April 7th the Defence had Five Men Broke out With the Small Pox.
9th they Lost a Man w^th the Small Pox.
10th Exersis^d Cannon & Musquetry.
11th Saw a Sail the Defence Spoke with her She was a Frenchman from
Bourdeaux Bound to the West Indies.
13th Cros^d the Tropick Shav^d & Duck About 60 Men.
14th at four Oclock Afternoon Saw a Sail Bearing E S E. We Gave Chase to
her & Came Up With her at 8 Oclock She was a Large French Ship we Sent
the Boat on Board of her She Informed us of two English Ships which She
Left Sight of at the time we Saw her.
15th at Day Break We saw two Sail Bareing SEbS Distance 2 Leagues We
Gave Chase Under a Moderate Sail at 9 oClock P. M. Came Up with them
they at First Shew French Colours to Decoy us when we Came in About half
a Mile of us the Ups with English Colours We had Continental Colours
Flying We Engaged the Ship Admiral Kepple as Follows When We Came in
About 20 Rods of her We Gave her a Bow Gun She Soon Returned us a Stern
Chaise & then a Broad Side of Grape & Round Shot Cap^t Orders Not to
fire till we Can See the white of their Eyes We Got Close Under their
Larbard Quarter they Began Another Broad Side & then We Began & hel^d
Tuff & Tuff for About 2 Glasses & Then she Struck to Us at the Same time
the Defence Engaged the Cyrus who as the Kepple Struck Wore Round Under
our Stern We Wore Ship & Gave her a Stern Chase at which She Immediately
Struck. The Loss on our Side was One Kill^d & Six Wounded one Mortally
Who Soon Died Our Ship was hull^d 9 Times with Six Pound Shott Three
of which Went through Our Birth one of which wounded the Boatswains
yoeman the Loss on their Side was two Kill^d & Six wounded their
Larbourd quarter was well fill^d with Shott one Nine Pounder went
through her Main Mast. Imploy^d in the After-noon Takeing out the Men
& Maning the Prise The Kepple Mounted 20 Guns 18 Six Pounders & two
Wooden D^o with about 45 Men, the Cyrus Mounted 16 Six Pounders with
35 Men Letters of Marque Bound from Bristol to Jamaica Laden with Dry
Goods Paints & C.
18th Cap^t Day Died.
19th Cap^t Brown of The Ship Adm^l Kepple & Cap^t Dike of the
Cyrus with Three Ladies & 8 Men Sett off in a Long Boat for S^t Kitts
O^r Cap^tns Parker & Smedleys Permition.
20th Imploy^d in taking things out of the Prise Viz. One Chist of
Holland a Quantity of Hatts & Shoes Cheeses Porter & Some Crockery Ware
Small Arms Pistols Hangers two Brass Barrel Blunderbusses a Quantity of
Riggen & C.
21^st At Three oClock Afternoon we wore Ship to the Southward The
Prises Made Sail to the Northward we Lost Sight of them at Six.
May 2^nd Sprung Our Foretopmast Struck it & Ship^d Another in its
Room.
8^th Saw a Sail over Our Starboard bow We Gave Chase to her She was a
French Guineaman Bound to the Mole With 612 Slaves on Board Our Cap^t
Put 6 Prisoners on Board of Her Left her Just at Dark.
11^th At 5 o'Clock in the Morning Saw a Sail at the Windward two
Leagues Distance Bearing Down Upon Us we Lay too for her till She Came
in half Gun Shott of us the Man at Mast head Cry^d out 4 Sail to the
Leeward Our Officers Concluded to Make Sail from her Supposing her to be
a Frigate of 36 Guns after we Made Sail We Left as Fast as we wanted She
Gave Over Chase at two oClock Afternoon She was the Seaford of 28 Guns.
22^nd Sprung our Maintop sail Yard.
28^th Made the Land at Port Royal.
29^th the Ship Struck Bottom Thrice.
30^th Came over the Bar this Morning & Arriv^d in this Harbour In
Company with the Ship Defence Com^ed by Sam^ll Smedly. Charlestown,
S^th. C^na. May y^e 30^th 1778.