10th [March, 1777]: We kept during last night in shoal water, constantly heaving the lead and seldom finding more than 8 or 9 fathom, sailing about 2 or 3 mile an hour, the water very smooth, our upper sails drawing but our lower ones becalmed. In the morning the land appeared to be 6 or 8 mile off; about nine o'clock we perceived a little behind us a schooner which soon gave us chase. We crowded all our ragged sails to avoid her, but she gained on us fast, and soon came so near that we could perceive her to be using oars; we therefore were convinced she could overtake us. The captain applied to us for advice. I proposed making directly for land and running our vessel on ground, hoping thereby to save our cargo; he agreed with my plan and stood directly for shore, the schooner perceived our intention and soon got between us and the land; I however advised the Captain to keep on; about 11 o'clock she gave us a shot, we did not mind this, she however soon repeated it several times and some of the shot struck very near our ship, we still stood on, till a few minutes after perceiving a Continental Ensign at the topmost head of the schooner, we threw our topsails aback and awaited her approach; she soon came within hail, when we were ordered to strike to the American flag, we answered we were Americans; the Captain then hoisted out his boat and came on board our ship, the schooner proved to be the Wasp,² commanded by John Baldwin, a gentleman I had formerly been acquainted with; I welcomed him on board and enquired the news; he in a general way gave me an account of the melancholy state of our country acquainting us with every remarkable event that had occurred since the 26th of October to the present time and appeared much surprised that we had escaped capture, as he informed us there were numbers of cruisers along the coast, that he believed there were at this time ships of War in the Bay, and that he was stationed between the Capes of Delaware and Chesapeake to look out for vessels and give intelligence; his schooner sailing so remarkably fast that he was under no apprehension of being taken; we informed him of our want of provisions and he immediately sent a supply on board, the sailors eating so voraciously that I was obliged to request the captain to use his authority inrestraining them being fearful they would injure their health; we had this day by Captain Baldwin's assistance a dinner of French Pork and Turnips, a meat tongue and potatoes with a Plum Pudding; we had a great plenty of wine in our own vessel, two casks of claret having as yet not been broached, we therefore dined sumptously and with a most excellent appetite; not partaking of a sufficient dinner in point of quantity nor a good one with respect to quality since the latter end of January.

After we had dined w.e consulted what was most proper to be done to save our ship and cargo and determined that if the wind should continue as it now is being southerly it would be proper for Captain Rawlins (Thomas Rawlings] to go past our Capes and carry his ship to Egg Harbour, on the other hand should the wind come round, we thought it would be most prudent for him to proceed to Chincoteague; to enable our people to execute these resolutions, Captain Baldwin put his first lieutenant and two of his best seamen on board our ship, and as I had dispatches of importance from Dr. Franklin and others in France, he proposed taking me on board the Wasp and landing me at the first convenient place that I might proceed to Philadelphia express; I approved this plan and prepared for going on board the Wasp; Dr. [Hugh] Williamson determined to accompany me. I wished to take all my things on shore as from the account Captain Baldwin gave me I found they would produce me very great profits, sufficient to repay all my expenses in Europe, but he dissuaded me from this and advised me to take nothing on shore but such things as I could carry to Philadelphia on horseback, as he informed me it would cost sixty or seventy pounds to carry all my goods to Philadelphia by land; and there would be no possibility of taking them by water while the men of War remained in the Bay. With regard to our ship, he assured me it would be almost impossible she should be taken if the Captain followed his directions as he could with the present wind arrive safe in Egg Harbour in 16 or 18 hours, and should the wind change and come to the northward, she might run to Chincoteague in a less time; and should the worst happen they could always keep the shore on board and strand the vessel should there be occasion, the Lieutenant knowing the proper place to do this with safety; he further said he meant to stay by our ship till he found a convenient place to land us, and after he had done that, to follow her and assist in taking care of our cargo; We took leave of our Captain and vessel, conjuring him to pursue Captain Baldwin's advice with great exactness.

About 4 o'clock I got on board the Wasp with all my letters, papers, etc., and a small trunk containing a few of my clothes, having left on board the ship two boxes of medicine, two chests of goods, one chest containing the principal part of my clothes, and all my medical manuscripts, a box of books, a case containing a number of surgical instruments, besides a number of baskets of prunes, a number of magazines, reviews, political pamphlets, some belonging to myself and some entrusted to my care for others, with several other things of less consequence. The weather became so foggy this afternoon that the Captain durst not venture to land us as he could not see the land distinctly; we therefore remained on board the Wasp; she had lately been in a very severe engagement with a transport, her sails were full of bullet holes, there being 56 in the first reef of the mainsail; ³ she had 10 carriage guns, a great number of swivels and twenty two men.