I embrace this opportunity of informing you of the present state of our affairs, and beg you'll communicate the same to Captain M----l, having waited here ever since October last for-a cargo either to Tobago or England, find our hopes quite fruitless from the Congress's proceedings of the 4th instant, to set fire to and consume the merchant ships in this port, in consequence of the men of war demanding the release, and using means of compulsion; before the tenders could cover the shipping, the Provincials devised methods and consumed a brig belonging to Liverpool, and a ship to London, the Inverness, Masilberry, master, the rest of the shipping found retreat from being light, and we narrowly escaped by remaining still, and expeditiously cutting from along side the vessels on fire in the same tier with us. We are now prisoners of theirs, the Captain has been under confinement ever since the sad catastrophe, and yesterday marched into the country unknown to us where, but generally supposed to Philadelphia. We are to remain on board till further orders, and agreeable to their desire have unshipt our rudder, and sent the running rigging. ashore, to prevent our escaping. This is a melancholy circumstance to all of us, nor do we know how to extricate ourselves, no person can fly from the town either up or down the river to prevent intelligence. There are several other vessels which share the same fate with us, particularly the Georgia Planter, Capt. Inglis, who accompanies Capt. Wardell both in the character of prisoners, and I must confess are both genteely and honorably treated; there was a slight skirmish near this place between a party of the King's troops and a smaller one of the Americans, when three of the latter were taken prisoners, who are now on board the men of war. 2 I should transmit the particulars of all the proceedings here, but. am pushed for time by an expeditious and secret conveyance of this to one of our packets down the river at Cocksborough, where the men of war lye, and per first convenient opportunity will give you the particulars as near as possible; we have none killed or wounded, though we have taken up on our decks near a hundred small shot. I imagine the Chief Mate will send Capt. M----l as minute an account of the ship as time will permit of, Capt. Wardell being deprived of that privilege. We know not the" fate yet either of the ship or the rice, being about 700 barrels, not being allowed to discharge it or move the ship, on pain of being burnt immediately. Most of our people have left us, and. the boy Sam is run away, and is now in the Provincial service, from on board the ship Unity. Yours,