From this day to the 9th of March, we were buffetted by violent Storms in Shoal Water. & on the Most dangerous Coast. The Frigate too in which I Sailed did not appear to be in very fit Condition for Combating so boisterous a Season. having been some time before (as I was Inform'd) thought in too bad Condition to be trusted on a voyage at that season even to Halifax for repair. The Tediousness of the Passage, however, gave me most anxiety, As Lord Dunmore had inform'd me, that the Regulators & Highlanders of North Carolina were Embodied & then on their March to Wilmington. & I had every reason to expect that the Fleet from Ireland must be by this time on the Coast. being now join'd by the Syren, Frigate, with Lord William Campbell on Board,2 we had the Pleasure at last of Coming to an anchor within the Cape on the 12th without Loss or Accident. There was no sign however of the Irish Fleet, and to add to our Mortification Governor Martin 3 Communicated to me, the Melancholy Tidings that the Kings Friends in the Back Country (whom he had invited to Arm in January in full Confiden[ce] of its arrival) had been attact'd by the rebels on the 27th of February, & after meeting with some loss were now totally dispers'd & many of them in Confinement. I found also from Lord W Campbells account of his Province, that the Loyalists there, overflowing with zeal & elated with some advantages they had gain'd over the rebels, had been equally precipitate in showing themselves [and] Consequently overpowered & disarm'd, & many imprisoned. All these Misfortunes were occasioned by the Extraordinary delay of the Armament from Corke, and our stock of Provisions so reduced, that if the Fleet had not arrived, the Consequence might have been most fatal. These were but gloomy forebodings of my future Success. I had the Pleasure however to find that the Governors were not dispirited. th[ough] they had both been driven for shelter on board ships of War. I was therefore happy I had it in my power at least to give them an opportunity of stretching their Legs on Shore. by landing the few Men I had with me. (two light Companies) 4