January 1776
In Frenchman's Bay Sierraleona River
Monday 22d
A M punished John Cormick (Seaman) for Swearing, Sailmaker converting Foretopsail into a Mainsail for the St John. Moderate and Cloudy, Employed wooding and watering, fired a Shot to bring to a Sloop coming in, sent 13 Butts of Bread, 4 Butts and a hogshead of Wine, 4 Casks of Beef, 2 of Pork, 1 of Flow'r, 2 of Pease, 1 of Oatmeal on board the St John Arm'd Sloop having been taken into the Service, sent also several Boatswain's, Gunner's and Carpenter's Stores. 2
Tuesday 23d
Sailed the St John arm'd Sloop. Light Breezes and hazey, Employed wooding and watering...
Wednesday 24th
AM clear'd Hawse. Do Wear, Employed Wooding, Watering, and stowing the hold.
Thursday 25th
Little Wind and fair
Friday 26th
AM punish'd Thos Parkeson and Richd Barker (Marines) for Insolence, sent the Cutter mann'd and arm'd with an Officer to the Banana islands in search of an American Vessel, Employed wooding and watering. Do Wear. P M Employed Painting the Ship, Wooding, Watering, and stowing the Hold.
Saturday 27th
Do Wear, Employed as before, P M sent the Longboat to an American Schooner in the Offing which the St John had taken 3
Sunday 28th
A M the Cutter return'd from the Banana Islands the American Vessel she went after being gone from thence, Punish'd John Brown (Marine) for Theft, at 10 Came in the long boat with the American Schooner.
1. PRO, Admiralty 51/667.
2. The St. John had come into the bay on the afternoon of January 22, 1776, and had saluted the Pallas with six guns, receiving three in return.
3. The schooner Mary, as subsequently identified in the journal. The last entry regarding her was on May 6, 1776 when forty-one leagues west of the Island of St. Thomas, "at 6 [P. M.] lost sight of the Mary." St. Thomas (São Tomé) lies in the Gulf of Guinea, approximately 200 miles west of Libreville, Gabon, Africa.
