Sir,

The Rebels having for some time past kept from one to two Hundred Men upon the Islands, to prevent our Supplies ー and by a Law, making it Death for any one to Supply us, have put us to a great inconvenience, being much in want of Hay, ー One Friday Morning the 12th Instant I stood up the Bay, with his Majesty's Ships Glasgow, Swan, and Tenders, in order to procure some. ー At about 12 at Noon, being a breast of Prudence, we saw a Body of Armed Men, with a Field Piece, who followed us as we Sailed along. ー At the South end of the Island, I saw a Quantity of Hay, and determined to Land and Seize it, ー this they perceived, and set fire to the Stacks, and retired to their Stone Fences to oppose us, (every Field has stone Inclosures) ー We landed beat them from fence to fence, for four Miles into their Country, firing and wasting the Country as we advanced along; We burnt Twelve or Fifteen Farm Houses, took a great deal of Stock, when, Night coming on, we gave over the pursuit, and retired back to our Ships, bringing with us the Stock. When we got back to our Boats, the People were fatigued and Cold, and fearing they might be Frost Bit, Ordered them to Embark and leave the Cattle behind 'till next Morning. ー Next Morning we landed again to bring the Cattle off, but, during the Night, reinforcements of five or six hundred Men had been sent on, and drove the Cattle to the other extremity of the Island, and large Bodies of armed Rebels stood behind Stone Fences to oppose us. ー In this situation we contented ourselves with taking off some Haystacks in their sight, and Embarked our Men again. In the attack the first day, we killed two of their Men, and took two Prisoners, both of them Wounded, ー with only three of our Men Slightly Wounded. The next day, some of the Swan's and Glasgow's Men, straying too far from the Main Body, fell into an Ambush, and one Man of the Swan's was killed, two Mortally wounded, and one Slightly ー One Man of the Glasgow's was Shot through the Thigh, and fell into the hands of the Rebels, and one slightly wounded. Our loss would have been less, had our People have had less Spirit. The Country is kept in Alarm all round. I am, Sir &ca