12 Aug 1821

Antigua August 12^th 1821

Sir.

    At the time of writing you last I was about to proceed to the wreck of the Spanish schooner in search of the money said to be on board of her, but after every exertion nothing of the kind could be found, the Cotton &c was brought to this Island & sold; the Cotton sold very low being much damaged the amount if sales about six hundred pounds, one third of which has been awarded for salvage; but before I could finally arrange it I was obliged to return to Barbuda in consequence of another vessel running on shore on the west side of the Island, she was the ship Hound from St Vincent for London laden with sugar, Rum & Cotton she struck about one o:clock of the first of this month but soon got off and were proceeding on their voyage, but found she made so much water were obliged again to stand for the land, & fortunate for them they had not proceeded far, for in less than half an hour she went down in about twenty five feet of water consequently her Decks are covered and all the sugar lost, the Rum is saved, and so I hope will be the Cotton, the latter is but a small quantity.  I have brought to this Island one of your Schooners (the Bethel) laden with different articles & shall return for more as soon as she can be discharged which I hope will be tomorrow; this has been a troublesome wreck as she is about seven miles from the land & to leeward of the Island consequently we have been obliged for the last week to sleep on board that Boats, I rather think we shall be obliged to ship that Rum to England to prevent paying that Colonial duty, but that I have not been yet able to ascertain as I am but just landed and the mail boat sails immediately after the Packet, we are much in want of rain not been able as yet to plant much Corn. By The Percy Hale Captⁿ Head who sailed the latter end of last month I shipped for you four Turtle a barrel of Arrow Root, a barrel of Cashew seeds, and a box of turtle shell which I hope will arrive safe as I was then engaged with the Spanish wreck & therefore fear no bill of lading has been forwarded

                                                                       I am

                                                                                Sir

                     Your Most Obedient

                      Humble Servant

               (signed) John James

Reference: JJ271 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

15 Dec 1820

Barbuda Dec^r 15^th 1820

Sir.

  Your letter of 3^rd Octo^r I duly received by the first Packet of that month; and lost no time in giving notice of the protest for non-payment of Robertsons Bill, he unfortunately had left Antigua for England; I therefore gave the notice to his Attorney, who was not a little surprised that the Bill should return to this Country under such circumstances; & I must confess I felt the same, he having on my presenting the protest for non-acceptance shown me O’Connors letter in which they promised to pay the Bill on the arrival of the vessel which took on sugars expressly to cover it. Mr Robinson is also their Agent in Antigua, & I understand loaded all their vessels last year. The Attorney in Antigua not having received any instructions respecting the Bills would not take it up, but has promised to write Mr Robinson informing him that the Regular protest for non-payment has been presented and has given no reasons to suppose that Mr Robertson will pay the Bill with all expenses if called upon in England, he has given me his address which you shall have at the bottom of this. As Mr Robinson’s stay in England may be uncertain, & as there is some risk at this time of the year on returning the protest &c, I have been advised not to send it back, more particularly so as in the Country you will be entitled in the first instance to damage of ten per cent on the non-payment, as well as an interest of six per cent from the moment it became due. Mr Robertson is in possession of four Estates in Antigua, & I understand has gone to England to endeavour to purchase another the property of the late Mr Karly. I can force nothing till the opening of the Courts which take place in March, when not a moment shall be lost unless the Bill is taken up of course you will not receive the amount in England unless both damages & Interest are paid. Robertson is very good for the money, and I exceedingly regret the Bill was not paid in the first instance, as I assure you I thought myself fortunate in getting it to forward to you. The damages will be fifty pounds Sterling on the purchase with than Interest of two pounds ten shillings every months it remains unpaid, I therefore trust you will think I have done right in keeping the protest and: particularly so as I am uncertain if you can recover the damages in England. Robertsons address, is

Charles Robertson Esq^r at Mess^rs Thomas Daniels(?) N^o.4 Mincing Lane London.  In giving you the state of the Island I am happy to say the weather is still favourable, and for the time it has lasted things have done well, but the long continuance of the last dry weather through us back much, & which we have not yet been able to make up. From the low state in which the stock was at the recommencement of the rain I have not yet been able to get any Beef fit for sale but I hope soon to do so, I have sold only a few Heifers for the last six months. The last years provisions both as to the Island stock as well as the Negro Grounds were so much injured by the Gail of 1819 that I been under the necessity of purchasing nearly one thousand and Bushels of Corn, but I am happy to say that I think after next week the Negroes will be enabled to feed themselves, & if we have but moderate following showers will do so for some months, this year I have fed them ten months.

  I have also much pleasure in saying the present Crops promise to be (letter damaged), the Corn will be later than usual when attribute to that constant rains we have had, but I has only (?) in saying it will be by far the largest crop ever granted on the island. The Hay is much more forward than usual it is already nearly half drawn, & will be a good Crop which we were in great want of, not having made any for the last three years, I had not a bail left, I hope to continue cutting the greater part of next month. I am

                                                                                Sir

                     Your Most Obedient Humble

                                  Servant

               (signed) John James

Robertson’s second Bill you must have in your position which will I should suppose be sufficient to recover the amount from him.

Reference: JJ270 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

02 Oct 1820

Barbuda Octo^r 2^nd 1820

Sir.

  I have great satisfaction in being able to inform you that the weather continues as favourable as could be wished for, we have had almost constant rains since my last of the 4^th instant in fact sometimes more than I liked, for on yesterday week there fell in fifteen minutes three & half inches of water; it came from the North West, but was by no means general; at half a mile distant from my house both to the South & East not a drop fell. On Friday night last we had a very general rain, and for a long continuance which is laid all the low lands under water, but as we have had so long a drought I trust it will soon be off without doing the Corn any injury; it is now so wet we cannot put a Hoe into it. These are the heaviest rains we have had since the year 1809, and as we have a much larger quantity of land planted then was ever before in this Island I trust the Crops will be proportionate. The Negro Grounds which are a great help are also looking well, little has been got from them for the last two years in consequence of the droughts, and the Gail of last year which destroyed all their fences, and although they were immediately put up, yet it could not be done so effectually is to prevent that Cattle from frequently breaking into them.

We had a pretty smart wind on the night of Tuesday last but not enough to do any injury.

We have now a prospect of an abundant Hay harvest which we very much want being quite out not having been able to make any the last two years, and therefore trust you will be good enough to send the Scythes I mentioned in my last by the first opportunity. As yet it has not been in our power to do anything to get their Cattle into the enclosures, but as soon as our Horses gain a little more strength we will endeavour to do so. The Cattle are picking up as well as I could expect, they were a great many of them very low, but I am happy to say considering every thing our losses have been trifling. I was much afraid of the young grass, but we have scarcely lost any thing since the rains have not in; there is every prospect of more rain but I shall be glad to dispense with that for the next three or four weeks. The Negroes are healthy and I trust the water will not lay long enough on the Ground to effect them. I remain

                                                                                Sir

                     Your Most Obedient Humble

                                  Servant

               (signed) John James

Reference: JJ269 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

07 Aug 1820

The entire first page is missing

  With regard to the Negroes I must again say this Island would do much better with only one half the present number now on it, than with the whole and I should be happy to part with them, but it will be impossible for me to do so without some assistance. The Droughers are also a great burthen to this Island is although Expense, & trouble fall on Barbuda; and their services almost exclusively to the benefit of your Antigua Estates; without any trouble or expense. As it is your desire to hear frequently I shall make a point of writing the first day of every month when it will be sure to meet the Packet at Antigua.

  Enclosed you have the second of M^r Otto Baijers draft on Mess^rs Davidson Berkly Inc(?) for £259.19:11 the first was sent by Mr Lemon with the Island Accounts. I am

Sir

Your Most The the Obed^t Humble

                                                                                Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: JJ268 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

22 Dec 1819

Barbuda Dec^r 22^nd 1819

Sir.

  In my letter of 9^th Sept^r I informed you that there would be some Horses to be sold from this Island in November, the sale of them took place on the fourth of this mouth by auction they did not sell so high, as I expected in fact in order to get tolerable prices I was under the necessity of selling them payable on 20^th of April next, taking good securities from the purchasers; some of the first sold as low as thirty four pounds currency, but some sold afterwards as high as seventy & seventy-five pounds which upon an average of sixteen the number sold brought them to above twenty guineas each. Great numbers of Horses have lately then imported from England stout Horses fit for the Plough are most in demand ours are too small for that use.

  I have also made an engagement for the sale of fifty Oxen at Thirty pounds per head to be delivered between this and the first day of March next, I have them now handy and shall be happy to get rid of them, they are to be taken from the Island.

  I am sorry to say the effects of the gale of the 28^th of September have been more severe than I first expected which I attribute to the immense quantity of the seawater which was carried by the wind to most every part of the Island the Yam Crop which promised to be a very good one is entirely destroyed I shall think myself fortunate if I get my seed for next year, the Negro Grounds have suffered in the same proportion, that piece of Corn which was overflowed by the sea I have not been able to reestablish from the quantity of salt deposited, and unfortunately we have the had very little rain since, but I have pleasure in saying the Pastures are good the light rains which have fallen just suiting them.  The entrance which was made by the Gale into the Lagoon was again stopped out in one night and by a heavy swell, but which is no more than I expected.  I remain

Sir Your Most Obedient

Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: Gloucestershire Records Office, Microfilm no.351, Section no.6, D1610 C24

Accessed through Simon Fraser University library