Jun 18, 1793 Home Providence Log Jun 20, 1793
Revised Aug 27 2021
1 pm: Moderate Breezes and Cloudy Weather. Served Slops & Tobacco to the Ships Company.
6 pm: Thick Rainy Weather and Thunder
8 pm: Cloudy Weather
11 pm: Fresh Breezes
2 am: Lightning
5 am: Sent the Assistant in chase of a Schooner, fired two Guns to bring her too. Found her to be an American Vessel last from the Havanna without any papers, Guns in her Hold & every piratical appearance, for which I detained her and shifted the Master and two Men.
9 am: Cleaned below, & Exercised Great Guns and Small Arms. The Jupiter of Kingston joined us bound to Baltimore.
10 am: Saw the land WbN½N to NbW½W
12 noon: Cloudy Weather but got a tolerable Observation 8 Sail in Company
including ourselves. The Land near Cape Corientes WbN½N about 3 Leagues and the
Eastermost land NbE½E.
No appearance of the Honduras Ships. A Ship in Company called the Jupiter informed
me the Sailing of the Jamaica Fleet was put off untill more Strength arrived to Convoy
them home.
At day light we observed a Schooner standing across us towards the land. After a few shot, and the Assistant in Chase of her, She hoisted American provincial Colour. A Spread Eagle, blue, the field, white stuck with Stars, on the breast of the Eagle thirteen Stripes, and the whole within a narrow red border.
Lieut. Portlock brought the Master on board of me, who acknowledged he had no papers to prevent his Vessel being taken, and alledged as an excuse, that he was going on the forced Trade, the Vessel being purchased from an American in the Havannah he could not apply for a Register. But the suspicious part was, his having 6 Guns in the Hold, and was going to the Isle of Pines to take in some Supercargos, from whence he said he was to go to Jamaica. It appeared to me to be a fabricated account, and that the principal object of the Cruize, as soon as they could get in a Renegadoes at the Isle of Pines, was to look after some of our West Indiamen and make prizes of them: I therefore determined to detain the Schooner, as much was to be apprehended from such a Vessel let loose about the Sea, at a time our Ships are making runs home. Her Name was the Hannah and Sally, burthen about 40 Tons. They had a single Certificate to show the Vessel had come from the Havannah; but that document certified that William Montgomery was Master, as yet I hope no mischief has been done by them. The present Master's Name is John Stuart. He had 5 Men with him.
The Land about Cape Corientes is low like the Caymanes and no way remarkable. The same may be said of Cape Antonio, and the Coast is free of danger. A few Miserable Turtle Catchers live about the latter, and bring them off for Sale to Shipping. Formerly, large or small they were to be bought for 3 Spanish Dollars each; but at this time they asked ten.
I understand By my Orders, the Honduras Fleet were to have been off Cape Antonio by the time the Jamaica Convoy could be there. They express "I am to proceed with such of them as may be assembled it is doubtfull to me if we meet with any. Their sailing is very uncertain. They should have been Cruizing off here by the 15th at farthest to have received the benefit of the Convoy. I conceive the spirit of my orders to be, I am not to wait for them, delay would be the means of my losing all the Plants I have. At present they are in fine order.
Jun 18, 1793 Home Providence Log Jun 20, 1793