January 1778. Thursday 22
Ditto [Cape Sable] NNE ½ E 26 Lgs. at 4 AM sounded, had no ground with 70 fath: of line, ½ past 6 up Foretopgallant Mast, set the Topsails, at 9 out 3d. reef Maintopsail, at 11 wore Ship, at noon Venus not in sight. Ditto [Cape Sable] N 54 E 29 Lgs. First and middle parts fresh breezes and hazey, Latter Modte. and Cloudy. at 3 PM saw a Sloop to the Northwd. at 4 carried away the Gaff and Mizen topsail Yard, at 5 fired a Shot at the Sloop, who shortned Sail, & brot. too, sent the Boat on board her, she was called the Linkhorn1 from Newberry Port bound to Surinam with Lumber and Fish, took out her people & put a Mate & 4 men on board, closed reefed the Topsails and lay too,
D, UkLPR, Adm. 51/52, part 2, fol. 2-3.
1. Sloop Linkhorn, James Mitchell, master, owned by Samuel Knowell, from Newburyport to Surinam, with lumber, taken on 22 Jan. off Cape Sable, later burned. Howe's Prize List, 30 Oct. 1778, UkLPR, Adm. 1/488, fol. 486. Apollo's Journal on 23 Jan. adds: "at 8 AM took the Prize in Tow, finding her very Leaky, employ'd the people to get several Articles out, in order to destroy her.. . . at 4 [PM] set fire to the Prize." UkLPR, Adm. 51/52, part 2, fol. 3.