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PIRATICAL SEIZURE OF THE UNITY By Seven Armed Convicts in the River Derwent, Van Diemen's Land.
SYDNEY, August, 1813.
The Unity, a Colonial schooner of 35 tons, burthen, left this port early in the month of January last, with a valuable assortment of Merchandize, bound to Port Dalrymple in Van Diemen's Land with a view of the cargo being disposed of at that settlement. She arrived safe there, but not finding a suitable market, she left Port Dalrymple on the 3d. of April, bound for Hobart Town, with Mr. W. H. MANSELL, who was the owner, and three seamen on board.
Shortly after she had put to sea, however, she encountered a heavy gale, by which she was driven considerably out of her course, in Bass's Strait, and having but little provision on board, was obliged to procure from a small sealing party a quantity of salted mutton birds.
On the 23d. of the same month (April) she reached the Derwent, moored off Hobart Town, and was the same night boarded between eleven and twelve, by seven armed men, who presented fire-locks at Mr MANSELL and his small unarmed crew, and captured the vessel by surprise, without any possibility of rendering opposition effectual.
Having cut her away from her moorings, the desperadoes made sail; and landing the legitimate owner and crew at Frederick Henry Bay, gave them up the boat with which they had effected the piracy. The persons who were immediately discovered to be absent, and who, there could be no doubt, were the offenders, are as follows
William Button, alias Symer, alias Mark Tyler, capitally convicted at Old Bailey in December, 1810; came by the Guilford, 1812, a prisoner for life.
Richard Payne, capitally convicted at the Old Bailey in October, 1811; came in the Indefatigable, 1812; also for life.
Patrick, commonly called Peter Russell, capitally convicted at the Old Bailey in April, 1811; came in the Indefatigable, 1812; for life.
Thomas Watson, convicted at the Old Bailey in December, 1809; came in the Indefatigable, 1812; a prisoner for seven years.
Thomas Curtin, capitally convicted at Bristol in April, 1811; came in the Indefatigable, 1812; for life.
Thomas Bird, convicted at Wells, in Somerset-shire in July, 1811; came in the Indefatigable, 1812; for seven years;
and Frederick Callaghan, capitally convicted at Northampton in March, 1810; came in the Guilford, 1812; a prisoner for life.
As the only provisions on board the Unity, comprised of about 50 lbs of Flour, and 40 lbs of salted mutton birds, it is scarcely possible that they should attempt a long voyage without adopting some method of recruiting their stock. Neither are they supposed to be equal to the conducting of a vessel to any remote coast, so that it is very probable that they may be either totally lost or cast on some unfriendly shore where they may all perish. If it should happen that they fall in with an English ship of war, they would, of course be immediately apprehended, and be sent hither to abide the consequences of their Piracy.
The owner of the Unity, is a young man, whose character is irreproachable, and we are sorry to add had a considerable property on board, consisting of piece goods, wine, etc. By this unfortunate event he will be necessarily involved in great distress and difficulties, and deprived of the little property, he had been enabled to acquire during a residence of upwards of ten years in this Colony, by a series of unremitting Industry. Thus, under circumstances so peculiarly distressing, he has lost both his property and livelihood.
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