August 1777
Gull Rock E½N 2 or 3 Miles
Wednesday 13
at 6 AM weigh'd and came to SI in fishing the Anchor broke the fish pendant at 10 Saw a Small Schooner at Anchor under Plumb Isld brot too and Sent the Boat who Brot her off wh 1 Man — First pt fresh breezes Midle light airs and foggy Latter Modt and clear at 3 PM came too in black point bay wh Bt Br in 12 fm burnt the Schooner at 8 the Schooner Tender under our Sterne at 10 found a Stout fishing Line towing aSterne on each Side the Ship with the bight across the Cable bouy'd up by Small Square pieces of Stick about a yard Long at every 5 fathoms Distance the Tender discovering it at the same Time hawl'd in upon one part upwards of 100 fathom at the end of which was fastened a Machine of Combustables which they Mistaken for something Valuable, went to Examine the Contents but upon Setting Some wheels in Motion that was plac'd on the outside it went off with a great Explosion Kill'd the three Men that was pressant (Viz John Wyat, Dani Tully, and Wm Baker) set the vessell on fire and burst the Sides of her out that she sunk immediately Sent the Cutter and pick'd up one Man that was saved by being forward in the Bow of the Vesll clearing the Line while the other three was Examining the Machine in the Sterne, lost in the Tender of the Ships Stores Rope of 3 Inch 58 fathom Six piggs of Ballast a Top Gt Studg Sl Three black Muskets One Bright sd'd 4 Cutlasses 1 pr pistols and 6 Cartouch Boxes wh Amunition 2
1. PRO, Admiralty 51/181.
2. See Captain Symons to Rear Admiral Parker, August 15.