7. Mr. Heath, one of our fathers, has been in London, for near a month, and Mr. Sorry is to set out in a few days. To-day the latter came to see us, and we desired him, for the future, to send us a fourpenny white loaf to each mess, per day, in place of a sixpenny one, for we have more provisions than many of us want to eat; and any person can easily conjecture that prisoners in our situation, who have suffered so much for the want of provisions, would abhor such an act as to waste what we have suffered so much the want of.
8. We are informed that the English ambassador has returned from France, and upon his return he informed His Majesty that the King of France had recognized the independence of America.
9. Very warm and pleasant, so that all the prisoners in this prison carried their bedding out into the yard to air, and the prison was smoked with charcoal and sulphur, as is customary every few days. To-day we received a fourpenny loaf according to our request.
10. To-day Captain Boardman and Mr. Deal were brought back to prison, which makes three of the number brought back who went out on the 31st of January last. The other two were Captain Henry Johnston, of the Lexington, and Captain Eleazer Johnston, of the Dolton. These, we suppose, have got clear. Also, this afternoon William Titcomb, a Newbury man, came to see us, about half an hour, and very glad was I to see him. He was taken in the Yankee Hero, by the Milford. He informs us that he has belonged to the Milford ever since he was taken, and he has been present at the capture of four American privateers. Upon their passage home, they took a vessel, which was one of the Civil Usage’s prizes. The Milford arrived about three weeks ago. Titcomb has been unwell, and has been in the royal hospital most of the time since he arrived. He told us that he had rather be in our situation than his.
11. Very warm and pleasant; it is as warm as it was any time last summer. The spring is very forward, much more so than the last; but we were told that last spring was uncommonly backward.
12. Sunday. It is twelve months to-day since I set my foot upon this island, but now I think the auspicious day is about to dawn, when, if it is the Lord’s will, we shall bid it farewell. To-day, by an order from the Board, we drew cabbage instead of broth, and we are to have cabbage two days in a week, peas two, and broth three, which we like much better; for when a person is confined to one steady diet, and has enough, he soon gets tired of it.
13. We are informed by Captain Boardman, that while he was out, he saw one Mr. Bapson, lately from America, who belonged to Cape Ann. He informed him that a new ship of twenty-six guns, which was built by the Marine Society of Newbury, Captain William Friend, master, just after she got over the Bar, filled and sunk, and a number of men were drowned. He also informs us that Captain James Tracy in the new ship Hero, has not been heard of since he sailed; and that the schooner Washington has been absent some months, and they are afraid she is lost. William Titcomb, who was here a few days ago, told us that Tracy, in company with another frigate, was cruising off the Cape of Good Hope.
14. We are informed that Governor Johnston and two others, have kissed His Majesty’s hand, and are appointed commissioners to go to America.
15. What money I have received for boxes since I have been in prison, amounts to over three guineas. Had it not been for this money, I must inevitably have suffered more than I did.
16. Very warm and pleasant; the grass and herbs in the fields appear to us as forward, from what we can see from the prison, as they do the first of June in America.