his day we left the entrance of the harbor and bore
away for Kennebeck river. In the latter part of the night, there came on
a thick fog and our fleet was separated. At break of day we found
ourselves in a most dangerous situation, very near a reef of rocks. The
rocks indeed appeared on all sides of us, so that we feared we should
have been dashed to pieces on some of them. We were brought into this
deplorable situation by means of liquor being dealt out too freely to
our pilots.--Their intemperance much endangered their own lives and the
lives of all the officers and soldiers on board; but through the
blessing of God we all arrived safe in Kennebeck river.

September 20. This day was very pleasant, and with a gentle breeze we
sailed and rowed 30 miles up the Kennebeck river. By the evening tide we
floated within 6 miles of Fort Western, where we were obliged to leave
our sloops and take to our batteaus.

September 21. This day we arrived at Fort Western, where we tarried
until the 25th in order to make farther preparation for our voyage up
the river, and our march through the wilderness.

While remaining in this place I was called to witness a scene which to
me was awful and very affecting; the more so I presume as it was the
first of the kind I ever beheld. A civil, well behaved and much beloved
young man, belonging to Captain Williams' company, was shot. He lived
but about twelve hours, and died in great horror and agony of mind at
the thought of going into eternity and appearing before his God and
judge. He was from the north parish of New-London and had a wife and
four or five children.

The supposed murderer was James McCormick. The circumstances of his
being out all night, and his guilty looks and actions, were pretty
convincing proof against him. He was tryed by a Court-Martial and
sentenced to be hanged until dead, his gallows erected, and all things
prepared for his execution. Our Chaplain conversed with him respecting
his crime, the awful punishment he was soon to suffer, and the more
awful and never ending punishment that would await him in the eternal
world if he did not repent and believe in Christ. He would not confess
himself guilty of intentionally murdering the young man; but that he
intended to have killed his captain, with whom he had the night before a
violent quarrel. He was brought to the gallows, a prayer made, and the
time for his execution almost arrived, when Colonel Arnold thought best
to