She did not approach near enough to satisfy our
curiosity, until we were ordered below for the night.
"Long were the hours of the night to the survivors of our crew. Slight
as was the foundation on which our hopes had been raised, we had clung
to them as our last resource. No sooner were the gratings removed in
the morning than we were all upon deck, gazing at the Cartel. Her deck
was crowded with men, whom we supposed to be British prisoners. In a
few moments they began to enter the Commissary's boats, and proceeded
to New York.
"In the afternoon a boat from the Cartel came alongside the hulk,
having on board the Commissary of Prisoners, and by his side sat our
townsman, Captain William Corey, who came on board with the joyful
information that the sloop was from Providence with English prisoners
to be exchanged for the crew of the Chance. The number which she had
brought was forty, being more than sufficient to redeem every survivor
of our crew then on board the Jersey.
"I immediately began to prepare for my departure. Having placed the
few articles of clothing which I possessed in a bag (for, by one of
our By-laws, no prisoner, when liberated, could remove his chest) I
proceeded to dispose of my other property on board, and after having
made sundry small donations of less value, I concluded by giving my
tin kettle to one of my friends, and to another the remnant of my
cleft of firewood.
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