1777. January 15th. This morning our officers were brought on board again. We hear that the British troops have taken “Fort Washington,” with the loss of eight hundred men.
16. A number of seamen’s wives came on board to-day, and upon being told that they had American prisoners on board, “Have you?” said one to the other; “What sort of people are they?” “Are they white?” “Can they talk?” Upon being pointed to where some of them stood, “Why!” exclaimed they, “they look like our people, and they talk English.”
17. Nothing remarkable.
18. To-day is the Queen’s birth-day, and every ship in the harbor that is in commission, fired twenty-one guns, as a royal salute.
19. Sunday. To-day we were removed from the Reasonable to the Bellisle, a ship of sixty-four guns, after having been on board the Reasonable twenty-seven days. Here we lodged in the cable-tier, on boards laid over the cable, which is better than we had on board the Reasonable.
20. Nothing remarkable.
22. Last Sunday, “a prize” was brought in here, which proved to be the brig Triton, from Newburg, Captain Tileston, master. The captain was sent on shore and made his escape.
23. Nothing occurred worthy of notice.
24. To-day, two ships-of-war sailed from the sound. The Southampton, of thirty-six guns, and the Thetis, of thirty-two guns.
25. There has been a great market on board to-day.