June 1776 Friday 21st
Cape Sambro: S:81:42 Et Distce 11 Legues AM Fir'd a Gun every Hour, Sigl for continuing the same Sail. at 6 Fir'd 6 Guns, a Signl for the Convoy to bring too; Do brought too, at 9 Sounded 30 fm Rockey Ground; at 11 Fird 8 Guns, a Signl for the Convoy to make Sail, Do made Sail. At Noon Sounded 28 fm Rockey Ground Saw Pt Prospect bearing N E about 5 Miles. Light Breezes & thick Foggy Wear ー PM at 2 the Extreems of the Land from No to ENE ー ½ past 3 hove too, & Saluted Vice Adml [Richard] Howe, (with 13 Guns) in his Majs Ship Eagle2 at 5 made the Signal for the Convoy to make Sail. fird a Gun every Hour; at 8 Fird 4 Guns a Signl for the Convoy to Tack Do Tack'd & Soundd, 46 fm fine Sand; at 12 Tack'd fird 4 Guns for the Convoy to Tk:
1. PRO, Admiralty 51/776.
2. Ambrose Serle's journal reads:
Friday, 21st...About 3 P.M. fell in with the Renown, Capt. Banks, with 10 Sail of her Convoy, consisting of Highlanders from Scotland. They parted with the Flora Frigate, their proper Convoy, off Scilly, and came into Boston Harbor, ignorant of the Evacuation of Boston by the King's Troops. From which Port Capt. Banks, when we fell in with them, about 5 or 6 Leagues from Cape Samborough, was convoying them to Halifax to the Army under Genl. Howe. A foggy Afternoon prevented the Pleasure, which we should have received from the Company of so many Ships together. At Sea, every thing, the least Bird or living Creature, is an object of Notice & Attention. The Eye, being wearied with the Sameness of the Scene, is glad to be refreshed with any object that throws Life into the Landscape, and proportionally more so, as the Figures in View are the means of conveying any Intelligence or Information to the mind. Capt. Banks came on board, and acquainted us with Variety of Sea News, of the Captures made in the West Indies, and of the Privateers fitted out by the Rebels. He had some Rebel Prisoners on board.
Tatum, ed., Serle's Journal, 18-19.
