Boston the 8th of July 1777
This serves to acquaint the Honourable bord of Warr of the Massetusets Bay, That Captn Nicholas Devereux of the Brigte Phebe Ownd ½ By Evert Byvanck & ½ By James Devereux Then of N:york and Saild from thence the 6th of May 1775 for the Island of Jemaica Where We Arrivd the 4th of June following, On the 19th of June Saild from Jemaica for Campeche In the province of Ucatan in New Spaine, On the 4th of July Arrivd at Campechey, On the 11th Inst Saild from thence for N:Orlains Where We Arrivd the 1st of August, On the 17th of Decembr saild from thence to Port Auprince on the Island of High Spaniola with a Lode of Lumber, Where We arrivd the 12th of January 1776 And had the Generals permetion Now for the Hands of Captn John Clouston, for to unlade & Sell My Lumber & to purchace a Lode of Mallasses & Rum With Which saild from Port Auprince on the 16th of March for New York, then In Possetion of the States, Att same time spoke Captn Wilson from Philadelphia in a Pilote bote bound to Port Auprince to purchace powder for the Continental Service, Who told Me that It was Impossable for Me to get through the windward passage or to N:York at that Season of the Year, On Which We bore away for the Gulf & so proceeded for Amsterdam, & on our passage We beate 23 days In the Chanel being destitute of Every Nessary of Life & dare not put Into England for Fraid of being taken, on the first of June 1776 I arrivd at Amsterdam, Where I unladed My Mallasses & Lodg'd it in the hands of Mr Jacob Henery Chobanill As I could not take out Dutch papers for My Vessel untill I was one Year & a day in the Cuntrey, Then went over to London & took a Register out for My Vessel & Went back & Came Over to London In Ballast & there took a fraight for Do meneco (St. Domingue], Muscetor [Mosquito] Shore &the Bay Hondoras, Where We Laded 58M feet of Mahoganey & 22 Tons of Unchipt Logwood for Acct: of Mr Joseph Gaddes of Hondoras & 2 M feet the property of the Captaine & Saild from thence the 9th of February 1777 Bound to London & On the 23rd of April Last was Taken by Captn John Clouston of the Brigte Freedom, I think it Evidently Appears that My Cargo of Mallasses Was Destin'd for N:York then In Possetion of the Continentall Congr & that My Only Reason for Registring My Vessel in England Was to Secure My Ship from Seisure, had I been lnclind to have Acted Against America I might have put My Ship in the Transport Service &had Her Securd by Government, I think When Your Honourable Bord of Warr comes to Re flect on the Matter &Consider My Nessessety for Acting in this Manner, You Will Clear My Vessel, If it should Submit to What You think proper, As there is Not the Least Appearance of My being An Enamy to America, I think it Verry Rigorous Treatment to Confine Me on bord of a Gard Ship Where Am Inform'd I am to be Sent, Having Nothing farther to Add I am [&c.]
