We also learn from Capt. [John] Hunn, that the coast of North-Carolina is infested by a schooner of 6 guns and a sloop of [12] swivels (formerly a New-York pilot boat) commanded by a Lieut. Wright, who lately lost a piece of his ear at the battle of Hampton in Virginia, and was obliged at that time to leave his vessel and swim to another tender. ¹ Capt. Sawyer, in a schooner from the WestIndies, fell in with and was taken by Wright, who after maltreating him, took away his sails and gave him some old rags, took from him his beds, pots and every moveable article on board, so that the men were obliged to eat their meat raw till they got in.

On Friday last [December 22] the wind blew moderately from N.N.E. next day the wind continued at the same point, increased towards evening, when it veered to N.E. to a very strong degree. During Saturday night the storm ended and on the following morning we had a shower of hail, and in the course of the day a fall of snow to the depth of four inches. In the mean time, large quantities of drift ice, formed by the cold introduced by northerly gales and the snow, entirely [stopped] the navigation of the Delaware. ² The cold continue[s] to be severe.