must again return in ballast, unless I pursued
strong measures, I ventured to make Count
Tramp prisoner, partly on this account, and
partly on hearing that he had come here
under a fictitious name and character. Being
requested by many of the native inhabitants
to issue some proclamations, to satisfy the
minds of the people, and being also requested
and entreated by them to remove the Danes
from the island, who had reduced them to
the greatest state of misery, I declined
interfering, or taking any part in the government,
and refused to hoist the English flag,
not knowing that I should be correct in
so doing, until the will of his Majesty’s
ministers could be known.—»Upon farther
applications being sent to me, which expressed
the wishes of the people that Mr.
Jorgensen would stand forward to protect
the island and the natives against the Danes,
I certainly acquiesced, and gave him my
concurrence and advice to act as the natives
thought best, unless some of them would
take the management of the island (ad in-
terim) till the will of the British government
could be known; and I agreed that
the island should be declared free and independent
of Denmark, but only in suspension,
until his Majesty’s pleasure could be
known. I have in no other respect interfered
in the government here, farther than
in protecting our property and persons. I t
has also been impossible for me to transmit
an account of these transactions before to
England, as there have been no vessels fit
for the navigation of these seas; of which
you Can easily assure yourself. You will
find, Sir, that there are two parties in this
island ; the Danish party and the Icelandic,
or English, party. I hope I have listened
to and favored that party which will be
most approved of by his Majesty’s ministers ;
but, if it should not prove to be so, I have
erred unintentionally.
I have the honor to be,
S i r ,
Your most obedient and humble Servant,
S am x je l P h e l p s .
T o the Honorable Alexander Jones,
Captain o f His Majesty’s Ship
Ta lb o t, Reikevig Harbor.