21. Last night eleven Frenchmen made their escape from a separate prison, in another yard, and five soldiers are confined on the same account.
22. This forenoon Mr. Sorrey came again, and brought a couple of letters which he received from Bilboa, one of which was from Mr. Emery, of Bilboa, to Captain Lee’s crew, which informed them that Captain Lee had arrived in Bilboa, and that his whole crew, if they would write, might be supplied with fifty shillings a share, and Captain Bradbury, in this prison, with six guineas.
This afternoon, all hands were called, and the agent called over the names of the hundred that were to go in the first draft, and desired that we should hold ourselves in readiness to be exchanged. Never was I so rejoiced to hear my name called, upon any occasion, as upon this. I am about the fortieth upon the agent’s list. It appears that we are not to be exchanged as we were captured, but according to the date of our commitment, so that all our crew will not be included in the first draft. Out of one hundred and twenty which arrived in England, belonging to the Dolton, only eighty-six are left in prison to be exchanged.
23. We are so well assured of a cartel, now, that we lay aside all schemes for effecting our escape, and look out daily for orders to embark. An officer that belonged to the Mermaid frigate, that was chased ashore in America, who has been a prisoner in Philadelphia about a month, and has since been exchanged, and now arrived home, came to see us this afternoon, and talked with us. He gave us a very sad account of the price of provisions in America.
24. It is twenty-five months this night, that I have been a prisoner. We have been informed that last night, some men were discovered, in attempting to set fire to the King’s dock-yard, in this port.
25. There are seven or eight now in the hospital, sick with fevers, but most of them are upon the recovering order, except those who were lately taken sick, two of which number labor under great concern of mind, relating to their future state, and to-day we obtained liberty of Mr. Coudry, to send for a minister.
26. It is two years and two months, to-day, since I sailed from Portsmouth, in the brig Dolton.