be required to go off that night; that they should have £4, a month’s wages, (I engaged them at £2 10s. only,) and if they were not satisfied when on board they should be discharged at the first port the vessel might call at and forwarded to the Cape. They agreed to the terms and seemed quite satisfied to go. They left the ship about midnight on Saturday, the 15th. They were five in number, viz: Manuel Periero, cook; Thomas Grianes, seaman; Louis Jackson, ditto; Daniel Johnson, ditto; Andrew Gregory, ditto. They took all their effects with them.

(Further evidence of this witness stayed by order of the attorney general.)