Lying in Canso Harbour [Nova Scotia]

at 9 AM Saw 6 Rebble privateers off the harbour Seemed So they intended to Come in formed a line a Cross the harbour with the Cabot, Tender¹ & Brig² having Brought 25 men off the shore to man the Brig at 10 D^o 3 of them Stood to the E^tward and Show^d. their Coulars the Other 3 Layed a Back of Cape Canso waiting Our Motions—

Lying in Canso Harbour

Light Breezes and Clear Two of the privateers Anchord about 2 Leagues South from Cranberry Island the Other 3 finding they Could Not Draw us out hauld to the W^dward at 7 D^o moord head & Stern the Tender in the Small Gutt the Merchant ships Within us Sent a Shallop to Watch their motions Sent the boats to Row Guard all Night

at 5 AM the Shallop returned who Informed us that they had gone through the Gutt of Canso⁴ made y^e Signal for all masters of merch^n. at 7 D^o Got under way with y^e merchant Vessels in Company at 10 Saw two Small sail Entering the Gutt of Canso Gave Chace— 

Porkepine point Bore NW Dist 2 Leagues

Light Breezes and Clear at 6 D^o [PM] Got through the Gutt of Canso found the Chace to be 2 fishing Schooners

at 3 [AM] Saw a Sail to Northward gave Chace at 8 D^o lost Sight of the Chace Sent Down the fore Top G^t yard At 9 D^o Saw the Tender to the SW Saw the two Schooners giving Chace to us Howsed the Guns and Got all halfe ports—

East End of Island NE 5 Leagues

Light airs and Thick hazey Weather at 1 PM the privateers begun to find them Selyes mistaken hawld their wind Scarsely within Gun Shot gave them a broad Side one of them fired Several shott Which fell Short our Shot fell so thick that one of them struck his Coulars but finding the other Got away with his Oars he hoisted his Coulars and Rowed away we being Lying becalmed We out Out Sweep[s] and Chased them, Sprung up a Small Breeze at 2 D^o Come up with our Chace Verry fast the privatiers Rowing Right in the Winds Eye got our bow Gun to bear and fired 3 Shot at them Hulled him Several times the wind Variable the privateers got away Verry fast out of Gun Shot Calm with thick fog lost Sight of them at 9 D^o TKd and Stood to the Northward