St Mallo June 28th 1777 —
Gentn/
This will inform You of Capt Wickes & Self being Safe Arrived at this Port. Capt Johnson I beleave is Still out — On Thursday the 26th Inst off Ushant we fell in with an English 74 Gun Ship who gave us Chace wch Obliged us to bare away &run up this Channell he was to windward of us & the wind at S.W. Soon after the chace began Capt Wickes made the Signall for Johnson &mySelf to make the best of our way off on wch I hauled my wind to the Northwest, till the Man of War Pass'd me wch he did with out takeg any Notice of me Soon after I tack'd & Stood in close with the land, when I made another Sail bareg down on me I did not make Sail from her till I made her out to be an Armed Snow, on wch I made all the Sail I coud & run for this Port, I think in abt 4 Hours I run him out of Sight. next morning I fortunately fell in with Capt Wickes off this Place & we both came in here together, where we are very kindly received by every Person of Consequence in the Place, — on our leavg Nants we run down on the Coast of Spain but Saw nothg there, from thence we made the best of our way for the Irish Channell, but the winds blowg constantly from the Northwd, were Obliged us to go round Cape Clear &in ' to the Northwest of the Island, between it, and Scotland where we made 7 Prizes, from thence made Sail thro' Channell & run down between Scilley & the Lands end of England, & was Stretchg over & made Ushant, when we fell in with this 74 Gun Ship, we had Just before taken A Snow Under the Lizard, bound for Falmouth, from Giberalter, loaded with Cork, we sent 8 Prizes forward for the first Port they cou'd make in France or Spain, 7 we Sunk I we gave the Prisoners & 2 Smuggelers we gave their Vessells again, 3 Briggs loaded with Coals we Sunk in Sight of Dublin harbour —
Gentn my little Vessell is tore all to Pieces with this Cruize, & if You think Proper to fitt her again will want A New Mast & bowspritt, New top mast, & A Cable & anchor with many other things wch will cost You A Deal of Money & after all is by no Means fitt for the business, for She must carry So much Provisions for her Men that it P[uts her] deep in the water wch Obliges her to carry S[uch a] Press of Sail that her Mast can not be Seen [as] Sufficient to Stand; I carried away my Mast 4 feet from the head & Sprung it in another Place 6 feet below the rigging; so that when ever we are in chase or chased, we are allways in Danger of being taken, Gentn I shall say no More about the Vessell because I bought her for You, but remember She was bought for A Packett, wch She is very fitt for Now, or any thing else where You have need, for no more than 20 Men, wch is barely enough to Sail her — She is tight & Strong, Capt Wickes & Capt Johnson will tell You how She has behaved during this Cruze, if another Vessell that has only I Mast more can be Procured for me, I shall be happy, however I shall follow Your Orders in every Particular; therefore You will be kind enough to give me Your Orders whether to fitt her again or not, I have abt 30 Good Men & Officers on b'd Now & in case it shou'd meet Your approba tion dont doubt but a Vessell Might be got here & fitted at Very little ex pence more than what the Cutter woud sell for, as a great Part of our Stores &c would do in Another Small Vessell that [size] Gentn [&c.]