The Congress, and the Assembly of this Province were invited to make an Excursion upon Delaware River in the new Row Gallies built by the Committee of Safety of this Colony. About Ten in the Morning We all embarked. The Names of the Gallies are the Washington, the Effingham, the Franklin, the Dickenson, the Otter, the Bull Dog, and one more, whose Name I have forgot.² We passed down the River by Glocester where the Vesseau de Frize are. These a[re] Frames of Timber to be fill'd with Stones and sunk, in three Rowes, in the Channell.

I went in the Bull Dog Captn. [Charles] Alexander Commander. Mr. [Michael] Hillegas, Mr. Owen Biddle, and Mr. [David] Rittenhouse, and Capt. [Nathaniel] Faulkner [Falconer] were with me. Hillegas is one of our Continental Treasurers, is a great Musician ー talks perpetually of the Forte and Piano, of Randell &c. and Songs and Tunes. He plays upon the Fiddle.

Rittenhouse is a Mechannic, a Mathematician, a Philosopher and an Astronomer.

Biddle is said to be a great Mathematician. Both are Members of the American Philosophical Society. . . .

Our Intention was to have gone down to the Fort but the Winds and Tide being unfavourable We returned by the City and went up the River to Point no Point, a pretty Place. On our Return Dr. [Benjamin] Rush, Dr. [John Joachim]³ Zubly, and Counciller Ross, Brother of George Ross, joined us.⁴