Benjamin Marston's Diary: 1776-1787 [a machine-readable transcription]

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Benjamin Marston's Diary: 1776-1787

3 v.

Winslow Family Papers, MG H2, vol.20-22 University of New Brunswick Archives, Harriet Irving Library

This text was prepared as an SGML TEI pilot project.

Verification has been made against the manuscript version. tems added are assumed to be interlinear unless otherwise noted. Items deleted are assumed to be scored through unless otherwise noted. All manuscript corrections are in the hand of the author, Benjamin Marston. Nautical notes and charts have not been transcribed and exist only as images. Underscoring and line indentation have not been preserved. All names have been checked against Winslow Collection indices. No name authority control exists at present. (February, 1997). Images exist as archived PICT images. Keywords in the header are a local scheme to aid in establishing analytical groupings

Sailed from Halifax in the Schooner

Earl Percy
Nath. Atkins master for

Dominica&— The Fleet and Army under

Admiral Shuldham &
Gen^l Howe
sailed y^e same day for
New York &—
Arrived at
Roseau in
Dominica after
40 days passage &— The long passage
& the ill condition my Cargo was shiped
in hurt it very much (it being chiefly
fish) so that I made but an indifferent
sale &—

Sailed from
Roiseau for
Eustatius

Mr Routh in y^e Brig
Minerva came
into y^e Road just as we got under way
he was chased in his passage & threw
some letters overboard on w^ch as he inform'd
me
Dr. Prince depended for getting
some insurance made on
Cap^tWoodbury

Arrived in
St. Eustatius & tarried there one
night & one day — Here I had y^e very
great pleasure of seeing my old friend —

Mr. Longbotham whom I had not seen for
ten years. I spent y^e chief of my time
wth him — He is still y^e same man

Sailed from
St. Eustatius in y^e Evening

was taken by the
Eagle Privateer

Cap^t Elijah Freeman Paine comm^r in
Lat: 41.2 on y^e eastern part of
George's
Bank.

arrived at
Plymouth — next day
was examined by the committee of
safety (
Dr. Torey foreman) & was by them
unanimously ordered to jail, my comittmt:
was respited till next day on acc^o of my
things being not landed out of the prize
& for that night my Brother
W Watson was my
Bail — The next day upon another

A List of the Committee who ordered me to
be confined —

• 
  Deacon Tory Chairman a true Deacon



• 
  Cap^t Weston--He owes his existence to the very
  people he is now insulting — His
  wig & head would compleatly fill a
  corn baskett. —



• 
  Deacon Diamond a pious=looking whining body



• 
  Mr Drew a Gentlemanw^th a ragged Jackett & I think
  a leather apron. —



• Somebody I could not see, he sat in y^e
  dark, & I forget his name. —



• Page Image
  



• 
  Silas A. Bartletta Good sort of man made a tool of
  To serve y^e purposes of y^e



• 
  Mr. Mayhem a Simpering how=do=you=do, sorry=
  For=your=loss body kind of a body



• 
  D. Lothrop One that has been often handsomly &
  Kindly entertain'd at my house He
  Can do dirty work



• 
  Mr. Crosswell a youngish looking kind of body

These were all met together at
Mr. Mayhem'sw^th
one accord & were all of one mind — & so they
ordered me to Prison

---

To my Sister
Lucia Watsonw^th my Picture in
miniature —

Speed little Portrait, quickly, hence & go
A Brother's likeness to his Sister show.
Full to her view disclose his features all
And tell her thus appears the Original
Health & Content enlivening his face
Shew that within his Breast dwells smiling Peace
And tho now exil'd from his native land
Drove from his home by Faction's cruel hand
He still looks down on fickle Fortune's power
Nor lets her frowns his chearful temper sour
Page Image

Still pleas'd w^th life happy he spends each day
Enjoys each blessing Heaven sends his way
No unfeeling Stoic, Nor all engaged for self,
And Miser=like regarding only Self
But still preserves a Sympathising heart
And forto his Neighbour's joy can keep a part
For man distress'd can shed a pitying tear
And what he can't prevent can help to bear
Life's Ocean thus he calmly passes o'er
Nor fears a landing on y^e other shore
Being Sure, in this or any other Sphere
Of always being as blest as he can bear

Accept dear
Lucia this rough piece
T'amuse you tis design'd
The portrait shews your Brother's face
This fragment shews his mind

Wrote from Windsor Nova Scotia May 1776

---

To
Eliza

Accept dear maid in friendly part
This artless lay, `t's from one whose heart
Forever yet has constant prov'd
And faithful to the fair he lov'd
To you at W---h's happy place
The Seat of plenty joy & Peace
Where oft Apollo does resort
And with y<sup>e</sup> muses keeps his Court
`Tis sent, in hopes it may amuse you
When the writer's present State it shews you
Quite chang'd from that he enjoy'd of late
At Winkworth's hospitable Seat
Where with y^e wise the good y^e young
A hundred years he'd scarce think long
While every day new Objects brot
To please y^e Sense or engage y^e Thot
Sometimes descanting on y^e Fashion
Then Serious grown reform y^e Nation
Page Image

And Spend y^e e'en of every day
In rebuses & Bouts rimez
Then sometimes Stolling down y^e Hill
To see y^e Goose with little Will
Who tired with rambling up & down
Cries taake me so goes shoulder'd home
But that which brighten'd all y^e rest
And to each pleasure gave a zest
Was to hear & See you all y^e while
To Kindly talk & sweetly Smile
But very different is y^e Scene
In w^ch I ever since have been
Appollo's nor one muses face
I've ne'er yet seen in all this place
No genial Souls with whom to set
And gravely talk or gayly chat
No little Will with whom to play
No Rebuses no Bouts rimez
Page Image

Nor no
Eliza who with Ease
Made every Scene & Object please
But Mars & Neptune's boisterous sons
With pipes & fifes & drums & guns
With rattling driving firing tearing
Bawling Thumping Scolding Swearing
Present mine eyes a different view
From what that I late enjoy'd w^th you
But let me hope These Storms o'er blown
And Smiling Peace again return'd
In some secure retreat to prove
The happy Object of your love
This irksome Scene I then wou'd pass
With heart resolv'd & Stedy face
Nor mind y^e waves that should rowl o'er
Such aSo fair a havenlying before me

To
Eliza
>From
Halifax June 1776

Sunday — This is y^e third Sunday I have spent
in this place — & have not been once inside of a
meeting house — So cruel are my Enemies they
deprive me of the pleasure of hearing their pious
Good ministers preach & pray — I believe they
think I have no soul — or they don't care what
becomes of it — Or they think that going to meeting will not do me any good — I think so too —
But still I should be glad to go now & then, for a
little variety's sake —

The names of the Officers on board the
Eagle
Privateer as she is call'd

• 
  Elijah Freeman Pain Comm^r



• 1st Leuitn.



• 
  Smith.. 2nd Lt.



• Dodge master & Owner



• 
  Isaiah Parker
  Barnstable Prize master on board y^e
  Earl Percy

Dear
Stephen

These few lines come to let you know
That I am well — hope you are so
(The true Style This epistolary
From which good writers ne'er should vary)
Likewise to give you information
Of my present situation.

Quite unlike your's who now at ease
Can ramble wheresoe'er you please;
In Town or out on foot or Nag on
To Church to
Burdick's or y^e Dragon;
Can go to
Tom's — Can dine with
Prince,
At night beat
Peter of his pence;
Who with ill luck quite surely made
Growls like a bear with broken head,
While I poor D---l am here confin'd
(A State which no way suits my mind)
For being — you know all y^e story
A sad incorrigeable Tory
Page Image

And now I am left so in the lurch
By Heavens! I can't e'en go to Church.
However — Even let it run
`t's a d---n'd long Lane that has no turn
And when y^e Tide has all ebb'd out
The next thing 't does twillis to turn about
As flow as high — (Nay sometimes more)
As it low-water was before
It is some comfort when the Course
Of things is such They can't be worse
For then the next change that they take
Must certain for the better make.
Well — don't you think reasons like these
Ar' enough to keep one's heart at ease
Some of them are old sayings too
And therefore twice as good as new.
I'll therefore set my heart at rest
And of a bad Bargain make y^e best.
But yet it would some comfort be
If I could but an old friend see
Page Image

With whom to set awhile & chatter
Of this & that & t'other matter
The many happy Hours tell o'er
Which we've enjoyed heretofore
So if you will but hither come
We'll add another to y^e Sum
And as dame Fortune's been unkind
I'll fight a cock to raise the wind
And in my turn will also tell y^e
The accidents which have befell me
The many fine things I have seen
In all those places where I've been
Which I'll relate as certain true
As anymany Other Travellers do.
But here I may n't omit to say
How I took
Eustatius in my way
And spent with
Longbothamonea day
That artfull Bard! Who under guise
Of telling Forty Thousand lies
Told real truths — was thence y^e dread
Of dear licentious
Marblehead
Page Image

And when you come pray do bring wi' you
ThoseSome books
— A list of which I gi' you
Swift Pope & Prior, and also Gay's
Poems, together with Hume's Essays
That's if your carriage will but hold `em
Or
Tom has not before now sold `em
For should he have ta'en it in his head
But once to think that I am dead
You'll ne'er be able to bring one
For then he'll then Swear they're all his own
But in that case you may assure
Him, That I'm as much alive as you're
But should he yet be unbelieving
Upon my word then I am still living
And I do thinkit is thot in such a case
A man's own word may safely pass
Now Love & Service where `tis due
But more especially to you
And to the Jewells — all whom you know
So having nothing more to send
I remain till death your loving friend

The Occurencies of my life are at present so unimportant That going to meeting or Staying at
home are become remarkable transactions — so
I put it down as a remarkable event that this
day I went to meeting all day & heard the
Rev.^d
Mr. Baron preach — about nothing. —

filed the following claim in
Register of the Maritime Court's Office for the
Southern District

To the Hon^ble:
Nathan Cushing Esq. Judge of the
Maritime Court of the Southern District

Be it Remembered that on the 25th day of
Oct.^o In the year of our Lord 1776
B Marston of

Mhead in y^e county of Essex Esq comes into Court
For himself & others concerned therein claims
the Schoon^r
Earl Percy her Cargo & appurtenancies against w^ch. a Libel is filed in this hon^ble:
Court in behalf of
Elijah Paine & others & the truth

Was this day much refreshed by a visit
from
Col^o Fowles &
Tho Lewis — they tarried about
3 hours & then went away

Mr. Whitmore came to see me — I agreedw^th him to undertake the defence of the Libel
against the Schooner
Earl Percy & Cargo — He is to
have nothing for his trouble unless he succeeds —

It is a year this day since I left
Mhd
& went into
Boston — in w^ch time I have seen more
variety than in all my life before — I have lived in
a town beseiged — on board ships — both of war &
others, have been at sea — in y^e
W Indies — have
lain in y^e woods — have travelled by land & carried
my baggage on my back — have been taken —
& am now in prison not worth a groat — But
I can still feel my self contented & happy — whence
I conclude that Health of Body & peace of mind
are more essential to human happiness than
either Riches or Honours —. I thank Heaven
I am amply possess'd of y^e two first —

This day y^e
Plymouth innoculating Hospital was opened
Brothr. Willm. &
Elize. Watson
with their children went in —
Col^o Geo. Watson
also —Under y^e care of Drs.
Sprague &
Lathrop

Salt is now at 10 S Ster p bush: flour
at about 6 dollars p cw woolens & Linnens are
scarcely to be had — & yet This miserably deceived
People are made to believe they can support an independency — Bread corn has got to a price w^ch
was hardly ever known in times of y^e greatest dearth
& yet there were scarcely ever better crops —
what will it be next Spring? The time when this
Province — (State I mean — I beg pardon)
used to recieve some hundreds of Thousand bushells of
grain from y^e Southern Provinces — There is now
an order for draughting every fourth man to relieve
y^e army, whose term of service is within a few days
of expiring — What a miserable figure must such

Their army is now broken to pieces
Their General not to be found — so that
General How
has been obliged to send to y^e Governor of
Connecticut
about an exchange of prisoners — of whom he has
great Mr.s — They have likewise lost a very great
part of their Cannon Tents & baggage — And yet
the managers of the Game in ye Province affect to talk in
y^e high Style — Still push y^e draughting of every
fourth man to releive y^e Army who are every day

Cocoa has been sold within these few days for 6.10 S.
Lm p C.^c —I make this memo to know how much
to call upon
Cap^t Paine for who has taken upwards
of 4400 lbs of Cocoa out of y^e
Earl Percy & sold it

1776

The Lye of y^e day now is ~ That y^e British
Army has received a great defeat in
New-Jersey
This was propagated from y^e Pulpit yesterday afternoon after y^e Service was ended — by reading a letter
from providence — w^ch in the most professingmanner begged for men to be sent to
Rhode Iland as
they hourly expected the King's Troops would pay
them a visit

Rhode Iland is now in possession of the King's
Troops —
Admiral Hopkins & his fleet are blocked up
in Providence —
Nastron Ilands have been plundered & the Buildings burned — The Militia
are ordered to march to
Bristole — about 150
go from this Town — General W--- assures
us that we shall have a large fleet & a grand
Army from
France very early next Spring
That
G Brittain (as it is called) is quite impoverished by the American War & that she cannot possibly1776

Thanks-giving to Day — I
went to
Rocky Nook & dined with my Brother
John
Watson —
Cap Archdeaconw^th me —

I have promised
Capt Atkins That if he can getfavourably
& honorably discharged from y^e employ he is now engaged
in, & will wait to see if I can recover y^e
Earl Percy
That I will keep him in pay so long as two months
if it should be necessary to wait so long at five pounds

1776

Ster.p mo. & will likewise allow him 1/2 y^eCommissionsw^ch I shall at any time hereafter receive upon
Messrs.
Ervin & Prince's parts of y^e Cargo w^ch is 2/3 —
if he will again go with me
Privateers out of Plymouth

• a Schooner...
  Cap Hatch private



• a Sloop.........
  Cap Nicholson private



• a Brigg...........
  Cap Clouston belongs to y^e State



• a Brigg...........
  Cap Sampson belongs to y^e State

An embargo, I hear is laid
upon all shiping in this State — The reason
given is — To get men to man the State's Ships
of War — & also a number of Merchant Ships
w^ch y^e State is fitting out for the
Bahama Iland
on a public commercial acco. — I will prophecy for once — and if my prophesies should not
come to pass I shall not be y^e first prophet who has

1776

To the happy Nuptials of the much honoured

Mr. Josiah Winslow, and the truly
virtuous
Miss Penelope Pelham —
Mr. Mrs.
Pure joys, clear fame & fortune fair
In all times crown this worthy Pair
Ever may they in virtue (spight
Of all repugnancies) shine bright
No rock can be their wreck no foe their fear
Set sail for heaven and do by virtue steer
Envy may then blow but not blast
In rudest Storms Firm Rocks stand fast
Love link'd with virtur free from vice
Appears another paradise
Outward plenty mental peace
Holiness & Happiness
Preserve their joys & guide their way
Ever may reason rule passion obey
While reason's hand doth steer Love cannot stray
Posterity is wedlock's crown
Issue to Nature adds renown
Ever may worthy issue bless their blood
Nature produce y^m: fair Grace make y^m good

Love's true intentions make y^m ever prove
Sincerety to be soul of Love
Holiness make y^m Happiness to last
Like laurel w^ch no Lightning can blast
Always may Goodness be y^r guide & Guard
Our Goodness Still finds safety for reward
May they live long thus blessed & may each name
Wear the best Coat of Arms — A Spotless fame
Sir
May you since God a worthy wife did Give
With her still as a man of knowledge live
Mistress
May your responsive virtue ever prove
Obedience is no bondage where we love

1652 author unknown

1776

Thursday Dec. 18th

The Committee of Safety have this day
given me the Liberty of the Town & of going
as far as
Rocky Nook — I do not know what
has moved y^m to it, they have done it unaskedby me
perhaps I am obliged to
Brother Watson for
it — If I am, it is generous in him —

Mr. Judge Cushing has given order for the
sale of y^e
Earl Percy & her Cargo — & she &
that were accordingly sold yerterday at publick vendue. This is done before she has
had any trial — without any necessity from y^e
nature of her Cargo w^ch was not perishable —
being Rum & Cocoa — & when two claims
were laid in for her —
Ephm. Spooner
was Vendue master

1777

The Committee of Safety in this place have
particularly prohibited several persons & y^r families from visiting
the Jail, where are now confined sundry Persons who
having been press'd into y^e Service have refused either
to serve or pay their fine — These people are now
kept in close jail —

Capts Hatch & Sampson both taken
by
Dawson —
Nicholson has got in with one prize
only, a Jamaica Ship —
Cap^t Dawson has ta=
ken 15 sail of PrivateersPrizes — The adventurers
in y^e privateering business from
Newbury Port
have made but a loosing business of it —

General Washington> surprised a party of 1600
Hessians & took & kill'd y^e major part of y^m took
y^r baggage Waggons tents & cannon — This is
made great use of to raise y^e Spirits of y^e People
& to encourage y^m to enter into y^e service again —
of w^ch they have grown heartily sick & tired thepublicacc.^ots of this matter make it upwards of 900

some very good private intelligence reduce it to about 1/3 that
Number — The publicaccots. of this day areuniversally to be suspected — The Lye of the
day now is, a French War is inevitable

There are 6000 prisoners now in
York — a great Number
at
Halifax — besides those
General Carlton has
sent from
Quebec under promise of not taking up
arms again y^e Number I forget but it was
some hundreds

Jan. 20. 77

Sir

I recd: yours — I acknowledge to you that I
have thot myself hardly dealt by, in being
left by you as I was — But if it has beenowing to unavoidable accidents, I have not a word
more to say — Respecting y^e attempt I have
made to recover my vessell & Cargo — One moment's
reflection (I think) will convince you, that I
have done no more, that what Justice to myself
& Faithfulness to those who committed y^r Interest
1777 to my care, required me to do — & should I prosecute
that matter any further, I believe you would —
have no reason to complain of me as an unfair
Antagonist — But as y^e Vessell & Cargo are
sold, I shall pursue it no further — I have
now no other object in veiw but to obtain my liberty
& return to
Nova Scotia as soon as I can — whatever assistance you may be able to afford me
towards obtaining this point (whenever I apply
for it) shall receive all proper acknowledgments
from me — I will mention but one thing
more, which is — That a hhd of Tobacco belonging
to
Cap^t Atkinsw^ch he put into y^e same store with
y^e
Percy's Cargo, was sold with it — He left me a
power to receive his wages, & orders to sell that
Cask of Tobacco & send all y^e mony to his friends
at
Barnstable — Now, I would beg the favor
of you, to signifie to your agents, or to whatever person
has the care of the mony w^ch y^e Cargo sold for, that they
would pay to me y^eam.^o of said Tobacco — as to the

Set out from
Rocky Nook & lodg'd at
Coll^o
Gallaison's — next day went to
Coll ^o Miller's at

Milton — a Snowy disagreable day — lodg'd at
Col.
Miller's two nights —

arrived in

Boston & have quartered my self upon
Mr. White

I gave in my name to a
Mr. Peirpoint
who is a Commissiary for the exchange of prisoners — The Committee of
Plimouth
after giving me Liberty of y^e Town for about 6 weeks
Thot proper to take new measuers with me — They
told me if I stayed w^th them I must be again confined

1777

Left
Boston & came to
Salem — Having
obtained leave of the Council to go to
Halifax in
y^e Cartel

came to
Mhead — 9th embarqued on board
y^e Cartel after being plagued one whole day
w^th y^e M---d Committee — God send us safe to

Halifax — & give me a happy sight of my dear
Eliza —

Arrived safe in
Halifax after 4 days —
passage;
Lieut. Sprey the Officer of the Cartel
treated me w^th great politeness & humanity
— Am so happy as to find my dear Miss E--- in this
place — The pleasure of again seeing that Dear
Girl has abundantly rewarded me for all y^edisagreeable feelings of a 6 mo's imprisonment —
— Gracious Heaven! Grant me to be but so fortunate as to be able to provide for that dearest Girl an

Had y^e honour to dine this day with

Gen.^l Massy

Went to
Sackville tarried
there till Wednesday —
E--- was of the Party —

Took lodging's with
Misses Lloyd's Thursday
March 20th at a guinea p week

Went to
Winkworth — Spent a week
very agreeablyw^th that amiable worthy Family
return'd on Wednesday y^e 9th just at dark

Halifax in Lat. 44°:44' N Long: 4 hours 14 W 63°30' Long W.

---

1

Eliza, dearest maid farewell
From you I now must part
Leave you in
Halifax to dwell
& ply the Seaman's art

---

2

Then we a very different Scene
Around us shall survey
You Beaux in red, in brown, & green,
I monsters of the sea

---

3

Employments too of different kind
Will then consume each day
You to amuse or inform your mind
I to explore my Way

---

4

But whatsoever my employ —
Or where so e'er I go
I ne'er shall know a heart felt joy
Till I return to you

---

5

Till that much wish'd for hour comes round
May you still happy Live
And with those joys Each day be crown'd
Which Health & Virtue give —

Hlfax April 1777

1/3 6818 Gs Rum is 2272 .5Gs it sold
at an average @ 5/6 SterSter 624.18.9

1/3 of 4436 llbs cocoa is 1478llbs is 13.0.22 @L 5.0 65.18.9

1/3 12blls Limes @ 60/ 12.— .—

2 hhds Rum my own private advent.
220Gs. @ 5/6 60.10

858llb Tobacco @ 3d 10.14.6

Ster L 774.2.0
deduct my part of Vessel hire & wages at 50 —
724.2 —

Most of this page has been torn from the original. See image.

Most of this page has been torn from the original. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Love in a Village

I am now afloat again — The following is a Journal of a Voyage from
Halifax in
Nova Scotia to

St. John's Newfoundland in the good Schooner

Pollybelonging to
Mr. John PrinceMerch. In
Halifax

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

at 7am
Cape Racebore NE at5
Leagues Distance.

at 6 pm
Ferrylandbore NNW 2 1/2
Leagues Distant at 12 at night brot too under F sail
head to y^e SE right off
Bay of Bulls — at 4 am made
sail Wind WSW
Bay of Bulls little a Stern — at
11am got into
St. John's & came to anchor —entered at
y^e Custom House — Saw
Mr. Ben Jenkinshis brothernot in Town.

St. John's Newfoundland 1778

Getting out balast & packing Fish — fine Weather

Got out all y^e balast — clean'd the Hold for taking in — Got a Permit to load — fine weather

Fair weather & Hot

Took in 32 hhds Fish

Took in 9hhds Fish — a rainy misty day

Fill'd 3 hhds Water — took 24 hhds Fish — some
part of y^e day foggy & misting

Took in Fish 40hhds —

Took in the whole of the Cargo — & calked
down our hatches

The Schooner ready for Sea

Admiral Montagu arrived in 5 weeks
from
Cork — no material intelligence has yet transpired —

In the afternoon sail'd from
St. John's
in C^ow^th a Letter marque Brigg of
12 guns — & another Brigg

Journal of Voyage in the Schooner
Polly
from
St. John's Newfoundland to the
Island
of St. Kitt's>— July 1778

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

at 9 Clock pm was taken by
the
General Gates Privateer

Jno. Skimmer Comm^r16 guns after
a chase of about 6 hours — when
it almost falling calm he by
help of oars came up with me

The following appearances of Land were taken on board
y^e
Gen. Gates continental Brigg from the Fore Top
sail yard.

Sketch of land. See image.

Something like this appeared the land of
Cape Ann about 7
Leagues distance by estimation, bearing NW — cloudy Sky
clear atmosphere about 4 o'Clock pm Aug.29 — 1778

Sketch of land. See image.

The appearance of y^e same Land — bearing NWy 6 leagues distance taken y^e same afternoon
4vr4 to be joined together
obs:^d this day in 42 degrees 38' N Lat. —

Arrived in
Boston
That evening was put on board a guard Ship

was relieved from my disagreeablesituation on board y^e
Guard Ship — by Humanity's own
self — I am now at
Mr. White's — have the Liberty
of his house & fieldw^ch is no small Range — as it contains about 20 acres of Ground

After living a week very agreeably at my
friend
White's I was this day suddenly ordered to
go immediately on board the
Prison Ship —

This I owe to a littleness of mind — in some person
at
Mhd who wrote to y^e Council to inform y^m that I was
such a inveterate Enemy to y^e Country as that it would
be dangerous for me to be at Large — Was on
board y^e
Prison Ship 10 days no body allowed to see
me but by Special Licence from the Council —
— However I have Caulked y^e malice of my Enemies —
in spite of their ill nature — I spent the time of my
confinement cheerfully & profitably For I have learned that a man may enjoy himself in prison — I would not change
the reflections of my own mind on the matter for all
the pleasure they may have received from y^rgratification of a mean Revenge — Poor — Miserably
Poor Devils — They are even below contempt —

Sailed from King's Road in a Cartel
Snow —
Wilson comm^rw^th about 170 Prisoners

in Lat 42 degrees 53' N

Lat 43 degrees 49' N

Lat 43 degrees 37' N at 6 o'Clock pm
Mount Dessert Rock bore SE about a league dist.
tacked & stood to y^e Sd. at Night came on a hard Gale at SE — before day
under our Courses — Shipped several heavy Seas
w^ch as our Scuttles & Hatches were open poured
a great deal of Water into y^e Ship

at 3 Clock Thick foggy weather — made
The
Gannet Rocks & the
Tusket Ilands close
a head of us — Tack'd & Slood S by W till about 9 o'
Clock to clear away the
Seal Ilands — Then we haul'd
further up to y^e Eward by degrees — so passed the
Cape
Sables —

shap'd our courses
along Shore — about 4pm made y^e land about y^e

Ragged Ilands —

about 3 Clock pm came
to anchor in
Halifax — Went on Shore & took lodgings at my old Quarters at
Miss Lyde's — so
Ends my Second Captivity

Sailed from
Halifax in y^e Brig

Ajaxfor
Surinam — on Wednesday following
we were overset in a violent gale of wind w^ch
carried away foremast main topmast (our bon
sprit we lost a few minutes before) boats one
anchor 3 carraige Guns our quarter deck
Rails every sail that was bent Sprung
four beams & washed four people overboard
one of whom drowned — we had such
a series of blowing weather as that it was 3
weeks before we got ouselves to rights
again — one half of w^ch time we were without
a compass one having been wash'd overboard

dined w^th
Mr. Durant — a
French Gentleman — the same thatbought my
Cargo — he understands no English — I cannot
speak French, nor understand it (but poorly) when
spoken — so we converse by writing — he is much surprised to see me write so good French
— Two other French gentlemen dined w^th us
Their behavior was polite —

Our diner was as follows —
— a dish of soup very good — next the beef
that made it w^ch would have been good
had y^e soup been not so — Then followed
Squab Pye in a fancifull shape pretty enough — then a dish of very good musk melon followed or rather accompanied w^th
a fine large roasted Turkey & a roasted Fowle
but we ate y^e melon first — The Turkey &
Fowle both roasted w^thy^r heads on

— An embargo upon all provisions w^ch
are on shore — The sudden appearance
of such a British Force in y^e Seas has very
much disconcerted the French & y^e American
party — The repulse w^ch
Mon. D'Estaing has suffered from
Mr. Barrington has rendered
him much disesteemed by his Country=
=men — It is indeed much to his dishonour
He was much superior in force to
Admiral Barrington

a Fleet small vessels sail'd for the
French
Ilands under Convoy of a Frigate

This day took a Cooper's Shed of
Mr Hovey
at a Joe p month — This evening began
to land Stuff for the
Cooper — on Monday
the 18th the Mate left the Ship

Landed yesterday & today to y^e
Cooper 123
Sh k hhd & Seven Casks heading

This day had the pleasure
to meet my old fellow prisoner G. W---e he is
from
NYork — by him I hear of the Welfare
of my nearest
N Eng. Connexions —
— I am much pleased w^th y^e complexion that
our publick affairs wear at present — The
Insolence w^thw^ch the Congress treated the King,
Commissioners was y^e most imprudent
thing they could have done at that Time —
— It was then in their power to have obtaind
very good terms for America w^ch They would
have deserv'd honour for — But the real
Good of America was never the Object they
aimed at — To aggrandize themselves was y^r
sole intent, no matter what Calamities befallsy^r wretched country in Obtaining that
Glorious Object — and the Happiness of
no Country was ever so wantonly sacrificed to
Ambition as that America has been

O
Jemmy! O
Jemmy! If what I hear be
true — how art Thou fallen —

Agreed w^th a Negro man
Castile to
tend upon y^e
Cooper @ 4 bitts p day.

last night sailed several
Virginians under convoy of the Dutch
Frigate

February. 1779

Cap.^t Mowat has this day agreed w^th a
Mr.
Gordon to fit y^e Brig w^th Spars & Carpenter's
work

A Rebell privateer 14 Guns arrived in the
Road — She has Sprung a leak

The refitting the Brig is now began in good
Earnest —This day did
Mr. Durant 16
hhdfish 5 pollock 11 cod 5 of the cod
& 1 hhdpollockdamaged — Have agreed ^thMr.

A very idle time — nothing
to do but make obs. Among other things — I
cannot but observe y^e difference in the American Commerce to this Iland — now &
heretofore — Formerly they came here
in vessels scarce any under 70 & 80 Tons
now they are all pilot boats — & small
coasting Craft — here are now about a
doz sail from
Baltimore
Philadelphia
& one from
Providence — They are all pilot
boats — & one small thing about 25 tons
— miserable Things to beat that Coast
this season of the year — Poor People
to what wretchedness has their implicit
confidence in the congress brot y^m
— Their Seamen's Wages from 50 to 60
dollars p mo. — Their paper mony must
be much depreciated — or their Trade very
profitable — to give such wages —

St. EustatiusFebruary 1779

Dld the
Cooper 72 Shks 10 Casks heading
2 Casks heading loose & 70 heads & 12 heads,
a few days agone — These & Those did y^e 20th
last month make 195 Shks & 19 hhds heads.

The French privateers have lately taken 3
American Vessels & made y^m prizes — The
master of one of them a few days ago dining
at Graham's — could not contain his indignation at y^e treachery of their new allies but
gave it pretty free vent — There happened
a French man at Table who undertook to
defend his Country men — but was soon silenced & obliged by y^e injured American to quit
y^e table & eat his dinner at a side table by —
himself — after dinner the Americaninvited him if he had any resentment for the
treatment he had met with — to give him any
satisfaction he chose — The prudent soul

St. Eustatius February 1779

Reported that Manly in y^e

Cumberland Ship an American Cruizer
of 20 Guns is taken by the
Pomana Sloop
---. Last Evening several americans
sailed for
Virginia &
Philadelphia —
— This afternoon saw an old Neighbour
a Mhead man a
Jno. Tressry. He was taken
last Monday off
Saba in a small Schooner belonging to him &

Col^o Orne
— This acco.of
N England is pityable —
— Poor People's how does y^e ambition
of a Few keep y^m wretched & miserable
— directly against y^r Opinions — For
every acc^o From that Country agrees in y^s
That People in General would be glad to
return to y^r allegiance

St. Bartholomew taken
by the Angillains —
Cap^t White sails
this Evening for
York — by him have

St. EustatiusFebruary 1779

Arrived a Letter marque Ship
from
NfLandw^th 300 hhds Fish — she
took 2 french Sugar Ships in her passage
— a French Victualler w^th 2700 blls. flour
carried into
St. Lucia

The C--- has been very idle
only 20 ---s sett up & he ashore ever since y^e
20th ult. — He promises to make up by
his future industry — if so well — if not — well
too —

St. Martin's &
St. Bartholomew's retaken

March 1779

My Cargo has been all gone this
Fortnight — I am now waiting for the repairing
of y^e Brigg — when that is accomplished —
if I cannot get a Cargo to my mind in this

St. Eustatius March 1779

2 French Frigates & a 20 gun
Ship came into y^e Road

about 20 saills of trading
Vessels sail'd for the
French Ilands under
convoy of the above Ships of War —

The anniversary of the bloody Massacre(or Masquerade as it is vulgarily called
in Kings Street
Boston — This accident
has been made great use of to Influence the minds of
the Americans — as a cruel wanton peice of butchery — & yet none of the 5th of March Orators
ever pretended to question the impartiality of
the Court who aquitted the Party concerned in
it — Both Judges & Jurors — If my Memory
does not deceive me, one of the attornies for the
Soldiers, was a person who has since been a
Continental Congress man —

St. Eustatius March 1779

yesterday & the day before the
Wind at NW & N. It blew so hard yesterday
that several Vessels drove —
The Dutch Admiral was one — an American Vessel
coming in was oversett by a sudden squall
the people saved — a Rebell Privateer Brig
in the Road this morning — saw a
Philadelphia Paper a few days ago —
The arrival of 4 Vessels at
Baltimore
from the
W Indies is inserted as news —
— a Committee of Greivances advertise
their daily Setting in y^e State house
Philadelphia to receive complaints
That of Monopoly seems to be y^e reigning
one — Tis so in all y^r Provinces —
The Committee do not sett daily only Tuesdays
& Frydays from 9 o Clock — That is notsufficient. The Assembly of
Pensylvania haveresolvedymselves into a Committee to consider of
Greviances Likewise — of w^ch monopolozing

St. Eustatius March 1779

The
Venus &
Ariadne
have taken the
Trumbal a rebell Frigate
of 22 Guns —
Ariadne went in chace
of her consort supposed to be the
Dean
another of y^r Frigates of 22 or 28 Guns —
Their Navy does not seem to be on a very
respectable Footing —

This morning 4 English Frigates pass'd y^e
Road to the Northward

Sloop sail'd for
NYork —
wrote by her to
Mr. Holmes, to — arrived a ship
& Brig from
Hlfx who had been for
Surinam but fell to Leeward

St. Eustatius March 1779

Embarked for
Sta. Cruz arrived
there next day at Noon — This Iland belongs
to y^e
King of Denmark — But 9/10 of the inhabitants are British & Dutch Subjects born —
Strangers coming into this Iland are inspected by the Officers of Goverm.^t Like other
Goods — I was obliged to go personally to
no less than 4 offices — Custom House —
Fort — Town Major — & The General's
at y^e Fort. We went to three different offices — I don't know their names —
The English Language is universally
spoken here — The very Slaves & children
know it — The Danish is used in
y^e Courts — in the Custom House Papers
& in the Danish Church —
— Natural Danes coming hither find
ymselves in a Strange Country — tho in y^e
Dominions of y^r prince — All Religions

Sta. Cruz March 1779

Christianstad — y^e metropolis of y^eIland
is a pretty Town — about 2/3 as large as
Halifax — &
like that laid out in a regular manner

Sta Cruz March 1779

arrived back from my Voyage to

Sta. Cruz — after a passage of something more
than 3 days — In w^ch met w^th no materialaccident — save that we once had like to have
filled our vessell by the carelessness of y^e
master in leaving his hatches open — & the
inertness of his crew (all Negroes) — who were
as deliberate in handing for a Squall
as tho no such Thing had happened — we
likewise sprang our mast off
Saba — for y^e

St. Eustatius March 1779

Today met
Cap^t Jos Northy of
Mhd

he has been taken bound from
Guadualoup home —
carried to
Antegua— ynce he got to this place is now
going back to
Guadualoup to get if possible a passage
home — His Captors have used him rather severely
have taken all his private property from him & left
him quite bare of anything to help himself —
Poor man! I once knew him in good circumstances
but y^e Fortune of war has reduced him to distress
as it has many other honest men — who tho heartily —
averte to y^e present System of American Politicks are
y^e t forced to submit to a power they cannot Oppose —
— I find y^e Opinions of all Honest, industrious, Men to be much ye s &
whosuch as have no hopes nor desire of getting anything by this political Scramble — to be
much y^e same — They in general condem their
high mightiness the C--- This afternoon
met three young fellows — children of my former
Neighbours — who had been taken — & are now in
ys (to y^m) Strange Country Friendless & monyless
These are the people who suffer — The vile
authors of this unhappy War — have taken

St. Eustatius March 1779

April 1779

Have only 4 men at present —
before y^e mast — Two young fellows who have
been on board some days left the Brig this
morning — I don't much wonder

This is Good Fryday — & the Passover of the Jews
— The Christians are fasting or pretending to
do so — The Jews are really rejoycingfeasting &
making merry — both of them fromreligious motives — That Ceremony w^chwas isperformedw^th y^e most Sincerity is doubtless to Heaven
the most acceptable — is an Opinion y^e
most obviously true of any in y^e World — and if
we can suppose The Great First Cause can be affect
=ed w^th pleasure or displeasure at any thing which

St. EustatiusApril 1779

The French Fleet from
Guadualoup has been
expected this 10 days — They are not yet arrived
a few single Vessels attempting to get down
have been taken — The trade of this place
is at present at a low ebb —

The two Lads have returned to y^e
Ship — It seems yy were ashore keeping Holy
day only — one of y^m is for his victuals only

Had an old acquaintance
to see me — my townsman
Ash---y B--- n
— He gives me some curious anecdotes

St. EustatiusApril 1779

The mate & 3 hands only at
work today — We have only 4 Seamen belonging to us

St. Eustatius April 1779

We have only 3 hands before the mast
The heavy young fellows who have been at work y^se
few days past are only for their victuals — They
are not Skipped — This day began to purchase Sugars —

The French have have played a nicefine Strategem
to get down y^r fleet from
Martinique; which
arrived here yesterday — consisting of about
30 sails under convoy of two Frigates —

'Twas thus — Last Saturday 5 FrenchFrigates appeared of
St. Kitts in a way of challenge
5 English Frigates immediately put out
after y.^m — The French went thro y^e Channel
to windward of this place — The English after
them — & chased them all that day & y ^e next withoutbeing able to come up w^thy^m as they had much
the Start — In y^e mean time the fleet above
mentioned sailed from Martinique & arrived
here safe all but one who was taken off
St.
Kitts — They have now to get back again

St. Eustatius April 1779

a Fleet of about 30 sail arrived
this morning from
Winward among whom
are Several Americans — under convoy 5Frigates — These 5 & y^e 2 which came with the
former fleet make 7 sail — They all left this
place this morning —
Cap^t Mowat is
hogging his Ship today —

The French Fleet of about 40 sail
under convoy 7 Frigates sailed for
Windward

Have only 3 men before y^e mast
one whom
Cap^t Mowat shipped a few days
ago has not yet been aboard — This fore
noon 4 Large Ships appeared to y^e Southwd.
They tacked & were soon out of sight —
— They are supposed to be French —

a Good Constitution is the best Inheritance —
a Good Conscience the best Friend — & Good
Humour the best Companion — He who
has all three cannot be unhappy —

St. Eustatius April 1779

The Ships Comp. Working about
Rigging all this day — a Carpenter caulking
the wales — Have 84 hhds & blls sugar on board
— Have only 5 hands before y^e mast —

The People this day fixing & sewing
Rigging — particularly Topsail Sheets fore & aft —
a Carpenter at work caulking Wales, sides & Counter
is not yet done —

I observe at the change of the —
Moon & some days after we have constantly in this Road a large
Swell — & a Strong current to y^e Westward —
— this evening wrote to
W Coffin jun.
NYork—

This day a Top Gallant mast came aboard
Carpenter at Work about sundries — Crew ab.^t
y^eFinishing y^e Rigging — have about 7
hhds Sugar more to get off w^ch the high Swell has
prevented being done y^se Several days past —

today the Cooper finished cooper
the water Cask — not the Ships Cooper for he
has done no work since we've been here —
excepting setting up 18 molasses casks most

St. EustatiusApril 1779

Today a fleet of 20 sail
sailed for
Windward under convoy the

French Man of War 3 Frigates & a Sloop
Privateer — They were in sight at dark —
— People fixing & serving y^e Foresheets —

I observed a leak in y^e main
deck just forward y^e rise of y^e Quarter deck
on y^e Starboard side — I acquainted
Cap^t Mowat

St. Eustatius April 1779

About a doz Vessells fromWinward — French & Dutch — about two hours ago
5 French Line of Battle Ships appeared to
y^e S.ward — They are now lying to in a Line a little
without the Shipping — a small schooner
w^thy^m — This manovre causes many
speculations on board y^e
Ajax — about 4
o Clock pm they were joined by a frigate — They
are now — (Sunsett) all standing to y^e S.ward
under an easy sail

The French Ships have been
in sight all day laying off & on —
Their design, it is said, from Persons from
Martinique — was to [] the four Ships who were
sent with y^e Trade — as
Count D'Estaing had
been informed that some large English Ships
had been sent this way — They have
it ashore that
Admiral Biron is dead —
that his Cook poisoned him — (Statia News )
for w^ch it has been added he is to have a pension.

St. EustatiusApril 1779

anon —

Have got y^e last of
the Cargo on board this day —
— The People in trade, here, are many of
y^m deeply in w^th y^e Americans — That
makes y^e American mad — it is their interest that y^e Americans should succeed &
be independent; that they may be able to
pay their debts — They have therefore persuaded themselves that it will be so — The same
reason makes y^m believe the mostimprobablew^ch are favorable to y^e American
Cause — it has been, & it is now, rumoured
Page missing in original

Saint EustatiusMay 1779

yet He has been writing constantly day & night
for this week past —

The Stupidity & inattention of mankind is amazing — I wanted to know
y^e method to be observed in clearing the Brig
out — I applyed to P--- L--- who had been a ship
master to y^s port many voyages & a merch.^t
Here many years — He gave me such directions
as could not be followed they were contrary
to y^e settled rules in the offices — I asked another of my acquaintance here — He gave me
a very confused acc.^o of what I was to do —
mad at y^r wrongheadedness — I determined
to follow y^e direction of my own understanding & observing — Candour & Goodness mark
=ed in y^e features of y^e Weigh master's countenance
a
Mr. LeFevrea
Mr Le Fevre — I asked him
what was the Line to be Observed in clearing
out my Vessell for being a Stranger I did not
know — would he please to tell me — O yes
Sir — you must come to me — 'Tis eno.

Saint Eustatius May. 1779

Fryday Evening — Purchased 1497 lb Sugar
this afternoon & got it on board — I should
have laid this mony out ten days ago — but
from the Intelligence I got I thot I should
want it for duties —

Mr. Walker &
Cap^t
Mowat very busy all day — & have been so this
week past settling their affairs on shore — If
we had not waited for convoy — I doubt whether
They would have been ready till now or not
— They have had a deal of writing to do &
even now — & tis most nights — they do not seem
to have done —

From good Authority the French Fleet under

Count D'Estaing is in a wretched condition

Most of his Ships in a Condition from storms
& other blows — hardly fit to go home — 3000 men
ashore in y^e hospitals in
Port Royal
& a great number more at
St. Pierre's —

Saint EustatiusMay 1779

at 9pm weighed & came
to sail w^th a fleet 15 sail dutch Ships & brigs under
convoy of a dutch Man of War of 54 guns
Cap.^t
Remeswaer Comm.^r who has promised us
protection so long as we keep with him
at ab.^t 8am. abreast of
St. Martin's the
Fleet all a Stern except y^e Commodore —

@ 2pm
Anguilla bore
SEbE 21miles distant being in Lat.
18.17. N. Long 62.13' W from whence We take our
departure for
Sambro Iland at y^e Entrance
into
Halifax being in Lat. 44.32' N. Long.
63.20' ...

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

At Sea - 1779

Nautical chart. See image.

Nothing Remarkable ys 24 hours —
Fair weather — except now & then
a rain Squall — Fleet all together

Nautical chart. See image.

Nothing Remarkable y^s 24 hours — Weather to bepleasant — The fleet together

At Sea 1779

Nautical notes. See image.

Fine pleasant weather
This day at noon parted
from our convoy — They
holding y^r Course too much
Ely for us —

Nautical notes. See image.

Fine pleasant weather for
the last 24 hours 7mdash; & fair wind
Two very great Blessings to
Sailors —

At Sea 1779

Weather continues very
pleasant — wind fair
but small —

Nautical notes. See image.

8am
Wind came in at a squall
at abt. NNE — blows fresh
— looks likely to continue
so — handed all
our small sails — M T sail
sing. reef'd F sail dbl reef'd

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

At Sea 1779

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

This 24 hours
a fresh gale at NE under
Reef'd Tp sails — a large
head Sea — fore part cloudy
latter part fair — wind
more moderate — Sea —
smoother 7mdash;

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

these 24 hours — weather pleasant
wind NE to N — a large swell
from y^e Nthward

At Sea 1779

Nautical notes. See image.

This 24 hours the wind, still
hanging at N & NbE — tis
now 3 days since y^e wind has
blown from y^e quarter — tis teazing — almost beyond
Patience — However tis now almost calm & showery
— we hope a shift of Wind — God send it

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

at 4pm tack'd to y^e Eward — at 8
pm tack'd again laid up NW — at 12 at night the wind
veered more in our favour so that y^e latter part of this
24 hours we have made a NbW Course — Weather
pleasant — the Wind favorable & promises to be more
so — w^ch makes us very good natured & cheerfull —

At Sea 1779

Nautical notes. See image.

This 24 hours pleasant —
moderate weather — small
Breezes at NE & ENE — till
about 10am when it hasveered a little to y^e Eward — we
have now our Royals set —
our course NbE w^th a plain
sail —

Nautical notes. See image.

This 24 hours — pleasant moderate weather —
small Winds at ab^t E by S —

At Sea 1779

Nautical notes. See image.

These 24 hours very
small Winds from
about E to ENE — fair
weather
— Picked up a bag of
Cork chips w^th a few
shot holes in it — This
causes various speculations among the Ship'scompany — It has alarmed all y^r fears — for they are very
sure it has not been in y^e water a day — Tho fromappearances it may have been y^re a week — One
remembers that he thot he had heard guns last Night —

Nautical notes. See image.

This 24 hours — very pleasant
weather — w^th little or no
wind — it having been
calm the greater part
of y^e Time

At Sea 1779

Nautical notes. See image.

This 24 hours fine
pleasant weather
but almost a perfect calm — what
little wind we've had
has been to y^e Eward — we have at times gone
from 1 to 1 1/2 Knot a NbE course — From our
having made so little x Lat. I judge we are in
the Eddy of the Gulph Stream — & that we have
made westing more than is allowed in the above Reckoning —

Nautical notes. See image.

This 24 hours — some
very small breeze, someat
times — but for the most
part a Flat Calm — w^ch
is very tedious & irksome —
altho y^e Weather is exceedingly pleasant —

At Sea 1779

This 24 hours began with
a small breeze at about N b E it has increased & veered in our
favour so that now at about half after 2pm it is
about NNW — so thatand we are no longer in the disagreeable Situation of Standing Stock Still in the middle of the World w^th no more ability of moving than if
we were bound w^th 10,000 Chains & Ropes — Godcontinue it & make it more favorable — & send us once
more safe to dear H---x — Weather very fine &pleasant — Lat. Ob. 35.14' The latter
part of this 24 hour a Steady breeze abt. NWbN — we have
a strong Curr^t to y^e N — some
part y^s 24 hours as our
x Lat. Ob. Exceeds ys by dk
23 miles

Nautical notes. See image.

lat ob 35°56'N

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

This 24 hours — weather very fine — very little Winds
— The latter part Wind SWly a small breeze w^chpromises to stand & increase — Caught 3 fish a Skip Jack — a
Dolphin & a Shark — a Curr.^t has set us 15 miles Nly

At Sea 1779

This 24 hours begins w^th
a small breeze at ab^t WSW — we have more wind than
for a Week past — Lat. Ob. 37°33'N W.Vr. 1/2 pt.

Nautical notes. See image.

This 24 hours ends with
very pleasant weather &
a fine brisk gale at ab^t
SW — we have now all
sails sett & going at a fine
rate — Our Sensations
are very different from what
they have been for these 10 days or a fortnight past all
w^ch time we have been crawling along at a very
slow rate w^th small winds & those rather scant
than otherways — We are now swiftly flying on the wing
of a fair Propitious Gale — just the Course we
wish to Steer — We have now no murmurings
at Heaven's dispensation of Winds — before
we could not help thinking that so much Calm
so many Contrary Winds was rather hard
Resignation to y^e Will of Heaven is a very
easy duty when our Inclinations are gratifyed
— Last night at midnight a total Eclipse of
the moon — The sight was rather dismal
At Sea 1779

Nautical notes. See image.

This 24 hours a fine Gale
at W & WSW w^ch still
continues — fair weather
smooth Sea — All Sails sett

Nautical notes. See image.

a fine breeze this 24 hrs.
from SW to S — latter
part foggy —
Vr Wly 1 point —

At Sea 1779

at 8pm hove too &
sounded. 65 fathom rocky bottom — By
our Run since 12 oClock we are in 43°4'N
having made since that time a N. Course —
— This 24 hours began w^th Foggy cloudy
weather — it still continues cloudy —
at 12 at Night sounded 65 fathom black sand &
small black Stones — our Course since 8pm has been
NbE w^ch allowing 1 1/4 p. Vr. W makes N 1/4 we
have run 22 miles — our reckoning now Stands
thus 43°26'N Lat

62°47'W Long. We judge — that we are
on the West part of
I Sable ground — at 12 we
shaped our Course NbW — the Vr. Is now by
estimation 1 1/2 Wly — Weather cloudy & small
rain at times — at 4am sounded 35 fathom
rocky bottom — Our course from 12 to 4 NbW w^ch
allowing 1 1/2 pt. Vr. NNW .5 W the distance run
26 miles — at 8am sounded 45 fatho^m blk. Sand
& stones Course from 4 to 8 NNW1/2 W true dist 12 miles our course now NWbN — Just now we
see the land —
The Ragged Ilands —
The soundings we first had were not on
At Sea 1779

This 24 hours begins
w^th foggy weather — at about 10 am we made
the Land over thefrom the Mast head over the
fog —
Mahon bay — We are now Steering for
Sambro Light — this 24 hours ends w^th
pleasant fair weather — small breeze at WSW —

at about 4 pm we
got up w^th Sambro Light — were brot too by
the
Blond Frigate — she detained us an hour or
more — calm all night — the Light bearing
SWly — towards Sunrise a small breeze sprang
up to y^e Eward w^ch brot us up to Town about
10 oClock am all well & safe — Thanks to that
Kind Providence w^ch has preserv'd us thro
a voiage attended w^th many dangers & much
distress — But it has ended happily &prosperously —

Halifax 1779

Took lodgings at
Miss
Lyde's at 30/ p week. — Have the happiness to find all my Freinds in pretty
good health

Dined yesterday at the Eastern
Barracks — lodg'd there & am just returned

This day a Rebell Privateer
Brig followed a Brig almost as far in as
Sambro
head & took her — The
Howe & two other armed
Vessells came to sail & turned out — The prize being
a heavy Sailor — y^e wind blowing almost right in,
The Privateer thot best to quit her — & got off by
going out thro y^e Ledges — the crew of an arm'd
shallop taken in the
Bay of Funday by
Cap.^t
Campbell were brot to Town this forenoon —
it consisted of 10 men only

Put a bll Spruce on board
Cap^t
Nat. Atkins for
P.Pero
St. Eustatius. — To him
& my Friend L-gh-m I wrote of this same Opp.^y

Halifax 1779

a Duel was fought today between
a
Cap. Buskirk of the Orange Rangers & a
Mr.
Crawford an Apothecary's mate of the Garrison
in w^ch the latter was killed on y^e Spot —

a large Transport w^th Troops Stores
Clothes & carrying about 20 guns — w^th sundry smaller
Vessells sail'd for
Quebec —

Several ShipsVessells sail'd for the
Bay
Funday — A few Days ago
Parson Bailey
w^th his Family came in to this place from y^e
Eastern part of
N Engl^d He and his Family were
almost naked — being reduced to mere wretchedness for want of Cloathing — & had suffered every
hardship for want of the necessary articles of
food — they had seen no bread of any kind for
3 weeks before they left home — By him we

Halifax1779

Several arrivals — a ship & Brig from

Ireland, a Schooner from
Fyal — a ship & Brig
from
St. John's Iland — & much good news by
way of
Annapolis — how true — time willdiscover — Time says tis most of it a Lye

some hard Thunder this morning
the hardest I ever heard in this Country

Arrived the
Blond — & the

Arburthnot Schooner from
Penobscot where

Gen Mc Lean has taken post —
We have been made very uneasy today by a rumor that
Gen Provost had met w^th a defeat
at
Charleston S.C. — the acc^o is in a Rebell
Paper contained in a letter from
Phill.June 10
but it wants support to make it credible at
present —

Halifax1779

Sunday last arrived a Ship from

Newry a brig from
St. Vincent's — Intelligence
by the ship is that
Admiral Arbuthnot had sail'd for

N.Yorkw^th a fleet of 200 sail all kinds — That
the French Fleet in y^e
W Indies remained blocked
up in
Martinique — This day the
Blond
sail'd for
NYork — on Sunday
The Falcon went
out to look after some Rebell Privateers w^ch had
appeared off the mouth of the Harbour — w^ch is
a very common thing for them to do —

Two ships the
Adamant &
St. Lawrance
from
London arrived on Fryday —
Parson Weeks
is one of them

Arrived a Schooner from
NYorkw^th
some other Vessells w^ch are bound for
St. John's &
Quebec — also a Schooner from
Penobscot — State of
our Military matters stands thus —
General Prevost at y^e Southward laying by till (as 'tis said) y^e
hot weather is over — at
York. They have burned
several Towns in
Connecticut laying on y^e Sound
in y^e Neibourhood of
NYork — as far as
Fairfield
w^ch hardly suffered —
Fort Defiance has been taken

Halifax1779

This day rec.^d an acc^o of my friend
BMH — for p [] Insur^e am^o to upwards of £100 —
Curr.^y — There are some odd Circumstances attending
this matter — y^eacc^o is dated 15 Dec 1778 — I did
not engage in y^e voyage in y^e
Ajax till about y^e

Halifax 1779

Three Briggs & a Snow arrived — one of
y^e Briggs 47 days from
London — Two grand
Fleets out — British & French — so that we expect
some mighty Events —

Last night & this morning The
Robustw^th
y^e fleet under her convoy arrived here — after a long-looking
for — on Wednesday arrived the
LeCorne — a
Frigate —

arrived aprize Rebell
Privateer taken in
Boston Bay —The accounts
She brings has greatly releived the anxiety of people here for
Gen.^l Mc Lean — 10 days ago she

Halifax 1779

Last evening sail'd the
Robust a 74 — the
LeCorne &
Falcon Frigates —
the
Adamant &
St. Lawrence armed Ships — a brig
& ship Store Ships & an armed Schooner w^th some
detachments from the Garrison here to y^eassistance of
Gen^l Mc Lean — Entertained 10th.
A Rumor of 60 sail of French & Spanish men of
War & Transports w^th 5 or 6,000 Troops being at

Louisbourg —

The Fleet under the
Robust returning
They met with a Gale of wind in the bay ofFundayw^ch did some damage to the
Robust& the

LeCorn so that they have thot proper to return in order
to refit — Tis feared that y^e
Falcon is Lost — Tis remarkable the merchant ships in the fleet have rec^d no damage at all

Halifax 1779

Yesterday we were chargrined w^th y^e return
of the Fleet destined to releive
Gen^l Mc Lean — today
we are cheer'd up w^th an acc^o from that quarter
that
Sir Geo Collier had arrived, had sunk & taken
a N^r of their Rebell Ships of War & Transports
& drove y^e rest up the River — That the Rebells
still continued the Seige —

The
Nautilus from
Penobscot has made y^eacc^o of affairs there certain beyond all
doubt — The whole Rebell fleet are taken &
destroyed not a boat has escaped. Their land forces are
routed & dispersed — Their artillery & camp equipage — all left behind — they have now to get
home as well as they can afoot thro y^e woods —
— The behavior of the Rebells was shamefully
cowardly — on y^e appearance of 3 Frigates only, their
ships immediately betook ymselves to flight up
the river — Two were taken without any resistance — a list of y^r Ships taken & destroyed

Halifax 1779

Their loss about 200 killed — N^r wounded uncertain

Halifax 1779

Embarked in the Ship
Kepple for

Newfoundland — Saturday sail'd — ran upon Thrum
Cap Shoal — got off & returned to Town — so here I am
again — a Cartel arrived from
Bostonw^th ab.^t
300 Prisoners —

Arrived the
Defiance a 64 Gun Ship
from
Quebec — 2 ships from
Limerick — no news
— By acc^ots >From
Boston by the Cartel —
— Their chief attention in that Country at
present is to support the credit of their paper mony
which notwithstanding all y^r efforts hasdepreciated below whatever any paper currency ever
did before — That — & the Scarcity of European
goods has raised every article of that kind to
an enormous price — The defeat at
Penobscot has chagrined them exceedingly — Thedestruction of so many ships of Force is a very
deeply felt Loss — it cannot be soon retreived — if
ever — They have a curious Paragraph in
one of y^r Papers on the subject — They say That
the Publick may be assured That only two Ships

Halifax 1779

about 12 oClock at noon a small
american Schooner Privateer took a large Brigg
about 4 miles below
Mauger's beach in sight of
the whole Town — for everybody was looking at her —
among the rest — The Capt.^s of 3 men of War were
looking through y^r glasses & seeing y^e American carry

off his prize unmolested — at last y^e Commodore
y^e renowned Cap^t I — of the D---f---e ordered out
some armed boats — but not without evidently
showing that he knew not what method to take
— the sound of armed boats w^ch was murmuring
from everyone's mouth — at last penetrated his
wooden head — & they were sent out more than 2
hours afterlater than they might have been

Halifax 1779

Halifax1779

The administration of Goverment in this place
is curious — 'tis beyond y^e comprehension of common Sense — at the same time that American Privateers are taking vessells within y^e
Light house — there are Ships of War & lightarmed Vessells lying as quietly in the harbour as
tho it was y^e profoundest peace — There is not
even an attempt made to keep the coast clear
— but if any one animadverts
freely on such Stupid conduct they are very
active to brand him w^th y^e name of disaffected& Rebell — a few days ago there was
a very extraordinary Stretch of power exercises
on a
Cap^t Cassell who was taken in a Brig ab.^t
3 weeks ago after he was within the Light — &
for w^ch I hope the Actors will pay severely —
— he had spoke his mind pretty freely on
y^e neglect there was about keeping the coast
clear & probably reflected personally on some

Halifax1779

— Another curious Anecdote — some time ago
arrived here a Mr. H---sl---p from
England — formerly
a merchant in
Boston — He proposed to going to

N England where he has a family & an Estate —

Halifax1779

Halifax1779

a Cartel from
Sandwich
3 days ago — by whom I rec'd Letters from my
Friends at
Plymouth — They are all well
She sail'd this day from Town — by her I wrote
to both my Sisters —

Am embarked on board
the
Keppel
Henry Goochcomm.^r of 20 guns &
bound for
Newfoundland — God send us
safe — & return me in health w^th Prosperity —
I wish it more for your sake my dear
Eliza than
my Own — Would to Heaven 'twere in my power
to promote your happiness — as much as it is in my
heart to wish it

Doctr. P--- came on board to see the
Ship — stayed about 2 hours — aftter noon weigh'd &
drop'd down to
Maugers beach — & anchored again —

Halifax 1779

About noon weigh'd anchor — & put to Sea —
The
Dunmore Adventure & another Ship all for
London just ahead of us — This morning
Dr. Prince's
Schooner
Patty arrived from
St Kitts — 25 days — no news

At Sea

nothing remarkable —
after a passage of nine days attended w^th hard gales
of Wind we arrived safe at
St. John's NfLand
>From the present appearance of things in this place
I have a prospect of making a very successfull adventure — God send it —

St. John's NfLand1779

The Fleet to
Europe
are now getting under way — 80 sail — They are
all out w^th a fine SW. Wind — Wind SW &
cloudy —

nothing remarkable — Wind S.ly
Rainy — dined at
Mr. Jenkin's.

St. Johns1779

Wind S.ly rainy — Wrote to

Frs.Tree
Ferryland about his note dined w^th
Cap.^t
Elms —

Wind. W.ly — small rain at times — dined
wthat
Mr. Prym's —

Wind. S.ly — fair — Company —
aboard to dine — went ashore at dark very decent
— no excess —

Wind SW.ly moderate cloudy w^th
small rain at times — a Vessell in 11 days from

York — aboard all day —

Wind S.ly fair

Wind SE.ly fair — Company on board
to dine — some very excentric —

Wind SW.ly rainy, foggy — dined at
Mr.
Jenkin's — drank tea at
Mr. Gardiner's

Wind W to SW — blew fresh — cloudy coast
part rainy — arrived a brig from
Oporto — Ships from

NYork — sail'd a Schooner for
England

a small air to y^e W — cloudy — & towards
night rain — Began to take Cargo aboard today

St. John's Newfoundland1779

Cloudy — moderate Wind W.ly —

Cloudy — wet — Wind NE.ly

Cloudy & wet. Wind Sly to SWly

Cloudy. Wind NE.ly — dined ashore
w^th
Mr. Neive —

Wet & foggy — Wind Ely — aboard all day

most excusable weather — foggy & dark
tis eno' to make any one who is idle rightexceedingly melancholly — a Vessell arrived last night
from
England with bread — a very agreable
& welcom Ship to this wretched Starving Place

Still most infamous wet — rainy — misty
dark & disagreable weather — Company to dine on
board today — Wind Ely.

Foggy — rainy — very disagreable
weather all day — towards sundownsett y^e Fog
clear'd off & we have some prospect of a fair day
tomorrow as the wind has shifted round to the
Westward —

— Fair — Wind Wly — the
Admiral
Duff & a brig sail'd for y^e
W Indies —

Fair weather — cool — Wind — Wly

Saint John's Newfoundland1779

Cloudy — toward night []
arrived the
Garland Ship of War — w^th several
ships from
England — 2 brigs from
New York

Cloudy — rainy at times — Wind Ely
pm took a walk to
Quiddy Viddy — I wish some
of my
Hlfx friends who grumble daily at y^r Situation
there, could see the Habitations of this miserable place
without windows — without chimnies — the light of
heaven coming in y^e same hole which lets out
y^e smoke — and yet here — y^e equal hand of Heaven gives happiness — Even here they increase & multiply —

Rain blows hard from y^e Eward

blew hard at about ENE all night —
obliged to let go a third anchor — very hardly cleared ourselves of a Brig who lay a Stern of us — Still blows hard
but has veer'd a little to y^e NEward — & continued blowing
& raining all day —

Cloudy — but does not rain — Wind
further North — so we call it fair weather in this Country
— We must take such for fair days or else we shall have
very fewhere — Cloudy all day w^th a few
small rain Squalls — blows fresh —

St. John's NfLand December 1779

Cloudy dirty weather — Wind at N —

Morning fair & sunshine — a very rare
Phonomenon in this Country — at noon Cloudy wtha
Little rain — pm Cloudy — Wind Ely —

Fair weather — wind Wly — sun setts
serene — The coolest day we have yet had —
Today moor'd Ship

Fair weather — Wind — Wly — cold — arrived
a Ship from
York — Comp.^e to dine on board —

Cloudy am — took off 9 hhds of my Fish marked BM 1 to 9 at noon began to Snow Wind at E —
now — about 6pm — blows a hard Gale of wind
arrived a Ship from
Dublin — 2 brigs from an out harbor

Snow all day Wind — W— Nly

Fair Wind Wly took off 17 hhds
Fish of mine B.M.to Nr. 26 — 2 Brigs sail'd for
the
W Indies —

Cloudy am Wind S.ly pm rain —
dined at
Mr. Gardiner's —

Fair cold Wind NW — the
Garland with
several Ships under convoy sail'd for
Britain

St. John's Newfoundland1779

be Princes & beggars among them — The System of mankind appears confus'd from it'sbeing misunderstood
'Twas once the case in y^e natural World —
Ptolemy — having conceived a wrong Situation of our
Globe from thence imagined
a System of motions for the Heavenly bodies the most confused — complicate & contrarious that could
be — 'twas such a Botch of a thing no body could endure
to look at it w^th any patience — Tycho tried to mend the
matter — He made more blunders — at length Copernicus arose w^th a happier genius He sat everything to rightsfixing the Sun
whom Ptolemy & Tycho had set a travelling at a most terrible rate — in his properPlacestation at y^e Centre of the Systemwhole
the other Globes — ours w^th the rest took y^e places belonging to them — & now exhibit a most beautiful System —
whose motions & appearances for any future period are
foretold & calculated with a nicety that at once pleases &
surprizes — Some happy Genius may do the same in the
Moral World — Find — Man's proper StationSphere
& what is his true motion in it — & then all his
puzzeling phonomena will be easily explained —

December
St. John's Newfoundland1779

Cloudy with a little snow am —
pm — wind freshens at NW — fair & cold

Fair & very cold — blows hard at W aboard all day

Fair — cold — blows hard at NW — took
off the last of my Fish being 44 hhds in all
The Cargo is also all aboard today —

Fair — moderate wind Wly — Transport
sail'd for
Hlfx — 1 ship for
W Indies —

Cloudy — moderate — little wind
to the Eward — toward night small rain
on board all day —

Cloudy — moderate Wind NW
aboard all day —

Cloudy — misting — rainy — very little Wind
NEly — aboard all day —

Fair — pleasant — as all fair weather is
in this place — Wind Wly —

Fair — pleasant — pm cold — Wind Wly

Cloudy — am sleet — Wind Wly —
aboard these two days .

Xmas day ashore all day dined at

Mr. Jenkin's — Fair — Wind NW — 2 ships & 1 Snow

Halifax June 1780

Pages missing in original.

for after I had been asleep some time, how long
I know not — I was wakened by the boy's asking
the Carpenter who sleeps between decks — what
was he doing with y^e Candle for that something
was burning — I started up — & found the
cabin & Steerage full of smoke — I immediately
jumped out of bed ran upon deck — & found
a heap of sails w^ch lay between decks all in a
blaze — The people below were so drunk & asleep
they knew nothing of the matter — my calling
up the boy roused the Carpenter — he got upon
deck but was too groggy to do anything toward
extinguishing the fire w^ch his carelessness had
kindled — Jack and I happily put it out —
a few minutes more & 'twould have been past
extinguishing —
came to sail about 11 clock am but the wind
coming foul — we ran up as far
George's Iland
& came to anchor — a Brigg in 27 days
from
St. Kitts

Halifax June 1780

at Anchor by
George's Iland
Wind fresh Swly till about 12 at noon — then died away
veered to y^e Eastward w^th rain —

ashore in the morning — break
-fasted at Doct^r. P — Came off & about 10 am
came to sail — The
Robust —
Pearl frigate a Brig

Capt Baker & a small Schooner
Cap Gallop — coming
to sail at the same time — a moderate breeze to y^e
Wward — at 8pm Sambro Light bore N 1/2 W
dist. 8 Leagues from thence we take our departure for the
West Indies —

Sambro Iland in Lat. 44. ° 32N
Long. 63. ° 20W

Nautical notes. See image

Parted with all our
Comp.^y Saw y^e
Robust
y^e last bearing ab.^t
WNW — on our starboard quarter
Weather fine & pleasant

at Sea in the
Pattey July 1780

Yesterday & today hard Gales
& a high Sea — ends more moderate

Nautical notes. See image.

begins pleasantly w^th a fresh
gale but a smoother Sea than y^e two days past
ends pleasant —

Nautical notes. See image.

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

at Sea in the
Pattey 1780 July

Nautical chart and notes. See image.

at 6pm began to steer W
at 8pm hove too head to y^e Nward lay till
5am then made sail —

Lat Ob. 18 ° 42 °

about 1pm
made
St. Martin's bearing Swly
about 2 in y^e morning came to anchor in
St. Eustatius — all well — Thank God

St. Eustatius July 1780

Ent.^d at y^e Fort 80 hhds fish 14m
shingles — find three or four vessells with y^e
remains of their Cargoes of Fish from
NfLand

arrived a polacca from
St. John's with fish — she is about 200 tons — dld
Cap.
Crosby's Letter to
Admiral Rodney to
Cap.
Fawkes of the
Greyhound Frigate who came

Pages missing in original.

1780 BM

Honi soit qui mal y pense

I'm almost sick and tir'd to death
With staying in this lonesome place
Where everyday presents itself
With just y^e same dull looking face

---

2

O had I but some Kind fair Freind
With whom to chat y^se hours away
I ne'er would care how blew y^e wind
Nor tedious should I think my stay

---

3

Ah — That was once my happy lot
When I with house & home was blest
I'd then a fair Companion got
Of many a female Charm possesst

---

4

Yes — dearest Sally — you was fair
Nor only fair but kind & good
Sweetly together did we share
The blessings heaven on us bestow'd

---

5

Nor scantily did heaven show'r down
Those gifts w^ch render life a blessing
But did our cup with plenty crown
And kept us from what was distressing

---

6

'Till base Rebellion did display
Her banners foul with false pretence
Then kindly Heaven took you away
From evils w^ch have happened since

---

7

And careless me — when I had lost
Of all it's Blessings — far the best
Did teach — & justly at my cost
The worth of what I once possessed

---

8

'Tis often so — we do not prize
The present good at it's just route
But gone we see with other eyes
What was it's worth when 'tis too late

---

9

Now one verse more fait Ladies mine
And ther'll be one a peice for you
'Tis y^e way I sometimes spend my time
When I have nothing else to do

Pages missing in original

---

4

When the fond blushing willing Maid
My long lov'd wish'd for Mira said
Now, now, I'm ever thine

---

5

O how my Soul did then expand
To catch that willing trembling Hand
Which gave the best of Hearts;
The crimson cheek the down cast Eye
The fault'ring Tongue the flutt'ring Sigh
That tender Love imparts

---

6

When she with every Virtue fraught
By the enamour'd World was sought
And scorn'd them all for me
When she prefer'd my vows alone
To many lovers left to moan
My envied lot to see

---

7

What tranquil days what blissful nights
What social joys what dear delights
That blest & laught to bless
When not a care could intervene
To cloud the pure celestial Scene
Or image one distress

---

8

How sweet the happy moments pass'd
Too blest I own (for man) to last
In calm domestick ease
How whilst her Charms my boosom fir'd
Her manners & her mind conspir'd
More lastingly to please

---

9

How for her sake I fondly swore
To lead a Wanderer's life no more
Tho Glory's Voice should call
Nor should the fame of Arms allure
Whilst of a greater Conquest sure
In her possessing all

---

10

How thus by love & fortune fix'd
My life w^th every comfort mix'd
I mean't no more to Rove
For ah to make herself more dear
My love'd Maria ev'ry year
Brought forth a pledge of Love

---

11

But ah how few the months & days
How few the Hours contentment stays
To cheer the gloomy year
Heaven in our sweetest cup has thrown
Some bitter dregs to me well known
And fill'd it up with care

---

12

Grim visag'd War in dire array
And vile Rebellion leads the way
Beyond the Western main
Brittania rous'd sends forth her bands
And Thousands leave their native Strands
Ne'er to return again

---

13

Oh! How can I by words convey
When struggling round thee, drag'd away
A soul which clung to you
When Strong ambition's ardent Flame
Too dearly bot a Spotless name
The bidding Love adieu!

---

14

Oh! Mira thou my greatet Pride
To Honor as to worth allied
supress thy tears & sighs
Behold said I, I mourn like thee
But ah in pity's sake for me
Bid nobler Passions rise

---

15

I go where fame & Duty call
Glory must now that Heart enthrall
Which should be your's alone
But still shall'st thou forever find
Thine image stamp'd upon my mind
And all thy Virtues own

---

16

While thus absorb'd in tears of Greif
And heart felt sighs our sole releif
We mingled our alarms
The signal's fired the anchor's weigh'd
And time proclaims too long you've staid
And tore me from her arms

2. The Vultur & y^e Coal fleet arrived from Louisbourg
This night a hard gale at Wind at about ESE —
4. The
Hunter Ship of War arrived from a Cruize
5. A Schooner arrived from N York sail 19 Alt. In c^ow^th
a fleet w^th 2000 Hessians for this place — She spoke w^th

Admiral Byron's fleet off George's (14 sail)
This night a hard Gale at NE wth Snow —
9. arrived the
Blond &
Delaware — the
Blond threw
over 11 of her guns in y^e Gale of wind of the 5th —
10. The Report of the day is that
Dominica is in the
hands of the French — & that they are gone or going to attack

Jamaica — a fine hobble Old
England has got herself
into — This is carrying on war in such a Slovenly manner — better to drop it or to carry it on wth Spirit —
12. The
Howe Sloop brot in a Small american Privateer mounted
w^th Swivels — She came from
Salem —
16.
Cap
Dennis brot in a prisoner — was comm^r
of a 14 gun brig out of
Mhd taken by the

Savage Sloop — a few days ago I was his
Prisoner — such is the fortune of War —

Your orders Dear Sir & 'twas but my duty
In such way I've discharg'dfullfill'd as I thot would
best suit y^e

First — a pot of Good Ginger — & nothing you'll find
so good for the stomach when troubled with wind
A peice or two taken w^th a Spoon or a Fork
Will Scarce ever fail of soon doingTis no matter [] it will soon do

But — as this is a Cordial — best take it alone
The good it then does you will be all your own
For if you allow at such times a By-Stander
You must give him a bit or suffer the Slander
Of being so very a miserly Elf
As to eat all your Good Things up your ownself
And the giving a bit sooner Empties the Pot
And They'll never consider how hard it is got
How the Tropic is crossed both backward & forward
In going out South & coming home Northward
Then the Thousands of dangers we run from in Seas
From Rovers from Pirates — Thick almost as Bees
Page Image

And when you've once given, abroad they will blaze it
What a fine pot of Ginger you have in your Closet
So they'll daily be coming & begging in Throngs
With — My Aunt has the Colic — & My Mother longs
They'll so teaze you — so vex you — they'll make such a rout
You will never be quiet untill 'tis all out
The best way is therefore not let it be known
That there is e'er a such Pot in the Town
But should it get blabbed — Why tell a good swinger
Say — The Mice gnaw'd a hole thro it & eat all the Ginger

Next — are Six bottles of most excellent pickles
That better were ne'er set on Table w^th Vict'alls
The Acid so sharp — the Flavour so fine
They'll strengthen your Stomach whenever you dine
Then, last is a case of very fine syrup
With six bottles of Lime Juice — These together you'll stir up
In a Bowl of fair water — To which add a Beaker
Of good old Cane Spirit — & you'll then have such Liquor
Page Image

As Jove never dranktasted — & were he alivestillliving
To get a good drink of 't he'd his nectar be giving

This, Sir — of your goods is y^e total account
And now let us see to what they amount
of the Ginger — Three dollars & a half is the Price
And just that same sum for the pickles so nice
The Lime Juice cost three — the Syrop cost two
The whole is just twelve — If we've reckon'd true
So there Sir's your ware — & here Sir's my Bill
Which you may discharge whenever you will
But pray don't mistake me — I mean not to dun y^e
Take what time you please Sir to pay me the mony
For now 'pon my Honour I vow & protest
I think it is as safe in your hands — as my Chest
But, only th'old Proverb you know recommends
The Short'ning of Reck'nings for keeping of Freinds
And your Friendship in Truth Sir I count among Those
Which would render me very unhappy to lose

Pages missing in original

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15

Ye youthfull Trees late planted by my hand
And nurs'd & tended wth my fondest care
Which round the fertile plat in order stand
And now begin your luscious fruit to bear

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16

'Tis with regret your freindly shades I flee
Least some rude arm of Ravage Guilt & war
Should tear the tender blossoms from y^e tree
Nor in y^r rage your tender branches spare

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17

Y^e shaggy hemlocks & y^e waving Pines
Whose tops aspiring threaten in the Sky
The Sport of Tempests & conflicting winds
From whence resounds the Owl's tremendous cry

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18

Here the tall Forest & the Verdant Grove
Ting'd wthy^r various dyes my fancy please
Thro w^ch y^e winged Nations joyful rove
And mingle Musick w^th y^e whispering breeze

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19

The mossy rocks & all the dusky woods
Hills w^ch in near or distant Prospect rise
The Crystal fountain & y^e Streaming Floods
Exclude y^r Charms & grandeur from my eyes

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20

With rev'rence I survey yon ancient Oak
Majestic tree! Spreading abroad its arms
Resisting long y^e Thunder's awful stroke
And all y^e fury of the Northern Storms

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21

Adieu to Kennebec that mighty Stream
w^ch rolls it's sullen tide or rapid roars
O'er ragged rocks & shoals w^ch intervene
And washes in its course a thousand Storey

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22

Alas! I feel a multitude of woes
When I survey that yonder house of prayer
Which from that hand of Charity arose
And at y^e Sight let fall a parting tear

---

23

'Twas here we met to learn y^e way to heav'n
Rejoyc'd to see each other's smiling face
'Till by the rage of Persecution driven
To wander chearless from the sacred place

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24

Forbid by impious men of lawless might
(Devoid of Conscience destitute of Shame)
To hear y^e Gospel or to celebrate
By prayer or Praise y^e great eternal name

---

25

To Heaven's paternal care I recommend
My suffering Friends & from my heart implore
Almighty God their safety to defend
From B---n's subtle craft & C---g's vengful power

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26

Once more we view the solemn scenes around
w^th swelling Greif my Partner calls to mind
Her tender Babes! Beneath y^e heaving ground
And weeps to leave y^m mouldring dust behind

Finis

—a
gentleman was in love to distraction w^th a Lady
who was a kept mistress to Lord L---h she refused his addresses — He unable to conquer his passion
or obtain his wishes took y^e dreadful resolution of
destroying both himself & her which he partly effected by shooting her dead as she was stepping in
=to a Coach from y^e Play — he then fired another pistol at his own head but y^e Call not being rightly placed did not prove mortal — 'Tis wrote in
y^e character of the unfortunate Person & from
many expressions we may conclude shey^e Lady had at
some time favoured his Hopes —

Tis done — Thy fatal charms no more shall move
Dispair at last succeeds to hopeless Love
Away y^e Fault'ring Tongue — y^e deep drawn Sighs
The folded Arms wan Cheeks & Streaming Eyes
Death (Sorrow's friend) These weeping eyes shall close
And take me from my Passion & my Woes
Think not these lines thy pity wish to claim
Again to kindle Love's extinguish'd flame
No! No! Thy perjur'd faith & cold disdain
rage in my heart & fire my madd'ning hain
Page Image

Cold is the Breast that once my vows approv'd
Forever lost to me the maid I lov'd
Wretch! — shall I tamely bear the galling chain
And crawl through life a Spectacle of pain
No! — come Dispair — unsheath thy freindly blade
And wrap me in he Grave's eternal shade
Freely this anxious Being I resign
Be endless Sleep & dumb Oblivion mine
Stop, impious suicide! Nor think to fly
The Stings of guilt & Heaven's all peircing eye
Can the grave hide from his pervading ray
Who made the Light — & formed thee from y^e Clay
Or madly dost Thou think th' aspiring mind
Form'd for itself or link'd to Human Kind
Did Wisdom frame Creation's humblest plan
Shine in her lowest works but stop at man
Ah Wretch! — Did Heaven bestow a thirst of Fame
Th' insatiate love of Truth — the Patriot Flame
The self-approving thot the lovesense of fameright
Guilt's secret horrors — Virtue's calm delight
Thy breast with reason's active powers supply
To eat — To drink — To triffle — & to die?
Go hapless Pastor! Choose some nobler aim
Think of the World's — Thy Freinds — Thy Country's claim
Page Image

Go — To thy Flock Religion's Charms display
Point out y^e road to Heaven & lead the way
Oh fatal Force of Passions unsubdued
In vain I strive to stem th' impetuous Flood
Love in my Heart maintains resistless sway
And sweeps my Reason — pray'rs & faith away
Then take relentless Maid! My last adieu
My Lips expiring Breath shall wisper you
But whilst on Life's extreamest verge I stand
And hold the deadly Weapon in my hand
Perhaps my Rival all your Heart employs
Insults my Fate & riots in myyour joys
Perhaps — when death shall close these weeping eyes
And free you from my wishes & my sighs
My vows rejected will his bless improve
Swell his proud triumph & augment his love
Detested thot! — O! Spare my akeing Heart
My Arm may tremble — but we must not part
Vain are his Hopes to triumph in thy Charms
This slighted Hand shall tear thee from his arms
Thou too shall bleed at Love's insatiate Shrine
And blend — at least in death — thy fate w^th mine

Tir'd with the dull & tedious Scene
In which these many weeks we've been
I hope it soon will change
That we shall leave this dismalwretched shore
More kindly regions to explore
And have more Room to range

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2

Winter in all it's horrid forms
Of rain — of Snow — of Cold — of Storms
Alternate rules each day
The Sun far in his Southern Tour
Shortens our day of many an hour
And shoots a feeble ray

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3

To our short days long nights succeed
And these are tedious Things indeed
Where Conversation's none
AndFor our acquaintance now being old
Our stories all so oft we've told
They've all quite lost their fun

---

4

On Ship-board pent in narrow bound
We scarce can swing a Kitten round
So strained is the place Space
Where we both eat & drink & Sleep
Could you but get at it one peep
You'd think it a curious place

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5

When supper's o'er the boy is call'd
Our cotts all quickly down are haul'd
And we turn in to rest
And there we lay till morning Gun
Harbinger of the rising Sun
Calls each one from his nest

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6

Our cotts truss'd up & breakfast o'er
In the same tract we tread once more
Which we trod yesterday
Our business all is just the same
There's no variety in the game
Which we have now to play

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7

Shut up from all the world besides
We seldom know what there belides
We have no Henry here
Whose loborate weekly paper shews
Both foreign & domestic News
So true — & very Clear

---

8

Nor does the face of Nature here
Looks so smiling ever wear
As to delight our Eyes
'Tis all one dismal dreary Scene
Of dark unvaried Ever-green
No gratefull Prospects rise

End of volume 20.