Near the mouth of the Spyt den duviel, they overtook a schooner laden with rum, sugar, wine and other supplies for the American army, which they captured, together with a vessel lying at anchor. They next overhauled the sloop hav-ing on board Bushnell's American Turtle and it was supposed that they were well aware of what the cargo consisted, for they continued firing into her until she went down to the bottom of the Hudson. "This machine," says Heath, in speaking of the Turtle, "was worked under water. It con-veyed a magazine of powder, which was to be fixed under the keel of a ship, then freed from the machine, and left with the clock-work going, which was to produce fire when the machine had got out of the way. Mr. Bushnell had great confidence of its success, and had made several experiments, which seemed to give him countenance; but its fate was truly a contrast to its design." Two of the galleys and most of the small craft made out to enter Spyt den duviel Creek, where they found protection from either shore. Captain Cook, afraid to run up the creek on account of its shallowness, kept on with the ships; but was compelled to drive ashore at Philipse-Mills. The other two galleys, of which the Independence was one, were fast sailers and confidently believed that they could keep ahead of their pursuers; but the wind freshened more and more, and the enemy gained so fast upon the fugitives, that soon after eleven o'clock the former began to fire at them with their bow-chasers, and at noon overreached them. This caused them to bear in shore. At half past one, escape had become impossible, and the galleys were run aground above Dobbs Ferry. The crews at first, attempted to save their arms and baggage; but a heavy cannonade soon compelled them to jump overboard and swim ashore, where they con-concealed themselves in the bushes, until driven from their hiding places, by repeated broad sides of grapeshot.