The number of Spanish prisoners taken on board, the Captain included, is 48, out of which 11 are of the blood of negroes, for which we don’t doubt that we shall have his Majesty’s bounty money, which is 5L sterling per head.  We also desire that the vessel may not be condemned till our arrival, but only unloaded & a just account taken of what was on board.  As to the brigantine, the Captain of her, whom we put in again out of civility, has used us in a very rascally manner; for he ran away from us in the night with the vessel, & no doubt designed to cheat us out of our salvage, which is the half of brig & cargo, the enemy having had possession of her for 22 days.  As she is a vessel of value, I hope you’l do your endeavors to recover our just dues, and apply to the owners, who are, as we are credibly informed, Messrs Lee & Tyler of Boston, both of whom are under the state of conviction since the gospel of Whitfield & Tennant has been propagated in New England.  So that we are in hopes they will readily give a just account of her cargo & her true value, & render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, which is the moral preached by Whitefield.

As this will require a lawsuit, I hope you will get the best advice you possibly can, &, if she is at Boston or elsewhere, get her seized & condemned.  She was designed to be consigned to you, & the master was sent on board to take possession, & get things in order to sail, while we were writing letters & bills of lading, but he gave us the slip.  So, relying on your care, we don’t doubt but you will recover her and add her to the privateer prize.  The brigantine was called the Sarah, commanded by Tho’s Smith, & had on board 11 hhd of rum, 23 hhd of sugar, & 12 bags of cotton.  She was well fitted with 4 swivels, one gun, & other stores.  She was a new, pink stern vessel, & carried off one of our hands, who, no doubt, will acquaint you of the whole affair.  We hope you will show no favour to the Cap’t for his ill usage, but get a just account of his venture, one half of which is our due.  This affair is recommended to you by all the company, and we hope that you will serve us to the utmost of your power, not doubting in the least of your justice & equity.

Inclosed you will receive Cap’t Frankland’s 2 Bills of Exchange on his brother for 540L, also a list of the vessels which were taken by Francisco Loranzo since he first went out on his cruise, which you may use at pleasure either to publish or conceal.  We are still cruising on the Northern side of Cuba, & are in hopes of getting something worth while in a short time.

We are all in good health; so, having no more to add but my kind remembrances to all friends,

I remain

sincerely yours,

B.N.

Monday, 5th. The company gave the Cap’t a night gown, a spencer wig, & 4 pair of thread stockings, & to the Lieut a pair of buck skin breeches.  The Doctor bought a suit of broad cloth, which cost him 28 pieces of eight and is carried to his account in the sloop’s ledger.