Black Joke, 1828 late slave ship "Henriquetta"
Type: Former slaver purchased into the service ; Armament
Disposal date or year : a day or so prior to 9 May 1832 when her then mother ship departed Sierra Leone for England.
Disposal Details : Deliberately burnt from orders on high.
Notes:

See near bottom of the page for a summary of the brief life of the Black Joke

Originally taken by Sir Francis Collier in the Sybille. It should perhaps be noted that the officers and men serving on board the Black Joke would usually have been a part of the crew of the Sybille, and maybe other ships serving on the West coast of Africa, such as the Medina.

This little craft is reputed to have captured 21 slavers, with upwards of 7000 slaves in them. Among them was the Spanish brig Providencia, e Brazilian brig Vengador ; the Buenos Aires privateer Presidente ; the Spanish brig Almirante, 14, with 80 men and 460 slaves - the latter after an eleven hours' chase with sweeps, and an eighty minutes' severe action, in which the enemy had 15 killed and 13 wounded, and the British, 3 killed and 7 wounded. See p. 269 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

Sierra Leone 1 May 1828 in action against the large and well armed privateer Presidenta, which, after an action of 2 hours, sought a truce following the death of their Captain, a man named Prouting, said to be of Portsmouth. The crew of the pirate vessel were sent back to England in the Plumper for trial. The 3 men were killed in the Presidenta and a number wounded ; one man was killed and a number wounded in the Black Joke.

16 May 1828 detained in lat. 4� 45, the Brazilian slave brig Vingador, Miguel Antonio Netto, master, with 645 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Portuguese Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone, and on 16 Jun 1828 sentenced to be condemned.

14 Sep 1828 in company with the Primrose when the Primrose detained the Brazilian slave schooner Zepherina in or about lat. 5� 50' N., lon. 3� 37' E., which was condemned by the British and Brazilian Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone on 9 Dec 1828, which resulted in a law case as follows:
High Court of Admiralty Slave Trade.� Costs. An application was made on behalf of the commander of his Majesty's ship Sybil, [parent or mother ship of the Black Joke] for costs incurred in prosecuting a claim for an equal partition of the proceeds arising from the sale of a Brazilian slave ship called the Zepherina, which was jointly captured on the coast of Africa by his Majesty's ship the Primrose and the Black Joke tender. The Sybil, although some hundreds of miles distant from the scene of action, claimed a moiety of the prize money, on the ground that the Black Joke tender was attached to her. The question had been referred to this court by the Lords of the Treasury, and decided against the claim set up by Commodore Rogers, the commander of the Sybil. The amount of the bounty money was �2180 ; of which the sum of �1744 was awarded to the Primrose, leaving the remaining �500 to be divided between the Sybil and her tender the Black Joke, that being the sum to which the latter vessel was adjudged entitled. The object of the present application was, that the expense incurred by both parties in prosecuting and defending the suit should be paid out of the entire fund. It was contended that the commander of the Sybil, having failed in the experiment which he had tried, had a right to pay his own costs. Sir C. Robinson decided that the application could not be granted.

1 Feb 1829 Detained the Spanish slave brig El Almirante, Andres Ynzua, late master, 350 tons, in lat. 3� 50' N., 4� 25' E. ; bound from Lagos River to Havanna, with 466 negroes on board, 39 of whom died prior to emancipation. This gallant action was described in the London Gazette of 17 April 1829, as follows :
Commodore Collier has transmitted to the Right Honourable John Wilson Croker, a letter from Lieutenant Henry Downes, commanding the Black Joke, tender to His Majesty's ship Sybille, reporting that on the 1st of February last, the Black Joke captured, on the Coast of Africa, after a long chace. and a gallant action, a Spanish slave vessel, called the Almirante, with four hundred and sixty-six slaves on board.
The Black Joke carried, two guns and fifty-five men ; the Almirante, fourteen guns and eighty men ; and Commodore Collier expresses in high terms his sense of the gallant and skilful conduct of Lieutenant Downes, and of the zeal and courage of the officers and men under his orders, in this successful action against a vessel of very superior force.
The Spanish vessel had fifteen killed, including her Captain and First and Second Mates; and thirteen wounded.
The following is a return of the loss on board the Black Joke:
Mr. T. P. Le Hardy, Admiralty Mate, wounded.
Mr. Richard Roberts, Mate (of His Majesty's ship Medina), wounded.
Thomas Barley, gunner's crew, wounded.
John Byatt, able seaman, wounded.
Jeremiah Johnson, able seaman, wounded, since dead.
James Allyett, able seaman, wounded, since dead.

7 Feb 1829 the crew of the President underwent an examination prior to being committed for trial on charges of piracy ; many of her crew appear to either be British or have anglicised names and include George Byron, William Foster, Hedley, Eaton, Clement, Wilson, Horne, Wheble, Christian, Turner and Brown.

6 Mar 1829 detained the Brazilian slave brigantine Carolina at lat. 5� 11' N., 4� 53' E. ; bound from Lagos River to Bahia, with 420 negroes on board, 18 dying en route to Sierra Leone and 3 whilst the court processed the vessel, 64 men, 186 women, and 149 children were subsequently emancipated once they had gone through the registration process. The vessel was sent for adjudication to the British and Brazilian Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone and on 13 Apr 1829 sentenced to be condemned.

11 Oct 1829 detained in lat. 1� 51' N. long. 5� 51' E., whilst en route from the River Brass, and was wrecked on the Scarcies Bank, no lives being lost, the Spanish slave brigantine Cristina / Christina, Joaquim Rodriguez, master, with 348 slaves on board which was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and on 27 Nov 1829 sentenced to be condemned.

Fernando Po 4 Nov 1829 Has been obliged to leave the coast due to having fever onboard.

1 Apr 1830 detained in Lat. 6� 17' N., Long. 4� 13' E., when en route from Cape Mount to Havana, the Spanish slave brigantine Manzanares, Manoel Alcantara, master, with 354 slaves on board which was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and on 11 May 1830 sentenced to be condemned.

Sierra Leone 10 Apr 1830 Refitting.

5 Oct 1830 off Annabona boarded the French slave brig Duc de Bordeaux, of Guadaloupe, 144 tons, L.M. Delascour, both owner and master, with 567 slaves, and a crew of 44 men, 9 guns, en route from the Bonny River to Guadaloupe, but being French was unable to detain the vessel.

16 Oct 1830 boarded in lat. 3� 25' N. long. 7� 35' E., the French slave brig L'Actif, of Nantes, 168 tons, M. Poponneum, master, M. Tonneau, owner, with 420 slaves, and a crew of 24 men, 4 guns, en route from the Bonny River to Havana, but being French was unable to detain the vessel.

20 Oct 1830 boarded in lat. 2� 16' N. long. 8� 47' E., the French slave brig Lynx, of Nantes, 192 tons, M. Jarnoux, master, M. Blond, owner, with 320 slaves, and a crew of 23 men, 3 guns, en route from the Bonny River to Martinique, but being French was unable to detain the vessel.

1 Nov 1830 boarded in off Fernando Po, the French slave brig La Bonne Aline, of Nantes, 120 tons, M. Centurier, master, M. Bonjurat, owner, with 200 slaves, and a crew of 15 men, 2 guns, en route from the Bonny River to Martinique, but being French was unable to detain the vessel.

3 Nov 1830 boarded in off Fernando Po, the French slave schooner L'Hermione, of Martinique, 47 tons, M. Barthelemy, both master, and owner, with 135 slaves, and a crew of 10 men, 2 guns, en route from the Od Calabar River to Martinique, but being French was unable to detain the vessel.

9 Nov 1830 detained in lat. 3� 0' 53" N. long. 9� 0' 24" E., off the Cameroons River the Spanish slave brigantine Dos Amigos off ; Ramon Juan Mujica, aka Juan Ramon de Muxica, both Master and Owner ; bound from the River Cameroons to Havana. Is understood to have had 567 slaves on board when first sighted, but running up the River Cameroons, was enabled to land them before capture. The vessel was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and on 5 Feb 1831 sentenced to be condemned.

14 Nov 1830 arrived at Fernando Po from a cruise.

3 Dec 1830 was reported at Sierra Leone to be in the Bights [of Benin] with the Medina.

Sierra Leone 21-22 Feb 1831 the Black Joke, tender to the Dryad, detained in lat. 6� 20' N. long. 11� 32' W., off Cape Mount ; when bound from River Galinas to Havana, the Spanish slave schooner Primeira, 130 tons, Gabriel Perez, master, with 311 slaves on board which was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and on 14 Mar 1831 sentenced to be condemned.

3 Mar 1831 arrived at Sierra Leone with the Primeira.

4 Mar 1831 the slaves, 111 men, 45 women, 98 boys 53 girls, 4 infants; 3 killed by shot from the tender ; height of slave deck 2 feet 2 inches. were landed from the Primeira to the slave yard.

24 Mar 1831 the Dryad departed with her tenders Fair Rosamond and Black Joke, to run down the coast to Prince's Island and Fernando Po.

27 Mar 1831 Off Cape Mount, and have set a course to the south, however, by the 31st the current has taken us some 45 miles off course and we are now off Cestos/Sestos.

1 Apr 1831 Off Cape Palmos.

5 Apr 1831 Are now aware that the rainy season has started the daily showers penetrating through to the skin in no time.

12 Apr 1831 in sight of the Isle of St. Thomas.

17 Apr 1831 arrived off West Bay, St. Princes Island.

19 Apr 1931 the Atholl, Medina, and Sea Flower, the latter also tender to the Dryad, arrive at Prince's Island from Fernando Po.

26 Apr 1831 detained in lat. 3� 30' N. long. 9� 15' E., near the mouth of the River Calebar, the Spanish slave brig Marinerito, Francisco Cavieces, master, following a severe action, off the S.E. point of Fernando Po when bound from Old Calebar to Havana. Several negroes were accidentally killed in the action ; 26 died soon after from fright ; 107 were landed at Fernando Po sick from terror, crowding and privations, 60 of whom died in a few weeks, either there or on their passage up to Sierra Leone. First Class Petty Officer Isaac Foile was killed in the action with the Marinerito and 6 were wounded on boarding her, including Lieut. Ramsey, her commanding officer, severely wounded. She was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone and on 3 Jun 1831 sentenced to be condemned. See page 63, part II of United Service Journal of 1832, for more detail, available in Googlebooks.

10 Sep 1831 detained in lat. 4� 30' N. long. 7� 10' E. in the River Bonny ; bound from River Bonny to Cuba. the Fair Rosamond and Black Joke, tenders to the Dryad, chased 2 Spanish slavers into the River Bonny, the Regulus and the Rapido, Ramon Gonzales, master, who, whilst they retreated up the River were seen throwing their slaves, shackled together in twos, overboard, and whilst a few were saved it was estimated that probably about 150 or so may have been drowned by the slave traders in their attempt to save their vessels. Both vessels were taken to Sierra Leone to be condemned. Whilst slaves were found on board the Regulus when she was captured, none were found on board the Rapido and it took the evidence of 2 slaves who survived being thrown overboard to convince the judges to convict her. An account of the half bounty granted for the capture of 39 slaves will be delivered to the High Court of Admiralty, on 7 Jan 1833. A further distribution of the hull bounty granted for twenty-nine slaves (formerly disallowed), who died previous to condemnation of the Regulo, will be made on the 28 Jan 1834.

3 Oct 1831 at Fernando Po, has been hauled up on a rude slip in order to make repairs, and members of the Dryad's ship's company working on board appear to be suffering from the climate, fevers and whatever else it is that makes Fernando Po such an awful place to be sent.

15 Feb 1832 detained in lat. 3� 30' 0" N. long. 7� 28' 0" E., bound from River Bonny to Havana, the Spanish slave schooner Frasquita, alias Centella, Juan Raymondo Verger, master, of 115 tons, with 290 slaves on board, bound from the River Bonny for Cuba, the prize being sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and on 20 Mar 1832 sentenced to be condemned, with only 230 negroes surviving to be emancipated, most of the deaths resulting from smallpox and dysentery;.

Sierra Leone 3 May 1832 was learned that in late April the newly arrived Commander-in-Chief had ordered the Black Joke to be burnt and for her stores to be sold. In a trial of sailing against RN vessels recently arrived on the station, she is reported to have trounced them all, soundly. But it would appear that age has also taken its toll and she wasn't worth further repair. It was generally agreed by those that knew and loved the Black Joke that the only people happy to see her go up in smoke were the Slave Traders.

His Majesty's brig Black Joke, when captured by his Majesty's ship Sybille, Commodore Sir F. A. Collier, C.B., on the 6th of September, 1827, was called the "Henriquetta," then the property of a notorious slave dealer residing at Bahia; in whose service she had performed six successful voyages to the coast of Africa, in which she carried into Brazil three thousand and forty Africans as slaves, and had cleared her owner about �80,000 in the years of 1825, 26, and 27. When captured, she was performing her third voyage in the last-named year, and had on board five hundred and sixty-nine negroes.

On the 26th of September, 1827, the "Henriquetta" was taken into the British service under the name of the "Black Joke," and attached as a tender to the Sybille ; Lieutenant W. Turner, of that ship, being appointed to command her, by the Commodore. She was armed at this time with one pivot long eighteen-pounder, having a crew, including officers, of fifty-five men. Sailing on the 5th of January, 1828, in company with his Majesty's ships Sybille and Esk, she commenced her career by capturing, on the 12th, the Spanish schooner "Gertrudes," with one hundred and fifty-five slaves on board, having run the men-of-war out of sight during the chase.

Early on the morning of the 2d of April, the same year, and near the island of St. Thomas, she fell in with a heavily armed brig, apparently a cruiser or slaver, which vessel, on being chased, appeared anxious to avoid a rencontre until daylight, by standing away ; but at that time she tacked towards the Black Joke; both vessels having closed and hove to, Lieutenant Turner sent his senior Mate (Mr. Hervey) on board to examine the stranger, two officers coming from her at the same time, to examine the Black Joke, which was not permitted, but the officers were detained to ensure the return of Mr. Hervey and his boat ; the stranger's boat, however, returned, stating the circumstance, when she immediately cut both boats adrift, (detaining Mr. Hervey,) and opening her fire, from all arms, upon the Black Joke, which was most effectually returned by the latter vessel. The action continued for two hours ; when the stranger, having severely suffered under her opponent's steady fire, she hoisted a flag of truce, at the same time sending Mr. Hervey and his men to their own brig. On an explanation, it appeared that the stranger was the Spanish brig "Providencia," mounting fourteen guns, with a crew of eighty men; whose Captain had been told but a few days previously, that a Columbian privateer, exactly answering the description of the Black Joke, was in that neighbourhood; and fully believing his opponent to be the privateer, as well as confident in his superiority of guns, he entered an action which terminated in his submission and punishment, having suffered severely in killed, wounded, and injury to his vessel; but as the affair originated in error, Lieutenant Turner permitted him to proceed on his voyage. In this very spirited contest, the Black Joke sustained only injury about her rigging, the Providencia firing high. On the 16th of May following, Lieutenant Turner captured the Brazilian brig "Vengador*," mounting eight guns, with a crew of fortv-five men, and having six hundred and forty-five negroes on board, the largest number ever captured in one vessel. The Vengador did not feel it prudent to offer resistance.

* Formerly the "Prince of Guinea," and same vessel which Lieutenant W. Tucker, when commanding a tender of his Majesty's ship Maidstone, so gallantly fought and captured, for which he was promoted.

The Black Joke, still commanded by Lieutenant Turner, we find, on the 27th of August, ably manoeuvring to separate three well-armed vessels, which had weighed from Whydah on her approach, and had partially engaged her. In the most gallant manner, Lieutenant Turner ran his brig within speaking distance of a large schooner heavily armed, which appeared to be directing the movements of the other two vessels, (a brig and schooner,) and on hailing her, received her broadside for an answer, which was instantly returned; but the other vessels coming to the assistance of their consort, it required great coolness and skill to extricate the Black Joke from so unequal a conflict; which, however, was effected, and she stood off under easy sail, the fire ceasing; the schooner with which she had been engaged, following cautiously. At half-past eleven at night, this schooner was again discovered on the weather-quarter of the Black Joke, but without her companions. Lieutenant Turner immediately tacked, and crossing her bows, brought her to close action; the schooner carefully avoiding the endeavours of the Black Joke to run on board. The action continued with great spirit for more than an hour, when the schooner suddenly bore up under all possible sail, in the hope to escape, which threw the Black Joke astern; but recovering her position about four A. M. on the 28th, Lieutenant Turner, after a general fire of round, grape, and musketry, succeeded in running his opponent on board (both vessels then going at least seven knots), when, after a struggle upon her decks, he possessed himself of the piratical schooner " Presidenté �," mounting six broadside guns, with one heavy pivot, and a crew of ninety-five men, thirty of whom were, with her Captain, killed or wounded; the Black Joke having but one man killed - the pirate firing high to disable her in the masts or sails.

� The crew of this vessel were tried as pirates, but acquitted for want of evidence; all doubt of her actually being a pirate is removed, by the fact of her having captured the " Hosse," the Portuguese vessel re-captured by the Black Joke; there existing no war with Portugal at that time. Further, the "Hosse" was taken by the " Presidenté," when the privateer's commission of the latter had expired.

Lieutenant Turner, having also possessed himself of the book of signals arranged between the pirate and his associates, and seeing a brig at daylight upon the weather-quarter, directed the signal "to close" to be hoisted, which being answered and as readily obeyed, he re-captured the Portuguese vessel called the "Hosse," which had been captured and plundered by the Presidenté ; the latter vessel was lost near Sierra-Leone, on her passage to that place ; but salvage was awarded for the "Hosse."

On the 14th of September, Lieutenant Turner assisted in the capture of the "Zephorina," by his Majesty's ship Primrose, having on board two hundred and eighteen negroes. And on the 14th of the November following, the above-named officer, having received his promotion to the rank of Commander for his services in the Black Joke, resigned the command into the hands of Lieutenant Henry Downes, of his Majesty's ship Sybille *.

* Negroes liberated by Commander Turner, 909.

On the 19th of January, 1829, Lieutenant Downes had examined in Lagos roads, the Spanish brig "Almiranté" then nearly ready for sailing, which circumstance induced him narrowly to watch the above-named anchorage ; and on the 31st, a vessel was seen of such appearance as to leave no doubt of her character. After sweeping from nine A.M. until about six P.M., the chase having apparently made every preparation for a determined defence, both brigs were exchanging shot at a long range, which fire, however, yielded on both sides as the night drew in, to the endeavours of the Almiranté to separate, and of the Black Joke to close. The 1st of February was selected for that vessel to execute her chef-d'oeuvre. This day opened with light airs, which entirely ceased as it advanced ; about two P.M. a breeze sprang up, and the English brig was fairly in action with her opponent at forty minutes after two P.M., - when having crossed her bows, and edging away to close, she sustained a heavy fire from the Almiranté's broadside ; to avoid a repetition of which, and at the same time avail himself of his pivot gun, Lieutenant Downes placed his vessel under the stern, within half-pistol shot, of the Almirante', maintaining that position against every attempt to dislodge him, keeping up, at the same time, so admirable and continued a fire from his two guns and musketry, that, at four P.M., the surviving officer of the Spanish brig Almiranté (who had bravely sustained this fire for nearly an hour) hailed, to say that he surrendered.

The Almiranté was found to mount fourteen broadside guns, ten Gover's eighteen-pounders, and four long nine-pounders, with a crew of eighty men, and four hundred and sixty-seven negroes on board; and had lost in the action fifteen killed, including in that number her captain and four officers, with thirteen others wounded. The Black Joke had two officers and five seamen wounded; one of the latter mortally.

The Almiranté was purchased at Sierra Leone, and, subsequently, returned to her former occupation.

On the 6th of March following, Lieutenant Downes captured the Brazilian brigantine Carolina, with four hundred and twenty slaves on board ; and, very shortly afterwards, having suffered severely from the climate, he returned to England, where he found himself promoted to the rank of Commander for his action with the Almiranté. �

� Negroes released by Commander Downes, 875.

The Black Joke now fell under a rapid succession of commanding officers, and captured, between the period of Commander Downes' retiring and the March of 1831, four slavers, as shown in the accompanying abstract.

Having departed to cruise in the bight of Biafra, under the command of Lieutenant Ramsay (of his Majesty's ship Dryad, Commodore Hayes, C.B., who had assumed the control of the African squadron), that officer proceeded directly to Fernando Po, with a view of gaining any information he could respecting slavers in the Cameroons, Old Calebar, or Bonney rivers. In the second named he was informed, that a Spanish brig, to carry five hundred negroes, heavily armed and well disciplined, was upon the eve of sailing ; upon which Lieutenant Ramsay left Fernando Po, and, on the 23d, anchored off the bar of the Old Calebar, remaining in that position during the night, and standing off during the day. The Black Joke, as usual, was not destined to wait long for her prey, for, on the 25th, at eleven a.m., a brig was discovered in the north-east quarter, which vessel, on being chased, made all sail away to the south-east, with a fresh breeze at south-west. At about nine p.m., the Black Joke had arrived within long range of her object, when a perfect calm ensued, and on her firing two shot the stranger opened her fire from her starboard broadside, directly towards which the head of the Black Joke was pointed. Lieutenant Ramsay directed the sweeps to be manned, but fearing to destroy the unoffending negroes, returned the fire of the enemy only by throwing an occasional shot, for the purpose of distracting his aim. Advancing steadily in this determined manner, Lieutenant Ramsay found himself, at about one A.m., on the 26th of April, 1831, under the fire of his opponent, trebly increased, by being now within range of grape and musketry, the shot fortunately taking effect chiefly about the sails and rigging. At two A.m., the vessels were so close, that the Black Joke, having sufficient way to carry her alongside the enemy, laid in her sweeps, and the order, "Prepare to board!" sounded along her deck; her two guns were loaded with round, grape, and musket balls, ready to fire when the vessels all but touched. Excepting the fire from the enemy nothing was heard; but in an instant that was mingled with the loud discharge from the Black Joke, the crash of the meeting vessels, and three cheers of the boarding crew, announced by another from the defending, when the clashing of the cutlass, with a few straggling pistol shots, succeeded. The Black Joke having very fresh way, sheered off on striking the enemy, but Lieutenant Ramsay, Mr. Bosanquet, (senior mate,) and thirteen men, availed themselves of the moment of touching, to leap upon his decks, where, in a most gallant manner, they sustained their ground, and actually drove back the united strength opposed to them, until the Black Joke had been replaced alongside, when the remaining part of her officers and crew rushing on board, this severe struggle terminated.

This vessel proved to be that of which Lieutenant Ramsay had received information, and was called the "Marinerito," Spanish brig, mounting four broadside and one pivot gun, all eighteen-pounders, with a crew of seventy-eight men, having on board four hundred and seventy-six negroes. She lost in the action from twenty to thirty killed and wounded ; the Black Joke losing one killed and four wounded, including Lieutenant Ramsay.

An anecdote, very worthy of notice for its spirit and loyalty, occurred in this affair: a fine sailor (Isaac Foil), being mortally wounded by a grape-shot from the enemy, and lying below, under the consoling attention of Mr. Douglas (assistant-surgeon), heard the rush and cheer at the moment of boarding: in the excitation caused by it, this splendid fellow waved his hand, joined faintly in the cheer, exclaimed, " God bless King William," and - died!

On the 10th of September, the Black Joke, in company with the Fair Rosamond (another tender of the Dryad), chased, and subsequently captured, in the river Bonny, the Spanish brigs "Regulo," of eight guns, and fifty-seven men; and "Rapido," of five guns and fifty men. The Fair Rosamond, outsailing the Black Joke, fired upon the Regulo, and thereby prevented the re-landing of two hundred and seven slaves; but the Rapido could not be hindered from getting all hers out; but being seen by the Fair Rosamond putting some into canoes, and throwing others overboard, she was sent to Sierra Leone, and there condemned for having had slaves on board. A captain of a palm-oil ship, lying at the time in the Bonny, stated afterwards at Fernando Po, that shortly after the vessels had left, the banks of the creek, where the affair occurred, were strewed with more than one hundred bodies of drowned negroes! These brigs made no resistance, though they were thoroughly prepared for action, and had departed with an expressed intention of destroying the Black Joke. In the December following, Lieutenant Ramsay being advanced to the rank of Commander, for the action with the "Marinerito," resigned the Black Joke to Lieutenant Huntley, of the Dryad, commanding the Fair Rosamond; who, on the 15th of February, 1832, captured the "Frasquita," Spanish schooner, with two hundred and ninety negroes on board, from the Bonny, and was off that river, in hourly expectation of meeting the Black Joke's old antagonist (the Almirante), under the name of the "Cherouka," when he received orders to proceed to Sierra Leone, and there dismantle; the Admiralty having directed the destruction of the severest scourge to the slave trade ever known. This order was executed by Commodore Hayes, C.B., at Sierra Leone, on the 3d of May, 1832.

* These brigs were chased and captured up the river Bonny, and actually struck their flags to the Fair Rosamond, a tender to the Dryad, by whose fire the Regulo was prevented from relanding her slaves. This is the first instance of the Black Joke having shown an inferiority of sailing; in which case, to the Fair Rosamond's sailing the capture of these brigs must be attributed.

Source: The United Service Journal 1832 - Volume 3 - Page 58