[Extract]

A strong S.W. wind put into Marblehead last week a New Providence man,² with a large number of turtle, etc. etc. They boarded, took and carryed him to Salem, and prevented the scoundrels from en joying and feasting on callipee, callipack, and a desert of pine apples, etc. A few fisher men also have taken a brigantine³ from Quebec with cattle, sheep, oatmeal, etc., a present from the Tory merchants, etc. to the sick and wounded in Boston, and some forage for the Light horse. She is carried in to Cape Ann. There are two letters from one Gamble, an officer, one to General [Thomas] Gage, the other to Sherriff, which tell them that they are to expect no aid to Government from there; that [Guy] Carleton dare not issue his orders to the militia, supposing they could not be obeyed; that the Canadians, poisoned from New England, had got in use the damned abused word Liberty. I can't recollect the time she sailed, her bills [of] lading dated September 5, but the master says that Carlton has had no success in recrmtmg. He went off the night he came away, for St. Johns, with about seventy five ragamuffins, the whole posse he could collect; that there were at Quebec 10,000 barrels powder. I long for them more than turtle or pine apples. [Benedict] Arnold was last Monday [September 25] with his detachment, sixty miles up Kennebeck, every thing as it should be. We please ourselves with fine prospects of success. I say nothing about St. Johns, etc. presuming you know as much or more about it than I do. . . .

I must write General Court news, and plans on foot for fixing armed Vessels, animated by our late success.