The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Capt. Ebenezer Ward, in the Snow Endecott, who arrived here last Wednesday, relates as follows :--"As I lay at the Grand Key on July 25, 1771, at about 3 o'Clock, P. M. two Sloops came off the Road, one from New-London, bound to the Mole, which about 6 o'Clock bore away for said Port: The other was the Sloop Sally, James M'Conner, Master, from Newbern in North-Carolina, bound for Jamaica, who lay off & on till half an Hour past 7 o'Clock, P. M. and then bore away for Jamaica, as he afterwards said. He ordered the Course, when he bore away S. by W. though the Reef was plain to be seen by him and all the Crew from the Deck. and bore S. S. W. a little Westerly, and the Salt Key the same: He was told by Thomas Abel,(as I was afterwards informed by said Abel) who was at Helm at that Time. that that Course would carry him ashore :---His Answer was, Never fear you mind, don't you fall off that Course :--And at 8 o'Clock,P.M. he was fast ashore on the Reef, between Grand Key and Salt Key, and bore S. by W. from the Road.--Thomas Abel, one of the said Sloop's Hands, desired of me a Passage, which I refused; my reason for which was, that if his Master was so great a Rogue as he appeared, he should not have it to say, that his Hands were gone, and he could not proceed further ;---for I heard that he intended to Sell his Vessel,---and told him (the Captain) that if he intended to sell, I would send away my Snow, and stay and buy his Sloop :---He told me no, he would take more Hands and proceed to Hispaniola,--though he goes on board and tells his Crew, he would get no more Hands, (as said Abel told me) it was supposed to make them run away. Nicholas Frith, who was one of the Wreckers, informed me they pumped her out and sucked her two or three Times : but the Captain forbid them, saying, he would save what he could for the under-writers, and the harder she lay the better for him.--If any Disputes should happen relative to the above, let those concerned apply to the Agent and other Gentlemen at the Grand Key at Turk's Island.

I have reason to suspect the Master's Design, as he followed me to the Beach, and desired me not to put him in the Prints ; but on my saying I should when I arrived he then desired me not to mention his Name, but only in general a Sloop from Carolina."