Gentlemen

I had the honour of writing to you the 27th Ulto p the Brigtine Britannia a Whaler which I sent in under the Care of Lieut [William] Grinnell likewise 4th Currt pr the Brigtine Sea Nymph which I sent in under the care of Mr W. [William] Hopkins ー also 7th Currt p the Brigtine Favourite which I sent in under the care of Mr J. [Joseph] Vesey ー the Sea Nymph was from Barbados for London, the Favourite from Antigua for Liverpool.

From that time 'till the 14th I cruised without seeing any Vessels ー I then spoke the Columbus's Prize the Ship Royal Exchange bound for Boston. ー by this time my water and Wood began to run short which induced me to Hand to the Northward for some Port of Nova Scotia or Cape Briton ー I had besides a prospect of destroying the English shipping in these parts ー the 16th & 17th I had a very heavy Gale from the N W which obliged me to dismount all my Guns and Strike every thing I could into the hould ー the 19th I made the Isle of Sable and on the 20th being between it and the main I met with an English Frigate with a Merchant Ship under her convoy. ー I had hove too to give my People an Opportunity of taking Fish when the Frigate came in Sight directly to windward and was so good natured as to save me the trouble of Chaseing him by bearing down the instant he discovered us. ー When he came within Cannon shot I made Sail to try his speed Quartering and finding that I had [illegible] the advantage shortened Sail to give him a Wild Goose Chace and tempt him to throw away Powder and shot ー accordingly a Curious Mock Engagement was maintained between us for Eight hours 'till Night with her Sable Curtain Put an end to this famous exploit of English Knight Errantry. he excited my contempt so much by his continual firing at more than twice the proper distance that when he rounded too to give his Broadside I ordered my marine Officer to return the Salute with only a Single Musquit. We Saw him next morning standing to the westward and it is not unlikely that he hath told his friends at Hallifax what a trimming he gave to a "Rebel Privateer" that he found infesting the Coast. ー that night I was off Canso harbour and sent my Boat in to gain information on the morning of the 22d I anchored in the harbour and before night got off a Sufficiency of Wood and Water. ー here I recruited several men and finding three English Schooners in the harbour we that night Burnt one Sunk another and in the morning carried off the third which we had loaded with what Fish was found in the other two.

At Canso I recd information of Nine Sail of Ships, Brigs, & schooners in the harbours of Narrowshock & Peter de Great at a small distance from each other in the Island of Madame on the East Side of the Bay of Canso ー these I fully determined to take or destroy ー and to do it effectually having brought a shallop for the purpose from Canso I despatched her with twenty five Armed Men to Narrowshock while my Boat went well Manned and Armed to Peter de great and I kept off and on with the Sloop to keep them in Awe at both places. ー the Expedition succeeded to my wish ー so effectual was the Surprise and so general the Panic that numbers yeilded to an handful without Opposition and never was a Bloodless Victory more compleat. ー as the shipping that were loaded were all Unrigged I had recourse to an expedient for dispatch ー I promised to leave the late Proprietors Vessels sufficient to carry them home to the Island of Jersey on condition that they immediately fitted out and Rigged Such of the rest as might be required this condition was readily compIyed with and they assisted my People with unremitting application 'till the Business was compleated. but the evening of the 25th brought with it a Violent Gale of Wind with rain which obIiged me to Anchor in the Entrance of Narrowshock where I rode it out with both Anchors and whole Cables ahead. ー two of our Prizes the Ship Alexander and Schooner Sea Flower had come out before the Gale began ー the Ship Anchored Under a point and rode it out but the Schooner, after Anchoring drove and run Ashore ー She was a Valuable Prize being loaded with Oil ー but as we could not get her off I next day ordered her to be set on >Fire. ー the Schooner Ebenezer, taken at Canso, was driven on a Reef of Sunken Rocks and there totally lost ー the People having with difficulty Saved themselves on a Raft. Towards noon on the 26th the Gale began to Abate. ー the Ship Adventure being Unrigged and Almost Empty I ordered her to be Burnt. ー I put to Sea in the Afternoon with the Brigtine Kingston Packet ー and being Joined by the Alexander went off Peter de greate. I had sent an Officer round in a Shallop to order the Vessels in that harbour to meet me in the offing and he now Joined me in the Brigtine Success and informed me that Mr [Bernard] Gallagher (the Officer who had Commanded the Party in that harbour) had left it at the beginning of the Gale in the Brigtine Defiance and taken with him my Boat and all the People. ー I am unwilling to believe that this was done with an Evil intention. ー I rather think he concluded the Boat and People necessary to Assist the Vessel in getting out, the navigation being difficult and the wind, at that time, Unfavourable, and when the Gale was begun I know it was impossible for them to return

Thus weakened I could Attempt nothing more. ー With one of our Brigs and the Sloop I could have Scoured the Coast and Secured the destruttion of a large Coal Fleet that was loading near Lewisburg with the Savage only to protect them.

The Fishery at Canso and Madame is effectually destroyed. ー out of Twelve Sail which I took there I only left two Small Schooners and one Small Brig to convey a number of Unfortunate men not short of three Hundred Across the Western Ocean. ー had I gone further I should have Stood Chargable with inhumanity.

In my ticklish Situation it would have been Madness to loose a moment ー I therefore hastened to the Southward to convoy my Prizes out of harms way ー Dawson's Brig² having been within fifteen leagues of the Scene of Action during the whole time.

On the 27th I saw two Sail which we took for Quebeck Transports. ー Unable to resist the Temptation, having appoint'd a three days Rendavouze on the SW part of the, Isle of Sable, I gave Chace, but could not come up before they had got into Lewisburg ー a place where I had reason to expect a far Superior Force and therefore returned and this day Joined my prizes at the Rendavouze.

If my poor endeavours should meet with your approbation I shall be greatly rewarded in the pleasing reflection of having endeavoured to do my Duty: ー I have had so much Stormy weather and been obliged, on divers Occassions, to carry so Much Sail, that the sloop is in no condition to continue long out of Port. ー I am besides very Weak-handed and the Men I have are scarce Able to Stand the Deck for want of Cloathing, the weather here being very Cold. ー These reasons induce me to bend my thoughts towards the Continent. ー I do not expect to meet with much, if any, Success on my return ー But, if Fortune should insist on sending a transport or so