18th At Day Break Weighd Anchor together with the Rice Thumper Fleet at Noon Parted with Them & Fired 13 Guns the Other fir,d their Guns Which was a 16 Gun Brigg the Notredame Command by Capt Hall A 10 Gun Sloop Comd by Capt Robberts A 12 Gun Sloop Comd by John Crappo or Petweet & Stood to the westward a crossd the Gulf.
19th at Day the Cape of Floriday bore west we stood for it a Crossd the Gulf we Came out of the Gulf in five fathom of Water & Within 30 Rods of a Rieff in the Space of 15 Minutes in About a League of the Shore Which Surprisd the Capt. & Other Officers we have the Ship in Stays & beat off the wind being moderate.
20th Saw a Sail & Gave her Chace & Came Up She was a Saniard a Palacca from Havanna Bound to Spain She Informd us of the Jamaica Fleet that they Passd the Havanna ten Days Back Which made us Give over the Hopes of Seeing them.
22 Saw this Spaniard about a League to the Windward.
23 a Sunday, Saw a Ships Mast in Forenoon & Just at Night A Large Jamaica Puncheon Floating we hoisted out our Boate & went in Persuit of it but Could not Get it we Supposd it was full of Rum this Afternoon a Large Swell brok & Soon after A fine Breese Which Increasd harder in the Morng.
24th Sun about two hours high we Saw white water in About a Mile Under our Lee Bow we Saw the Breakers which was on the Bahama Banks which Surprisd our Officers & Men Greatly we Put our Ship About & had the Good Fortune to Clear them the wind Blew harder we Struck Top Gallant Yards & Lanchd Top Gallant Masts Lay too Under one Leach of the Four Sail Got 6 Nine Pounders Down in the Lower hold & Cleard the Decks of unecessary Lumber The Wind Continued verry hard The air was Verry Thick Just before Night the Sea Came in Over our Larboard Nettens on the Gangway. All the officers Advisd to Cut away the Main Mast which we Did, Just at Dusk, All the hope we had was that it would not Blow harder, but it Continued harder till After Midnight About one oClock it Seemd to Blow in whirlwinds which obligd us to Cut away our Four Mast & Missen Mast. Soon after the Wind Changd to the Eastward which Greatly Encouragd us Being Much Affraid of the Bahama Banks the fore Mast fell to the windward & Knockd our Anchor off the Bow So that we Cut it away for fear it would Make a hole in the Bow of the Ship our Fore Mast Lay along Side for two hours After it fell, it Being Impossible to Get Clear of it We Bent our Cables for fear of the Banks that we Might try to Ride it out if we Got on.
25 Moderated Some But Verry Rough So that we Could Do no work.
26 Got a Jury Mast Up on the Main Mast.
27 Got up Jury Masts on the Fore & Mison Masts.
30 at 8 oClock in the Morning Saw a Brigg over our weather Bow 2 Leagues Dist We Kept our Course She Stood the Same way Just at Night we gave her two Guns but She kept on at Night we Lost Sight of her.