hen I arrived at Norfolk was
to buy three or four old brigs or schooners, load them with coal, and
when a favorable opportunity occurred by the enemy being driven to sea
by the wind, send them to New-York. Vessels could be purchased in
Norfolk at that time for one-third of their real value in time of peace;
and the price of coal in New-York was three or four times as much as in
Norfolk.

My wages, as master, was one hundred dollars per month, and I drew
one-fourth of the profits of the whole concern.

On the 14th of November I sailed from New-York and proceeded to Sandy
Hook, where I discovered an English frigate close in with the land, in
chase of an American schooner, which she compelled to run ashore near
Shrewsbury. I sailed into Mosquitto Cove, and took shelter among some
thirty American gun-boats, the crews of which went as volunteers to
protect the wreck of the schooner from being plundered by the English
frigate, which they accomplished.

After tarrying two days at Mosquitto Cove, we weighed anchor and
proceeded to sea, keeping as near the land as we could without being in
danger of running aground, until we were some distance south of Cape
Henlopen, when a violent gale of south-east wind commenced, and with our
utmost exertions we succeeded in running into the bay.

Here I ascertained that my pilot, whom I had taken much pains to obtain,
and who at the time I employed him had informed me he was well
acquainted with that coast, had deceived me; he now for the first time
informed me that he knew nothing of the different shoals and inlets on
the Southern coast. I had now no alternative but to run by chance and
keep a sharp look out for breakers. My little sloop was literally buried
under water. The gale kept increasing until near night, when she struck
upon a shoal. She thumped terribly, and almost every sea was breaking
entirely over us when a seaman exclaimed, "She is bilged, a plank has
come up from her bottom." On examination we found it was the shoe of her
keel. We tried the pump and found we could keep her free of water by
pretty hard labor. Soon after, she thumped over the shoal into nine feet
water, where she did not strike so often, and remained there until dawn.
At daylight we cast out the anchors and succeeded in getting her into
three or four fathoms water.

We then commenced repairing damages in the best manner we could. Her
false keel had been broken and had swung across her main keel, which we