/ET. 24.]

LETTERS.

71

TO WILLIAM LOCKER, ESQ.

[Autograph, in the Locker Papers.]

Albemarle, Off Cape Tiberoon, February 25th, 1783.

My dear Sir,

As I see the Packet is in sight astern, I ought not to missthis opportunity of writing, more especially as I did not writewhen in Port-Royal harbour, for I was so much hurried ingetting my Ship in order for Sea , that I had not time to lookround me.

The Fleet arrived the 4th instant, and I suppose willbe ready for Sea the last day of this month, although storesare as scarce at Jamaica as ever: sixteen topmasts were want-ed for the Line of Battle Ships, and there was not one in theIsland of Jamaica; and the Fleet must have been sent to Sea short of masts, had not providentially a French -Mast ship, be-longing to Monsieur Vaudreuil’s Fleet come alongside the Al-bemarle, and was captured by her. She has nearly a hundredtopmasts for large Ships, with a number of lower masts andyards. She will clear upwards of 20,0007. What a goodprize if the Fleet had not been in sight. They do not deserveto share for her: we had chased to leeward, and she had passedevery Ship in the Fleet without being noticed. The other Mast-ship that the French brought from America was run ashore,and entirely lost by the Fleet. They had parted from Vaudreuilin a gale of wind, and could not fetch St. John’s, Porto Rico ,which was their rendezvous, and therefore very fortunatelycame in our way. The French Fleet, finding we were offMonti Christi, went through the Mona Passage, and havebeen seen in sight of the Island of Curagoa, but where theyare God knows. I am sent out by Lord Hood to find them if Ican.

We are all in the dark in this part of the world, whetherit is Peace or War. If I should capture anything this cruize,I have made Hanbury and Shaw my Agents. Many inquirieswere made after you at Jamaica , by people of all ranks andcolour. Captain Reynolds, 8 I think, told me he had heard

8 Apparently Captain Francis Reynolds, of the Monarch 74 guns, who wasposted on the 12th of April 17C2, and succeeded to the title of Lord Ducie. Heis again mentioned.