at this time I was so exceedingly ill, with an inflammation in my Bowells, that it was not possible for me to attend to the duty of the Ship. However I desired Mr Leak the 1st Lt would get the Ship under sail and stand out to speak with several Vessels that appeared in the offing. He did so, and at 6 in the afternoon found the first to be Mr [George] Ball's Prize (a large New England Sloop in Ballast)'2 and concluded the two others were the Lord Howe & Maria Tenders. He was however undeceived about 8 in the Evening, when the Maria joind us, and informed us the other was a Rebel armd Sloop of 10 Guns & about 70 Men which he had had a narrow escape in getting away from. 3 We imediately made sail in quest of her, but a dark night coming on, S~w nothing more of her. Returned back to Cape Henlopen.