17. The wind is still against us, but I feel much easier here than I should be in prison. Here we have a change of diet, though it is no more than prisoners’ allowance, and both officers and men behave very civil to us.
18. To-day Mr. Heath came on board, and another of our friends, and brought some wine, tea, and sugar, and other necessaries, for those who are sick.
19. To-day the prison doctor came on board, and informed us that Bonner Darling is dead—a negro man that belonged to Marblehead, and one of our crew. He makes twenty-one that have died since I have been taken; and nine of the number were of the Dolton’s company.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Journal Lost—Thirty enter with Jones—Joins the Alliance—Arrive at L’Orient with Prize—Second Cruise—Journal Lost—Extracts from Paul Jones’ Life—At Dr. Franklin’s House—Joins again the Alliance—Sails Home.
[The journal of their passage to France is lost. The next record that is preserved, presents Mr. Herbert to us at Nantes, situated on the river Loire, in the south-western part of France.]
April 12. We lay here under pay, from the 5th of this month; have our board paid, and have nothing to do but walk about town. I have tried, but can get no labor, as business is very much stagnated here. Nearly forty sail of merchantmen are hauled up, and lay idle in this port.
14. About forty of our men have entered with Captain Jones, for twelve months, and this morning they set out for L’Orient, about seventy-five miles distant, by land.
17. Yesterday and to-day, I have been at work on board the Pallas, a French ship. To-day, the Alliance arrived here, with prisoners to be exchanged for us.
28. This day I received from Mr. Odaire, sixteen livres, which, including the four crowns before received, amounts to forty livres, which is a month’s pay.