Drowne, a surgeon in the Revolutionary army, made this one cruise as surgeon on the privateer Hope. These extracts give us a picture of the most attractive and most profitable mode of warfare. The American cruisers and privateers made about seven hundred captures of British vessels during the war.

TUESDAY, OCT. 3 [1780]. Sailed from Providence on board the 1 Sloop HOPE, mounting seven guns. Wind at N. E. drizzly, dirty weather. Outsailed Mr. John Brown in his famous boat. Put about for Capt. Munro, and take Mr. Brown and Capt. S Smith on hoard, who dine with us. Some time after noon Capt. Munro comes on board, and a few glasses of good wishes founded on Hope having circled, Col. Nightingale, &c. depart, and we proceed on our course....

11th Whilst at Dinners a Sail cried. Immediately give chase, and discover another. One, a 5100p which bears down upon us; the other a brig. Make every preparation for an engagement; but, on approaching and hailing the Sloop, she proved to be the Randolph, Capt. Fosdick from New London,Ñmounting I8 four pounders, [140 tons.] The Brig, with only two guns, her prize from England, taken at 8 o'clock this morning.ÑCapt. Fosdick says her Cargo amounted to £20,000 Sterling. What good and ill fortune were consequent on that capture ! ÑHard for those poor fellows, their tedious Voyage being just accomplished, thus to have their brightening prospect clouded in a moment. If Virtue is the doing good to others, privateering cannot be justified upon the principles of Virtue;Ñthough I know it is not repugnant to The Laws of Nations, but rather deemed policy amongst warring powers thus to distress each other, regardless of the suffering individual. But however agreeable to, and supportable by the rights of war; yet, when individuals come thus to despoil individuals of their property, 'tis hard: Ñthe cruelty then appears, however, political.

12th. Early this morning two sail in sight, a Ship and Brig. Chase them chief of the day to no purpose. We conclude they sail well, and may be bound to Philadelphia.ÑLat. 39° 6'. Soundings 19 fathoms. Lost sight of the Randolph by the chase.

13th. A foggy morning and Scotch mist. Clears away pleasant. Lat. 39° 31'. This Afternoon a Sloop discovered under the lee bow standing before the wind: All hands upon deck preparing for the chase: Ñbut little wind so the oars are to be plied. I must go and see how we come on.ÑNight obliges us to give over the pursuit.

14th. A sail seen from Mast-head; proves a Ship. We chase. Catch a Herring-Hog, which makes us a fine Breakfast, and dinner for the whole crew. Another sail heaves in sight. Upon a nearer approach the Ship appears to be of the line. Several in sight. Towards evening signal guns heard. We take them to be men of War, standing in, N. W. by W. Longitude by reckoning 73° 3o: Lat. 39° 34 26 fathoms. A pleasant moon-light Evening. Spend it in walking the Quarter Deck.

15th. A pleasant day: See a Sail to windward; as she rather approaches us we lie a hull for her. I think it is more agreeable waiting for them, than rowing after them. Get a fishing line under way: catch a Hake and a few Dog-fish. It being Sunday, try the efficacy of a clean shirt, in order to be something like folks ashore. Give chase, as the vessel comes down rather slow. On approaching discover her to be a Snow. She hauls her wind and stands from us;Ñsails very heavy, and Capt. Munro is sanguine in the belief we shall make a prize of her. Get everything in readiness to board her. '1 here seems something awful in the preparation for an attack, and the immediate prospect of an action. She hauls up her courses and hoists English Colours. I take my station in the Cabin; where, remain not long before I hear the Huzza on deck in consequence of her striking. Send our boat for the Captain & his papers. She sailed from Kingston, Jamaica, upwards of 4o days since, in a fleet, and was bound to New York: Capt. William Small, Commander. She has ten men on board and four excellent four pounders. Her Cargo consists of 149 Puncheons, 23 Hogsheads, 3 Quarter Casks and g Barrels of Rum, and 20 Hogsheads Muscovado Sugar. Send two prize Masters and ten men on board, get the prisoners on board our Vessel, and taking the prize in tow, stand towards Egg Harbour. We hardly know what to do with the prize: the wind shifting a little we stand to the eastward.

16th Keep an eastern course, to try to get her into our harbour if possible. Now we are terribly apprehensive of seeing a sail.ÑAbout sunset a sail seen from mast-head, which excites no small anxiety. Cast off the Snow's hawser, &c.Ñhowever night coming on and seeing no more of said sail, pursue our course. Sound, 42 fathoms of water....

19th. The Snow in sight this morning; run along side and take her in tow again.... Lat. 40° 3o: At this rate the West Indies will bring us up sooner than Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket. 49 fathoms. Have our Pistols hung up in the Cabin, to be in readiness for the prisoners, should they take it into their heads to rise upon the watch in the night.... e

22nd. Sunday. Very foggy. What wind there is, ahead.ÑWeigh Anchor, and out oars.ÑA fair gentle breeze springs from the South. Pass through Bristol Ferry way with hard tugging about the middle of the afternoon: come to Anchor in the Bay, but where rendered uncertain by the fog having come up again....

23rd. Early, after breakfast, we set off again in the boat, with the Compass, being still surrounded with an excessive fog. Run ashore to the Eastward of Nayat Point, and mistake it for Connimicut: however, arrive at Providence about 11 o'clock, it having cleared off very pleasant. thus ends our short, but tedious cruise. ÑAt sunset the Sloop and Snow arrive, firing 13 cannon each.

[Solomon Drowne, Journal of a Cruise in the Fall of 1780 in the Private-Sloop-of-War, Hope (Analectic press, New York, 1872), 3-18 passim. ]