Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

After my humble service presented
Not knowing but this may be the first. I
make bold to acquanit you, that I came in a Hollands
ketch from New England; whence wee departed the 15th
of the last month, and left there at [or] neere Boston, S^r
Fran. Wheelers Squadron, who had been there about a month,
came from Martinico (of their ill success there, I supporte
you have been acquainted) and (as he sayd) would saile
in 3 or 4 [days] after us, homewards, only purposed to take
Newfoundland in their way. They have had a great
mortality abord, since their defeat, by which considerably
more men have dyed, than otherwise, ^{amongst other Gentt Folck} in summer there was
only left 550 of the 2 Regiments of soldiers, and the
shipps not half man'd and of those not half seamen, w^ch
are now in good health, some little supply of seamen he
will get, but not many.

The Nonesuch had taken a french Caper ^{at or about Rode Island}
with 126 men
w^ch would be dispersed amongst them.

I cannot omit giving you an accompt of an observation
I have made, That is, I am persuaded, The careless nasty
Idlness of your Cooks is the occasion of so much sickness
abord the Shipps, for on the inside of the upper part of
the copper, in w^ch the victuals is boyled, which they cannot
come at easeily, with their clensing utensils It is so thick
of [funn'd cankory] matter, which proceeds from the copper
I think enough to breed an infection and the more
southward the Shipps goe, and the longer stay, the greater
influence it hath. I begg your pardon if I have trans
gressed & crave leave to subsribe my self

To M^r William Blathwait
at the Plantation Office
Whitehall

22 Aug [torn]
from Cap^t Turfry
S Francis Wheeler arrived
in New England [illegible] middle
of the last month