Log-book Of Timothy Boardman Part 3

An Account of the Months, Days And Knots Run, by the Ship Oliver Cromwell in her Second Cruise.

+-------------+------------+--------------+ Months Days Knots +-------------+------------+--------------+ March 1 9 1148 April 1 30 2084 May 1 30 3086 +-------------+------------+--------------+ Total 3 69 63.18 +-------------+------------+--------------+

CONTRACT BETWEEN TIMOTHY BOARDMAN AND CAPT. PARKER.

FOR THE THIRD CRUISE.

Charlestown, July 6^th, 1778.

Conversation Between Cap^t Parker & My Self this Day.

P^r. What are you Doing a Sh.o.r.e.

My Sf. I wanted to See You Sir.

P^r. Verry well.

My Sf. The Term of my Inlistment is up & I would be glad of a Discharge Sir.

P^r. I cannot Give you One, the Ship is in Distress Plumb has been trying to Get You away.

My Sf. No Sir, I can have Good Wages here & I think it Better than Privatiering I can^t Think of Going for a Single Share I had a hard task Last Cruise & they all Left me.

P^r. You have had a hard task of it & I will Consider you. & You Shall have as Much again as You Expect. Ranny & those that Leave me without a Discharge will Never Get anything you Better go aboard Boardman. I will Consider you & you,ll _Lose Nothing by it_.

My Sf. I am Oblig^d to you Sir. & So went on Board.

JOURNAL AND SAILING DIRECTIONS OF THE OLIVER CROMWELL THIRD CRUISE.

JOURNAL OF THE THIRD CRUISE.

July 24 Weigh^d Anchor at 5 Fathom hole & Came Over the Bar In Comp^y with the Notredame a 16 Gun Brig & two Sloops. Mett a French Ship of 28 Guns on the Bar Bound in.

25^th A Smooth Sea.

29^th Saw A Sail Gave Chace.

30^th Saw A Sail Gave Chace.

31^st Saw two Sail Gave Chace. Light winds.

August 6th at half after Six Afternoon Saw a Sail & Gave Chace, at 11 Gave her a Bow Gun which Brought her too She was a Big from New Orleans in Missippi Bound to Cape Francois a Spainard Went on Board Kept her All Night & Lett her Go at 10 ^oClock the Next Day her Cargo was Furr & Lumber She had Some Englismen on Board the Occasion of our Detaining her So Long.

7^th At 5 OClock Afternoon Made the Land the Island of Abaco.

8^th at 10 ^oClock Harbour Island Bore East Dis^t 2 Leagues.

9^th Hard Gales of wind.

10^th Fresh Gales of wind & Heavy Squals.

11^th Fresh Breeses & a Rough Sea.

12 at Six Afternoon Caught a Great Turtle which was Kook^d the Next Day for the Entertainment of the Gentlemen of the Fleet No Less than 13 Came on Board to Dine.

14 At 2 oClock P M Harbour Island Bore SbW 1 League Dis^t Sent the Yoll on Sh.o.r.e The Brig Sent her Boat a Sh.o.r.e too.

15^th The two Boats Returned with a two Mast Boat & 4 Men Belonging to New Providence Squally Night & Smart Thunder & Lightning.

16^th Cros^d the Bahama Banks from 8 Fathom of water to 3-3/4 Came to Anchor at Night on the Bank.

17^th Arriv^d at the Abimenes Fill^d our Water Cask & Hogg^d Ship & Boot Top^t the Ship.

18^th At Day Break Weigh^d Anchor together with the Rice Thumper Fleet at Noon Parted with Them & Fired 13 Guns the Other fir,d their Guns Which was a 16 Gun Brigg the Notredame Command by Cap^t Hall A 10 Gun Sloop Com^d by Cap^t Robberts A 12 Gun Sloop Com^d by John c.r.a.ppo or Petweet & Stood to the westward a cross^d the Gulf.

19^th at Day the Cape of Floriday bore west we stood for it a Cross^d the Gulf we Came out of the Gulf in five fathom of Water & Within 30 Rods of a Rieff in the s.p.a.ce of 15 Minutes in About a League of the Sh.o.r.e Which Surpris^d the Capt. & Other Officers we have the Ship in Stays & beat off the wind being moderate.

20^th Saw a Sail & Gave her Chace & Came Up She was a Saniard a Palacca from Havanna Bound to Spain She Inform^d us of the Jamaica Fleet that they Pa.s.s^d the Havanna ten Days Back Which made us Give over the Hopes of Seeing them.

22 Saw this Spaniard about a League to the Windward.

23 a Sunday, Saw a Ships Mast in Forenoon & Just at Night A Large Jamaica Puncheon Floating we hoisted out our Boat^e & went in Persuit of it but Could not Get it we Suppos^d it was full of Rum this Afternoon a Large Swell brok & Soon after A fine Breese Which Increas^d harder in the Morn^g.

24^th Sun about two hours high we Saw white water in About a Mile Under our Lee Bow we Saw the Breakers which was on the Bahama Banks which Surpris^d our Officers & Men Greatly we Put our Ship About & had the Good Fortune to Clear them the wind Blew harder we Struck Top Gallant Yards & Lanch^d Top Gallant Masts Lay too Under one Leach of the Four Sail Got 6 Nine Pounders Down in the Lower hold & Cleard the Decks of unecessary Lumber The Wind Continued verry hard The air was Verry Thick Just before Night the Sea Came in Over our Larboard Nettens on the Gangway. All the officers Advis^d to Cut away the Main Mast which we Did, Just at Dusk, All the hope we had was that it would not Blow harder, but it Continued harder till After Midnight About one oClock it Seemd to Blow in whirlwinds which oblig^d us to Cut away our Four Mast & Missen Mast. Soon after the Wind Chang^d to the Eastward which Greatly Encourag^d us Being Much Affraid of the Bahama Banks the fore Mast fell to the windward & Knock^d our Anchor off the Bow So that we Cut it away for fear it would Make a hole in the Bow of the Ship our Fore Mast Lay along Side for two hours After it fell, it Being Impossible to Get Clear of it We Bent our Cables for fear of the Banks that we Might try to Ride it out if we Got on.

25 Moderated Some But Verry Rough So that we Could Do no work.

26 Got a Jury Mast Up on the Main Mast.

27 Got up Jury Masts on the Fore & Mison Masts.

30 at 8 oClock in the Morning Saw a Brigg over our weather Bow 2 Leagues Dis^t We Kept our Course She Stood the Same way Just at Night we gave her two Guns but She kept on at Night we Lost Sight of her.