[June 1776] Sunday 23
So End of Block Island N53.10E ー 23 Leags At 5 A M made the Merlins Signal to look out a Stern as far as Signals could be seen Mode Breezes at 1 P M saw two Sail at Anchor under the Land Bore away for the entrance of Jones' Inlet, saw three Privateer Sloops & a Ship which we took to be a Transport2 in Jone's Inlet ½ pas Brot to and made the Merlin's Signal to come under our Stern, md Sail
Monday 24
at 5 AM saw two Sail to SE gave Chace at 7 made the Merlin's Sigl to Chace in the SW, Sailmkr repairing the Old Foresail, Carpenters Caulking the Main Deck at 11 Tkd saw two more Sail in the SE Merlin in Co Light Breezes at 2 P M in Chace of two Sail to Windward at 3 spoke the George Sloop from Halifax bound to Sandy Hook with a Schooner prize wore Ship and sett Studgsls & Chaced two Sail to the So Wd: at 7 Came up with the Chace the Mercury Brig & Mermade Schooner3 from Brazil bound to Rhode Island in 1st reef Topsls at 12 saw a Sl to the No wd gave Chace
Tuesday 25
at 1 A M Came up wt the Chace found her to be the Merlin Empd Clearing the schooner & stowing it away in the Brig Merlin & prize in Co Do Wr People Empd Clearing the Schooner at 6 P M sett fire to the Schooner & md Sail Merlin & Brig in Co
1. PRO, Admiralty 51/181.
2. The transport was the late prize of the Cerberus, the Crawford, retaken by the schooner Schuyler.
3. The Mercury, George Bunker, master, and the Mermaid, Joseph Coffin, master, both from the coast of Brazil for Nantucket with oil, Howe's Prize List, March 31, 1777, PRO, Admiralty 1/487. Master's log of the Cerberus, kept by Andrew Christie, adds "put six men on board the Brigg & 4 men on bd the Schooner," PRO, Admiralty 52/650.