Liverpool Mercury newspaper Sept 8 1820
"The following letter, addressed to Sir John TOBIN, was received here yesterday, announcing the loss of the ship Liverpool, on the coast of Africa
Brig Francis, off Plymouth, 21st August 1820
Sir
I am extrememly sorry to inform you of the loss of the ship Liverpool, on the morning of the 8th of May last at 2 a.m., when she unfortunately struck on a reef of rocks off Corisco, in lat. 18 N
She instantly filled with water. At day break, we were surrounded with a number of canoes, well manned and armed: they soon got possession of the ship, and immediately the decks were crowded with Africans, plundering in all directions, stripping us naked, and throwing us into their canoes: among whom I noticed Capt BEAN without a stitch on him, who was then only recovering from a long sickness.
One of the crew was shot by the Africans, previous to our being taken out of the ship.
We were taken to the shore all in different canoes and placed in separate towns.
The only place the natives traded to was Gaboon, where I arrived on the 16th of May
I waited on Prince William, and prevailed on him to go down and purchase the captain and remainder of the crew.
After relating the distress we were in he consented, and set sail the following morning, and on the 22nd he arrived at Gaboon, with Capt BEAN and four of the crew
There was a French brig and a Portugese schooner lying in the river.
The French Captain purchased Capt BEAN, J STOWELL and myself, and was kind enough to give us passage to Martinique, where we arrived on the 16th of July, from thence to Dominica, where I was shipped along with J STOWELL on board the Francis bound to London.
Capt BEAN was to leave Dominica on the 1st of August, in the Ealing Grove, for London
The protest was noted at St Pierre
Cap HOWARD left us at Tom Shorts, on the day we took our departure, which was the 1st of May.
We lost fifteen of the ships crew, and three belonging to the cutter
Capt CAMPBELL is dead. The Ottowa arrived at Calabur after the Union island-
Your Obedient servant
John Jos CLARK
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