was now 333, of which above a third
were foreigners from most nations, several of her majesty's subjects we
had on board being tinkers, tailors, haymakers, pedlars, fiddlers, and
the like, with one negro and ten boys; yet we hoped to be well manned
with this motley crew, when they had got their sea-legs and had learnt
the use of arms. We had double the number of officers usual in
privateers, which was meant to prevent mutinies, so usual in long
voyages, and to secure a succession in case of deaths. Our holds were
so full of provisions, that our cables, and a great deal of our bread
and some water casks were between decks, and having 183 men in the Duke,
and 151 in the Duchess, we were obliged to send our sheet, cable, and
other new store cordage on shore at Cork, to make room for our men and
provisions, yet were so much crowded and lumbered that we could not have
engaged an enemy, without throwing much provisions and stores overboard.

Having agreed upon signals between our two ships, and appointed places
of rendezvous in case of separation, and how long to wait at each for
one another, we took sailing orders from the Hastings man of war on the
1st September, the better to keep company of her and a fleet bound to
the southward and westward. We sailed that day, and the next we and our
consort stood out from the fleet to chase a sail we saw to windward,
when we had the satisfaction to find that our ship sailed as well as any
in the fleet, not excepting the man of war, so that we hoped we should
find our heels, although so deeply laden. We found the chase to be a
small vessel coming from Baltimore to join the fleet. On the 4th,
Captain Paul of the Hastings proposed to Captain Courtney and me, after
he left the fleet, which would be soon, to cruise in company a few days
off Cape Finister, and obligingly supplied us with some scrubbers, iron
scrapers for the ships bottoms, a speaking-trumpet, and some other
things of which we were in want, and would not accept any thing in
return, as our voyage was to be so long, saying he hoped our owners
would restore the same articles for his ship on his return. That
evening, calling our crews on deck, we informed them whither we were
bound, and the objects of our expedition; that if any disputes or
mutinies had arisen, we might have sent home the refractory in the man
of war. Only one poor fellow was dissatisfied, who was to have been
tithing-man that year, and feared his wife might have