▁company ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁capture . ▁Cult iv ator , ▁Smith , ▁master , ▁had ▁been ▁sail ing ▁from ▁Dem er ara ▁to ▁London ▁when ▁Min erve , ▁of ▁Bor de aux , ▁had ▁captured ▁her . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 4 ▁Min erve ▁was ▁serving ▁as ▁an ▁armed ▁merchant man ▁with ▁an ▁ 8 5 - man ▁crew . ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁September ▁ ▁encountered ▁and ▁captured ▁the ▁French ▁letter ▁of ▁marque ▁ship ▁Min erve , ▁of ▁Bor de aux , ▁which ▁was ▁sail ing ▁to ▁Martin ique . ▁She ▁was ▁pier ced ▁for ▁ 1 8 ▁guns , ▁but ▁carried ▁only ▁four teen ▁ 9 - p ound ers , ▁and ▁ ▁had ▁a ▁crew ▁of ▁ 1 1 1 ▁men . ▁Top aze ▁captured ▁Min erve ▁at ▁ ▁after ▁a ▁ch ase ▁of ▁ 1 2 ▁hours ▁and ▁took ▁her ▁into ▁C ork ▁on ▁ 3 ▁October . ▁ ▁Wh aler ▁Samuel ▁End er by ▁& ▁S ons ▁acquired ▁Min erve ▁for ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁wh aler . ▁ ▁Captain ▁O bed ▁( or ▁Ob edia h ) ▁C ott le ▁acquired ▁a ▁letter ▁of ▁marque ▁on ▁ 3 ▁May ▁ 1 8 0 5 . ▁He ▁sa iled ▁Min erva ▁from ▁London ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁May ▁ 1 8 0 5 , ▁bound ▁for ▁Peru . ▁ ▁Lloyd ' s ▁List ▁( LL ) ▁reported ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁May ▁ 1 8 0 6 ▁that ▁the ▁crew ▁of ▁Min erva , ▁C