Sylas Deane Esq^r
Sir

I wrote you from Ferroll the 17^th Ult^o. to which pray refer, I saild from thence the 20^th, d^o (being orderd by the Governer so to do) & on the 25^th fell in with a ship who shew'd us portugeese colours on Asking her name & that of the Capt^n. was told the S^t. John Evangelist Capt^n. Nich^s. Kelly bound from Dublin to opporto, to which last mentiond mentiond place he said the Vessell belong'd we then desird he wou'd bring his papers on board, which he did, amongst which was none relative to her being portugeese property, than old pass granted in the year 1774 with the Name of the Vessell for which it was originally granted, eras'd out & that of the S^t. John Evangelist put in, on asking the Captⁿ why it was thus erasd, said he coud not tell that it was sent him f^m. oporto to Dublin & that his Vessell was sold the Voyage before in opporto, on being ask'd where he was born, & where his Eng: colours were, said he was Born in oporto & that his Vessell being portugeese property had no occasion for Eng: colours & that there was none on board, all which we knew to be false, Some of our people being Intimately acquainted w^h. him, knew him to be born in Wexford in the Kingdom of Ireland, that his Vessell was call’d the Brothers & the property of Pat^k. M^cGuire & Sons of Dublin, one of his people (a Spaniard) told us that that the Eng. Colours were hid in the Ballast & on our Searching found them there, he allso told us, that when we chas'd them & Capt^n. Kelly find^g., he cou'd not get clear had Burn’d all his Eng: Papers, this Capt. Kelly did not deny but said they were papers of no use to him—

His light bill declares him to be a British ship & the Logg of his former Voyage is Kept under the Name of the Brothers, notwithstanding what Kelly had said of her being then sold in porto & her Name alterd to the S^t. Jn^o. Evangelist, on asking how all this cou'd happen he said that the whole was a mistake, In short, from his Veague ans^rs. & many other Circumstances it appeard to me that his Colours & passport were meerly fictitious¹ & that his Vessell was not sold in opporto but did realy belong to Dublin, on which we put on board a prizmaster & sent her in here, where I fear we won't be able to dispose of her to any Reasonable advantage, if so, mr. Lagoanere will send her to some port in France (under french papers) where a Better & more ready Sale may be had. We are not permitted to Stay in the ports of Spain longer than to Supply ourselves with provisions &c I am not fond of trusting too much to them will therefore Sail hence in a day or two & make about a months Cruise in which time I hope to pick up one or two prizes, which is the most I cou'd man, Shal then put in here take in necessarys & proceed directly home, mean time woud be happy to hear from you, shou'd you please to give me any orders, direct to me at mess^rs Lagoaner & C^os. Corona, my reason for puting in here was to see what coud be done with this [prize] that It might govern me in Simelar Cases—She was in ballast & burthen about 200 Tons