could not repair. We then made sail for Chesapeake Bay and arrived that
day about sun-set, without any material mishap.

Soon after, a light easterly wind sprung up, and we made sail for
Norfolk. After entering the bay the wind slackened. About 11 o'clock in
the evening it became a dead calm, with a thick fog: a strong tide set
in, which prevented my going out to sea again. Soon after midnight we
heard the cry, "Past 2 o'clock, and all's well," which I afterwards
ascertained proceeded from His Britanic Majesty's ship Dragon, 74 guns,
commanded by Commodore Barry, lying at anchor in the bay.

We continued drifting into the bay until about sunrise, when a light
breeze sprung up and dispersed the fog, and we found ourselves drifting
directly towards an English 20 gun brig called the Sophia, and the Acton
of 16 guns, both lying at anchor within a mile of us. We were soon
boarded from the Sophia, and we and our baggage taken on board of her.
The brigs then got under weigh and proceeded up the bay, taking my sloop
in tow, and anchored at the mouth of the river Severn.

During the next night they fitted out an expedition of four or five
boats, and sent them up the river to cut out two or three of our vessels
which were lying in the harbor, but they soon returned without
accomplishing their design, having only obtained a quantity of plunder.
They told me the inhabitants gave them a warm reception, by firing from
behind trees and fences, and caused them to abandon the vessels. They
weighed anchor the next morning, and after cruising about the bay, again
took their station near Watt's Island. Here they made their rendezvous
for some time; the officers occasionally going on shore, some days
cruising about, and returning to the usual anchorage at night. They
procured an abundance of cattle, sheep and poultry from the Island, and
in about nine or ten days captured eight old schooners loaded with
flour, from the Rappahannock, and bound to the Eastern markets. They
sailed from there and anchored in Lynn Haven Bay, where we were sent on
board the commodore's ship Dragon. I found twelve American captains
prisoners on board the commodore's ship, who had been captured by the
Squadron. The prizes which they had taken were small old vessels, some
of which they stripped of their rigging and sails and set on fire; some
parted their cables in a gale of wind and drifted to sea, my vessel
among them. But my sloop, the New-York, and one or two