were killed except three
seamen who were furling the fore-topsail. Those three were thrown some
twenty rods, when the fore-mast was blown out of her. You cannot expect
any favors of the commodore." Before leaving New-York I learned that
some persons who had been captured by the commodore, ascertained, while
on board, that he was in want of naval stores; as soon as the news got
abroad, some merchants purchased by subscription an old schooner, and
placed thirty casks of powder in her hold. Some machinery was attached
to the powder by a string, which was also fastened to a barrel of naval
stores, and when it was raised had caused the explosion, as related by
the lieutenant.

[Illustration: Blowing up of the old Schooner near the Ramillies.]

My sloop was soon brought and anchored within half a mile of the ship. I
was taken on board the ship and conducted to the commodore, who spoke to
me in a pleasant manner. "Well, sir," said he, "I see you have arrived
here again. What does your cargo consist of? Where are you bound?" I
told him my cargo was flour, and that I was bound to Boston and some of
the neighboring ports. He gave me a passport to protect me from capture
by the English ships, and told me I could proceed on my voyage. I then
steered for Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where I sold some of my flour at
sixteen dollars per barrel. Finding the market dull, I proceeded to
Newburyport, where I found an abundant supply. From thence I proceeded
to Boston, where I sold the remainder of my flour at auction, at
fourteen dollars per barrel.

After my flour was disposed of I purchased a cargo of boards to carry
to Providence, Rhode Island. I loaded the sloop, intending to be ready
to sail in the morning, but the tide receding during the night, the
Rover was left aground at the Long Wharf. When I awoke in the morning I
found my vessel had fallen over on her side, and had five feet of water
in her hold. I procured a caulker, who, with myself and crew, went into
the mud and water and commenced stopping the leaks, while the water was
running out from her bottom from almost every seam. We caulked the
largest with table knives, wooden wedges, &c. We then took four pounds
of candles and a quantity of wood ashes and made a kind of putty, with
which we stopped the remainder. In the mean time my two seamen were
arrested for stealing and sent to jail. I hired a number of men and
bailed and pumped out the water. I then shipped a new crew and