Floride

1767 · rif. 351783 — New Providence Bahamas 1767. 2pp folded folio sheet with integral blank. Old folds minor staining. 2pp folded folio sheet with integral blank. The Brigatine Apollo left the bay of Honduras on 11 June 1767 bound for Rhode Island on a course through the Gulf of Florida. "That about one of the clock in the morning of the day following the said Brigantine got on the reef of Florida whereupon the deponents immediately got out the said Brig.t's long boat and carried out an anchor in order to heave her off & likewise lightened the vessell by throwing over board some of her cargo: That at six of the clock the said brigatine began to leak very much & at eight o'clock these deponents discovered a vessell in shore which soon after came to their assistance & prov'd to be a sloop belonging to New Providence . having attempted in vain to get the said vessell off & the tide then flowing into her they thought it absolutely necessary to endeavor to save whatever they possibly could of the said Brigatine & her cargo and accordingly proceeded to unbend the sails & strip the said vessell . and do hereby solemnly protest aginst the said reef of Florida for all losses damages & expences hitherto sustained thereby ." The document does not specify the nature of the cargo going from British Honduras to Rhode Island but was perhaps mahogany or other timber used in colonial New England for cabinet making. unknown