XX XIV 
LIFE OF 
two days after we got on board, she sailed. We were very sick 
four days, but soon recovered ; and having a good, steady, fair 
breeze for near a fortnight, had hopes of making an excellent 
voyage. On the third day, and just as we lost sight of land, we 
spoke the Caledonia of Greenock, a letter of marque, bound for 
the Bay of Fundy ; and, on the Monday following, Dr Reynolds, 
who was tried and condemned by the Irish House of Lords, was 
discovered to be on board, and treated all the passengers and 
crew with rum-grog, which we drank to the confusion of despots, 
and the prosperity of liberty all the world over. Till the 17th of 
June, we had pretty good weather, and only buried an old woman 
and two children. On the 18th, we fell in with an amazing 
number of islands of ice ; I counted at one time thirty-four in 
sight, some of whom that we nearly passed was more than twice 
as high as our main top gallant mast head, and of great extent : 
we continued passing among them, with a good breeze, for two 
days, during which time we run at the least five knots an hour. 
On the 20th we had a storm of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, 
beyond any thing I had ever witnessed. Next day a seaman 
dropped overboard ; and, though he swam well, and made for the 
ship, yet the sea running high, and his clothes getting wet, he 
perished within six yards of a hen coop, which we had thrown 
over to him. On the 11th of July, we could plainly perceive 
land from the mast head ; but a terrible gale of wind blowing all 
night from the shore, it was Sunday before we had again the 
satisfaction of seeing it, scarcely perceptible through the fog ; but 
a pilot coming on board, and the sun rising, we found ourselves 
within the Capes of the Delaware, the shore on land having the 
appearance of being quite flat, and only a complete forest of trees. 
About seven at night, having had a good breeze all day, we cast 
anchor at a place called Reedy Island, where one of the cabin 
passengers, and the first man who leapt ashore in the long boat, 
was drowned in returning to the ship. We arrived at Newcastle 
next day about mid-day, where we were all as happy as mortals 
could be ; and being told that Wilmington was only five miles 
up the river, we set out on foot through a flat woody country, that 
looked in every respect like a new world to us, from the great 
profusion of fruit that every where overhung our heads, the 
