A Story of Henry Jennings, Part Two

Allen Bernard's deposition continued...

At ye same time ye Sloop which was Captn. Young's was sett a fire and burned. Some while after they all Sayled in Company with the French Ship for Providence where they in a little time arrived. And in two or three daies after and in an Evening George Dossitt [=the company's quartermaster] came on board at which time there was a Discourse and a Caballing among the People of ye Bersheba about the sharing [of] the goods that were taken on board the French Ship in ye Bay of Honda.

That ye deponent ye next morning was ordered ashore to Captn. Jennings to acquaint him that ye People were all (excepting some four or five People) gone on board ye Ship to gett and take ye Goods out of her, whereupon Captain Jennings said  that must not be,  and said to ye Deponent  go on board and dissuade them from it if you can under a Colour [=pretence] that we have a Prospect of making a Voyage in case we delay no time, tho between you and I, if I can gett her out to Sea again with ye Goods in her I will run her up to Jamaica and Secure her, for these fellowes have drawn me into this [Paemumiee?] and will doubtless, when they have shared ye goods, leave me to answer all,  That he [=the deponent] advised Captn. Jennings to goe on Board, who made answer that he would not be concerned with such Rogues.

At which time Captn. Ashworth and Captn. Carnegie came up to this Depont. and learned the matter and offered to go on Board with the Deponent and [Ashworth?] went on board his own Sloop to diswade his People then on board and Captn. Carnegie went on board ye Ship. And ye Depont. [also] endeavoured to diswade them, but could not, they still kept hoysting ye goods out, and carried them on Hogg Island, at which time the Deponent went ashore and acquainted Capt. Jennings who desired the Deponent to go and see what they did, but bid him not concern himself nor take anything without they gave it [to] him.

The Deponent saith that they divided ye goods into three shares, two of which was for ye Vessells Company in generall and was imediately distributed and shared, the other third part being putt on board ye Sloop Dolphin Captn Spatchers Master (the Depont. saith he is not certain whether some few goods were not putt on board to be sent up to ye Freinds of some Saylors) after which ye Deponent saith he applyed himself to Capt. Jennings and desired leave to return to Jamaica having pretty well recovered his health which Captn. Jennings readily agreed to, and gave him a letter directed to Mr. George Dawes and Company, telling this Depont. that he had referred them to him to learn ye whole proceedings as to what he knew and heard of ye matter.

That acccordingly ye Deponent sett Sayl together with ye said Vessell for Jamaica where he was sett on shore at Cow Bay and from thence proceeded directly for Kingston and delivered ye letter to Mr. George Dawes directed to them from Captn. Henry Jennings, The Deponent saith Mr. Dawes sent for Captn. Willis who came.

Ye Letter being opened he said he was referred to learn of him what had been done, the Deponent saith that after he had related to them what he Knew, Mr. Dawes and Captn. Willis both made answer and said they wished he had not told them so much And gave him a letter directly to carry over to Mr. Daniell Axtell wch. this Depont. delivered into ye hands of Mr. Axtell upon which Mr. Axtell said he was sorry they had done so ill a thing but since it was done, they must take care and gett ye goods on shore, That Joseph Eales Captain Ashworth's Quartermaster came up with him in ye said Dolphin from Providence and had a letter or letters to ye owners of the three Sloops comanded by Captn. Jennings Captn Ashworth and Captn Carnegie in which ye sd Joseph Eales told him this Deponent there was an Invoyce of all ye goods contained in ye Sloop Dolphin, The said Deponent saith that Being at Mr. Axtell's house he heard ye Sloop Dolphin was siezed in Mannatee Bay by Capt. Fernando by ye instigation of Mr. Bendysh, The said deponent saith that he went over to Kingston and acquainted Mr. Dawes who was sick in Bedd and said he did not believe Mr. Bendysh had a hand in it and that he the said George Dawes wished he had never heard of them however he bid this Depont. go and acquaint Captn. Willis and Mr. Warner which he did and went home.

That ye said depont. slept at Mr. Daniel Axtells on Port Royall ye Saturday night following and on ye Sunday morning following [at] about Gun firing he waked, or upon [the] opening [of] a Door, and the said Depont. saith that ye sd. Daniell Axtell came into ye Room where he lay and said to this Deponent 

What ye Devill was in that great chest in ye Hold?  We could not get it out whereto ye said Depont answered he beleived it was speckled linnen. And afterwards Mr. Axtell said that ye goods that were taken out of ye Sloop were gone towards Kingston and were to go on Board a Ship and ye sd. Depont. soon after took a Boat and went towards Kingston and saw a Canoa alongside Captn Flemming.

That he went on board Captn. Flemming and that he saw ye same Bale Goods as he believes as were in ye said Sloop hoysting into Captn. Flemming's Ship. That ye said Depont saw Michael Dodd standing upon ye Quarter Deck near ye Gangway of Flemmings Ship and that Mr. Dodd asked him if all ye things were out.

That ye sd. Depont. saw Captn. Naylor standing by Mr. Dodd, that he went upon ye Quarterdeck and there saw Mr. Warner in his Gown walking with Captn Flemming. That Mr. Warner said to him  tis late ye Sun is up and we are seen,  the said Depont. saith Mr. Dodd and Captn. Naylor went away together.

And ye sd. Deponent being asked whether Mr. Naylor seemed to be [in] any waies concerned in the said goods he answered he did not perceive that he was.

 

"Deposition of Allen Bernard" Jamaica. August 10, 1716. Jamaican Council Minutes ff.63-68.