remitted my money, to England,’ well,” said he, You’ve a fine ship here! Yes, toloble--what,” said he do you think she’s worth--this question, roused my curiocity, I step’d to the door of the Stateroom, & looking the man in the face, said to him, have you an Idea of buying, or taking the ship, Oh, said he, Captain, you’l excuse our inquisitiveness, it was without meaning.--When I was ready, one of the officers went in the boat with me, & the other, remained on board the ship--I was received on board the cutter, & conducted into the cabin, to the Cap^{t.},--he received my papers, & looking them over, ask’d, if I had not a Clearance from Cadiz; I told him I had, but, I did not [know] it wou’d be required, & I had not bro^{t.} it, well,” said he, I must have it; if you’l send your boat Sir, I will go & look it up, I think its in my writing desk,--well,” said he, send for your desk, I told him I was unwilling to do that, as it contained papers of consequence to me, & by accident it might be droped overboad--oh said he, I’ll make good all damages, you _must_ send for it. well,” I wrote a line to the mate, to send my. W. Desk, it was brought into the cutters cabin, & having my keys in my pocket, I open’d it, & soon found the paper required,--my writing standing upon the Table open, & the officers standing round, they began looking at papers, among them, was a small bundle of letters directed to the Commissary Gen^{l.}on the _Quebec Station_, they open’d it, & broke the seal of one of the letters--; upon which I look’d at the Cap^{t.}, & observ’d, that this was treatment which I had not anticipated, from the British flagg; the Capt observ’d, you must submitt, we will explain ourselves bye. & bye about this time, the word came from the decks, _a Strange sail in sight_, & the Capt, drop’d the paper from hands, & run on deck.--I set still & look’d at the officers, overhawling, & deranging my papers in my writing desk.--after a while the Capt came down below; & said to me, Captain; you have expressed some surprise at our investigation, at which, I am not at all supprised, for I find, you are ignorant of a fact, which will justify, our proceedings with you, _We are at War with America_--now Sir, said I I beleive you are disposed to _tantalize_, for I do not beleive it.--Well,” Sir, said he, we will not alticate upon this subject; & he step’d to a desk took out a newspaper, & pointed me to the declaration of War, & danced on deck again, to look at the Strange sail.--the paper that he handed me, was an American paper, only 12 days old--after reading the declaration of war, I look’d it over for other news, untill the Capt came down.--He then said to me, well Sir, what think ye now--I told him, I was satisfied, as to _war_, but, I shou’d like to know now, whether _I_ was to be _hung_, or _drounded_.