att So. Cruzing
off of Cape Maze. delivered to Saml. Nixon a New hand a Gun and
Cartouch Box, to Marshall a pistoll and Cartouch box he having Lost
his that he had found him before, to Ephraim Read and Benjn. Blanchard
Each a pistoll theirs being broke, and to Humphry Walters a Cutlasses
having lost is [his] Given him before, all which Arms they are to pay
for.

_Thursday 17._ Still Cruizing as above. att 7 PM. saw 2 Sloops, one on
Our Starbord and the other on the Larboard Bow, steering No.West. We
fired Severall Shott to bring them too but one of them was Obstinate.
Capt. Hubbard brot. too att the first Shott. he was Come from Jamaica
and bound to York. he Informd Us that there was a large fleet Just
Arrived from England to Join the Admiral, that Admiral Vernon was Gone
to St. Aga[75] de Cuba, that there was a hott press both by Sea and
Land, and that the Spanish Admiral with a Large Man of Warr was blown
up att the Avanah,[76] which News We hope is true, that the other
Sloop was one Capt. Styles bound also to York and Saild in Comp'y with
him, that there was a Ship also to Load,[76a] which we Saw with a
Schooner, the former bound to London and the Schooner to Rhode Island.
Styles Received Some damage by his Obstinacy for not bringing too,
having hulled him and tore his Sails. Att 5 AM. Saw a top sail
Vessell, the Master Going to Mast-head to See what Course she Steer'd
had the misfortune to break his Arm Just above his wrist. Gave the
Vessell Chase as farr as Inagua Island[77] where she brot. too. We
made the Capt. Come on board with his papers. he Came from Lougan[78]
and was bound to Nantz in france, Loaded with Sugar, Indigo and Hydes,
also 300 ps. of 8/8 Sent by the Intendant to the Receiver of the
Customs of Nantz. We went aboard in his Yawl and found his Cargo
Agreeable to his Bills of Lading and Manifest togather with his
Clearance, so lett him past. he Informed Us that there was a Brigt.
belonging to the Spaniards att Lougan that Came in there by disstress
having Lost his Mast, Which Gentleman we hope to have the Honour to
dine or Sup with before Long. he further told Us that the Last North
Wind had done Great damage having drove Severall Vessell to Sea all
Unrigged.

[Footnote 75: Santiago. Vernon and Wentworth, having failed to take
Cartagena, were now planning an attack, which proved to be equally
unsuccessful, on Santiago de Cuba.]

[Footnote 76: The _Invencible_, flagship of Don Rodrigo de Torres, w