At a Meeting of the Committee &c

It appeared that the sloop Mermaid [sic
Rainbow] commanded by Lemuel Perkins Sailed from Damascott[a] on the [blank] of Jany last having A certificate from the Comtee at that place which expressed his being bound to Newbury Port & Salem ー that his lading consisted of about 45 Cords of wood about 10 Bushels of Potatoes 2 Busshels of Turnips a quantity of Spruce (for beer) he had on board also a peice of Vension a quarter of Veal & a Gooseー

That in his passage from Damascotta [Damariscotta] he touched at Falmouth that on the 29th Jany in the morning he was seen by one of our privateers about half way from Cape Ann to Boston light House and nearly in that direction the wind being N [blank] or nearly so, that the Privateers put hands on board his Sloop and sent him to Cape Ann ー That he Perkins was examined by one of the Committee of that place & supposed to be bound to Salem, and it does not appear that any person there thought to the contrary at that time ー That he tarried at Cape Ann [blank] Days waiting for a wind suitable to carry him to Salem that on [blank] Instant in the evening A Vessell bound to Salem Benja Gale commander sailed from Cape Ann for Salem & that before he sailed he told Capt Perkins he would go thro' the most Northern passage (with which he Gale was acquainted) & that Perkins might follow him & by those means avoid the Man of War which lay off Marblehead  That Capt Perkins left cape Ann about Half an hour after Capt Gale the wind being then about N W b N ー That Capt Gale after having sail'd about one [blank] of his distance found the wind to head him put about & return'd to Cape Ann ー That he, Gale, spoke with Perkins and told him the wind was too much ahead to proceed (Perkins says he could not unders[t]and what Gale said)  That Gale went back to Cape Ann And that Perkins kept on westward & his Vessel was next morning seen by or Near the Man of War off Marblehead and soon after to proceed to Boston.

That on Saturday last [February 17] said Vessell came into this Harbour and there Anchored after having stood as far to the Eastward as Cape Ann, that As the Vessel passed the Fort at the entrance of the Harbour she was haled by the G[ua]rds & proper steps taken to prevent her going out again till examined ー that soon after her being at Anchor she was boarded by a boat from this place & taken possession of ー that this Committee have desired the commanding officer of the G[ua]rds Stationed here to take charge of Said Vessel &c which he has done  That the above Boat was commanded by the Capt of a privateer which is now at Cape Ann

The Account [that] Perkins & his Men (being 3 in all) give of their going to Boston is as follows ー That on their passage from Cape Ann to Salem they were boarded by A Boat from the aforesaid Man of War
² and carried to her & that the next day An Officer & 5 hands were put on board who carried them to Boston  that their Wood &c was taken out of their Vessell and disposed of by the Men-of-Wars Men. And the Master Perkins says that on his promising to go to the Eastward and get a load of Wood & to bring the same to Boston his Vessell was given him & three Dollars a Cord for his Wood to enable him to procure another load & a promise to Perkins that he should have the whole of what that load should sell for That passes from Genl [William] Howe & Admiral Shuldham
³ to enable him to pass the Castle & Ships of War ー That he left Boston thereupon & arrived in this Harbour as is before mentioned