PROTEST OF Capt. JAMES BRUCE,[59]
Of the Eleanor, against the Destroyers of the Tea.
At Boston, in New England, on the 17th day of December, in the year of our Lord, 1773, and in the 14th year of his Majesty's reign, personally appeared before me, John Monro, Notary Public by royal authority, duly admitted and sworn, James Bruce, master, Jas. Bruce, junr., mate, and John Tinney, boatswain, of the ship Eleanor, burthen about 250 tons, and the said James Bruce, junr., and John Tinney, being sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, severally deposed, and each of them doth depose and say, that on the evening of the 16th inst., they, these deponents, were on board the said ship, then lying at Griffin's wharf, at said Boston, and part of her cargo from London on board, amongst which were 80 whole chests and 34 half chests of tea, consigned to Messrs. Richd. Clarke & Sons, Thos. and Elisha Hutchinson, Benjn Faneuil, and Joshua Winslow, of said Boston, merchants. That about the hours of 6 or 7 o'clock in the same evening, about one thousand unknown people came down the said wharf, and a number of them came on board the said ship, some being dressed like Indians, and they having violently broke open the hatches, hoisted up the said chests of tea upon deck, and then and there stove and threw the said chests with their contents overboard into the water, where the whole was lost and destroyed. Wherefore, the said James Bruce, master of the said ship, on behalf of himself and owners of the said ship, and all others concerned, did, and I, the said notary public, at his request, and on behalf as aforesaid, do by these presents solemnly protest against the said unknown persons or people, and against all others whatsoever and however concerned, for all and all manner of damage or damages already suffered, and which hereafter may, can, or shall be suffered by the violence and proceedings of the said unknown people, and the destruction of the tea as aforesaid.
Thus done, protested, and given under my notarial seal of office, in presence of Robert Garland Cranch and John Dyar.
In testimoniam veritas,
(Signed,)
Jno. Monro,
Not. Pub., 11 Jan., 1774.
James Bruce.
James Bruce, Junr.,
John