. . . Off the Banks of Newfoundland we fell in with several sail, amongst them was a frigate that, about eight o'clock, gave chase to us; she was then near three leagues from us. There was a pleasant breeze, and she gained very little upon us until about ten o'clock, in a heavy squall we found she had gained considerably upon us, they having carried their topgallant sails when we were obliged to take in ours, and lower our topsails. Just after the squall a young man named John Williams fell from the foreyard overboard. He was a Bermudian, and swam like a fish. A rope was hove to him, which missing, he went astern. He was called to, not to be afraid, and answered he was not the least uneasy. We threw him a spar. [Captain John] Craig was of opinion the frigate would pick him up, and was against heaving to, but I had the brig hove to, the boat hoisted out, and we got him on board. we had no right to expect the frigate would heave to when we would not. It was a very trying time for me, for the frigate was coming up fast, and I did not know what would be the consequences of my being taken going on such an expedition. It may be supposed I was very impatient until we made sail. While the boat was out, Craig was comforting me by declaring he was sure our heaving to would occasion our being taken. However, there was no danger of Williams's being drowned, for he could swim to Bermuda. Before we could make sail the frigate was within less than two miles of us. It blew hard in squalls all t_he afternoon; in the squalls she gained upon us, but when we could carry our topgallant sails we dropped her. Finding she could not come up with us, just before it was dark she hove to and hoisted a signal of distress. As I supposed it only done to decoy us, we paid no regard to her signal; indeed it was pretty evident nothing material could be the matter, for she carried a press of sail the whole day, and left her convoy, or the ships in company with her, in the morning. Before I sailed we had an account of one of our ships being taken by bearing down upon an armed vessel that hoisted a signal of distress. Taking vessels by this infamous method should be forbidden by all nations, for, if made a practice, no one would run the hazard of being taken, let the appearance of distress be ever so evident, and thus many lives may be lost that if this shameful practice was put a stop to would be saved. I was much rejoiced to get clear of the frigate. Some time after in the night we fell in with a brig bound from Lisbon to Cork. The captain inquired eagerly what news? I told him the American army had the advantage of the British in several engagements, and expected soon to drive them from the country. He struck his speaking trumpet with great violence upon the roughtree and swore he was glad to hear it, and hoped we would soon drive the British from America. When we were near the coast we passed a great many vessels that from the badness of the weather would not run in with the land. The twenty-second day after we left the Capes we arrived at L'Orient.