01 May 1818

Barbuda May 1^st 1818

Sir.

  Inclosed you have the seconds of Mr Byams two Bills of Exchange on Mess^rs Rodie & Shands for £95: 2:5 & £45: 7:4 Sterling the firsts of which were forwarded in my Letter of the 16^th March, and which I hope have reached safe; they were to have gone by the Packet which sailed about that time, but I find the Boat which followed her to St Thomas’s did not get their till she had sailed; the Antigua mail was therefore forwarded by another vessel.  I am sorry to say we have had no rain since my last, the Island is therefore extremely dry; but the stock still continues in pretty good condition.  The woolly sheep have just been shorn, and I have pleasure in saying the wool is rather better than it has been at any former shearing; as I suppose you would like to have it sent to Bristol I shall keep it till a ship sails for that Port; the flock now consist of two hundred & twenty three Ewes of the American breed and seven Spanish, besides rams, & wethers; my wish is to increase this flock to about two thousand which I think we may maintain within the Walls; I have a Dozen Rams to turn into the woods this season.  I had some turned out last year they have not been seen since, and I have yet seen but one Lamb that appears to be of their getting.  Mr Osborn has made a demand of six more Oxen which shall be sent him next week, I rather think his demand will be pretty heavy for the next season, which I must endeavour to provide for, this dry weather will I hope enable us to Pen them.  Mr Osborn also wishes me to send him the Negros from Barbuda but as they are very loath to leave the Island, and have an idea that it is in my power to keep them here I have requested that he would come over himself and make a demand of them, and take them off; for altho I do not expect any great opposition, yet I think it but fair as he is to receive the benefit of their removal that he should also take a share of the trouble should any occur, or a positive order from you to me to remove them mentioning the number shall be instantly, complied with, they would then see the necessity I was under of sending them to Antigua.

  By the Ships George Hibbert & West Indian I have sent you six fine Turtles, four by the former, and two by the latter, I hope they will reach you in good condition.  What Cotton I can get ready shall be sent by some ship that will sail next month. I am

                                                                                Sir

                     Your Most Obedient Humble

                                  Servant

               (signed) John James

Reference: JJ266 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

21 Nov 1817

Bettys Hope

Antigua Nov^r 21^st 1817

Sir.

   Your favor of the first October I received by the last Mail, am happy to find the Wool sold to your satisfaction, I shall do every thing in my power to increase the flock of woolly sheep, in my next I will endeavour to form some idea of the number of sheep we shall be enabled to keep; I wished not to have written to you till my return to Barbuda, which I intended to have done this day, but the wind is now so very squally with rain that I am obliged to postpone it; and the boat will follow the Packet on Monday next. My business in this Island has been to settle the salvage of a small Schooner which was wrecked on the North side of Barbuda, on the night of the 20^th of last month; she was last from Philadelphia, and had a valuable Cargo on board, consisting of Brandy, Wine, Soap, Lard &c, she sank about 2 O:Clock in the morning; three miles from the shore, and before day light was entirely in pieces, therefore nothing was saved but what drifted to the shore, & was sold in this Island for about £700 Currency; the Crew who saved themselves in their Boat had secured the whole before I got to the beach, the vessel having gone to pieces before day light the wreck was discovered by the person I had sent round the Bays.  As we did not assist in saving the Cargo the Magistrates have only awarded us the trouble of transporting the Articles to this Island, for which they have given £100 Currency; I shall leave the money here with the hopes of getting a Bill for its amount by the next Packet.

  Lord Combermere has been visiting the Islands to inspect the Troops under his command, he reached this Island on Sunday last, hearing that he had an idea of going to Barbuda, I waited on him the day after his arrival, when I found that he had too little time at his disposal being obliged to be in Barbados on a certain day; but intends going to Barbuda the next tour he makes through the Islands, I have sold him some Heifers for his Estates which he is to send for; he requested me to let you know that I had seen him.

  In your letter you mentioned that you would endeavour to send out two or three Mares, I should feel much more obliged if you could send a good Horse or two, as we have Mares enough on the Island, but are greatly in want of good Horses; they should be about half breed with a good deal of Bone as draft Horses fit for Whiskeys are the most valuable, and the Barbuda Horses are rather too slight for that work; having been chiefly bred from the Barb.  The Dogs will be most acceptable we are greatly in want of them.  Since my last we have had an abundance of rain in fact rather too much, when I left Barbuda the low lands were entirely under water, so much so that Cart could not get from the Castle to the Fort.

                                        I am Sir

                     Your Most Obed^t Humble

                                  Servant

               (signed) John James

The Negros on Barbuda have lately been much afflicted with Bowel complaints, but I am happy to say we have had no loss

Reference: JJ265 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

12 Aug 1817

Barbuda August 12^th 1817

Sir.

   By the second June Packet which arrived at Antigua last week, I had the pleasure of receiving your favor of the 15^th June; I am sorry to say that the first of Rawlin’s Bill has not yet reached me, the Courts are now closed till next March, before which time I trust it will be sent; when I will immediately proceed to St Kitts, & do every thing that is possible to recover it: since I have been here I have corresponded two or three times with Governor Probin, & shall make a point of waiting on him whenever I may go to St Kitts, it is his particular desire that I would do so.

  It was not my intention of going to Antigua till after the Hurricane months are over, but in consequence of a French Brig from Guadeloupe bound to Bordeaux, with Sugar, Cotton, Coffee, & Rum having been wrecked on the South East end of the Island, on the Night of the second Instant, at which we have been ever since working; I shall be obliged to go in a few days, to settle the salvage.  Immediately on her striking which was about ten or eleven O:Clock at Night the Captain & Crew took to their Boat, without taking in a single Sail supposing themselves to be on the Anegada reefs; she was in sight of the Fort, and a signal was made at daylight for a vessel in distress, but from the distant she was, and having the boats to carry over land three miles, & then about ten to row against the wind, it was Noon before I could get on board her, by which time in consequence of the Sails having been left standing her bottom was so much injured that she was nearly full of water, at least as high inside as it was out, I immediately preceded to unbend her sails, & get down her Yards and top masts to make her lay more easy; the next day the Captain and part of the Crew returned, they having been at Antigua, since which we have been endeavouring to save as much of the Cargo is possible, and sending it to Antigua; this morning I sent off the last with the Captain & Crew, and shall follow as soon as I know on what day the sale of it is to take place.  Little of the Sugar has been saved as everything but the top Tier was wet & the Sugar washed out, but the Cotton, Rum, and Coffey are all saved, it has been some trouble as I have had every day six miles to ride to the Boats, & then about as many to row to the vessel, I should think that what has been saved will sell for about five or six thousand Dollars.

  I am happy to say that since my last we have had some good rains particularly so on Wednesday last (on which day it rained & blew so hard as to prevent our getting on board the wreck) that I have been enabled to plant the whole of my Corn & Cotton, if we have a good season I trust we shall have a good supply; my Yams are looking remarkably well a large quantity of which are planted.

  By the ship Francis which left Antigua on the first of this month I have sent to Mr Trattle five Bales of Cotton, as the vessels were employed carrying Sugars, I was not enabled to send it over till 31^st July, consequently could not get a The bill of Lading in time to write Mr Trattle, but desired my Agent at Antigua to forward him one under a blank cover by the ship, which he assures me he has done, a duplicate of which I enclose in this.  I hope you will not forget the Bull Dogs, we have many very fine Oxen in the woods but cannot get them for want of good Dogs, I have lately been applied to for seventy Head but cannot procure them, as the weather has been so favourable (letter damaged) time past that they will not go to the Pens to water.

                                        I am

Sir

Your Most Obe^dt Humble

            Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: JJ264 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

09 July 1817

Barbuda July 9^th 1817

Sir.

    On the fourth Ins^t I wrote you inclosing a Bill of lading for six Bales of Wool which is on board the ship Bristol Volunteer, she was to be ready to sail tomorrow.  I now find the Packet has been at Antigua, I therefore inclose you the seconds of the six Bills of Exchange, the first of which was sent to you in my Letter of 14^th June; and as it is probable that Packet may arrive in England before the Volunteer I have also inclosed a duplicate of the Bill of Lading for the Wool.  I have also sent by the Volunteer to Turtle and a Barrel of Cashew Seeds.

  Altho I wrote you about the Wool on the 14^th June, I think it necessary to mention again that the Bale N^o.6 is the last shorn, and that there is another Bale, the Number of which I do not know, which was shorn in October last, the Wool in the other for I fear is not very good as it has been laying here some time, and was so full of dirt is to be obliged to be washed, but it may probably answer to have worked up for your own Negro Clothing.  The remainder of the Cotton will go in the Ship Francis which will sail some time this month.

  I have not yet received the first of Rawlins’s Bill but trust it will arrive before the Courts next year, when every step shall be taken to recover the money any; I understand Stedman Rawlins the drawer of the Bill is now in England.

  In consequence of the loss of the two Island vessels when I was in England, and the remaining one being very old, (in fact she was condemned when I first came on the Island is not seaworthy, but by repairing her on the Island I have kept her till this time) I am under the necessity of building a new one for the next Crop, which I shall undertake immediately.  A ship builder from Antigua offered to superintend it, but his terms were so very high (one hundred Ioes(?) about £165 Sterling) merely to look on occasionally, that I have not engaged him, I have offered him 100 Currency to lay the frame and hope he will accede to it, if not a shall undertake it my self.

  We are still without any quantity of rain, nor do I wish for any till the end of this month, by which time I shall have a good proportion of Land ready for Corn &c.  I am

Sir

              Your Most Obed^t Humble

Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: Gloucestershire Records Office, Microfilm no.351, Section no.6, D1610 C24
Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

14 June 1817

Antigua June 14^th 1817

Sir.

   Since my last to you of the 21^st April I have had the pleasure to receive yours of the fifth March; which I had answered to go by the last Packet, but the Calm weather, & southerly winds prevented my boat from getting to this Island before the mail boat followed the Packet I have therefore thought it useless to send it with this.  I have then anxiously looking for the first of Rawlin’s Bills which you mentioned in your letter had been sent to me some weeks before you wrote, but I am sorry to say it has not yet arrived, I have therefore not been able to take any steps in the business for want of it, and the last Courts are now closing for the year; but I trust it will arrive so that we may be ready by the opening of the Courts next Season.  I suppose it must have slipped the memory of the Gentleman that was to have sent it.

  With respect to the removal of the Negros from Barbuda I had not taken any steps, on receipt of yours I wrote to Mr Osborn stating to him as there will be great objection is on the part of the Negros to leave the Island, that the best method would be for you to give a positive order for a certain number to be removed; in which case your orders must & shall be put into execution; I was in hopes to have seen Mr Osborn before the last Packet sailed, but the state of the weather would not admit of my crossing the Channel without the risk of my being out two or three days, however I am happy to find that he wrote you on the subject.  Since I have been here I have made particular enquiries concerning the Bill which has passed the Legislature of this Island, and am happy to find that Barbuda has been taken care of, as far as it was possible to do so; Negros may at all times be brought from that Island to this, and on particular occasions such as wrecks happening, or a Gale of wind doing any damage.  Tradesmen are permitted to go there provided a security is given for their again returning to this Island, in fact Barbuda would have been exempted altogether, but it was feared that in case of them intention of sending Negros from Antigua the Law might be evaded by first sending them to Barbuda.  Altogether the Bill appears to be merely to prevent diminution of Slaves on this Island, as many have within the last year or two been sent from this to some of the Southern Colonies.  The Negros which we shall be able to spare from Barbuda must be very young ones, as at present it is with difficulty in case of the wreck that I can properly man our Boats, which was the reason we did not get to the last two vessels on shore in time to claim a Salvage, they were on the South side, and the boats had to make half the circuit of the Island to get to them, they therefore got off without our assistance; nor will the Negros if sent off young feel the change so much as older ones.

  I am happy to say our weather continues favourable, the greater part of my yams are planted, and I am preparing for Corn and Cotton with all expedition.  By the ship Killenbeck which sailed early May I sent six Bales of Cotton consigned to Mr Trattle; it was all I had ready at that time, the remainder shall go by the Francis which will sail early in July; it will be about six or eight Bales more by the Bristol Volunteer you will receive six Bales of sheep wool some of it has been on the Island some time and I fear is not very good, but the shepherds assure me it is worth sending; the Bale N^o 6 is the last taken from the sheep, will therefore be the proper sample, there is also another Bale which was shorn last October but I do not know the Number of it.  By the London ships only for Turtle were sent you, two by the George Hibbert and two by the West Indian, I shall send you some by the Bristol Volunteer.

   Inclosed you will receive the first’s of six Bills of Exchange. (Viz) two drawn by J:J: Kerin one on Miss^rs Richard & Thomas Neavis, London for £233: 18:11, the other on Henry Fauntleroy Esq^r London for £256: 17:7 three by John Osborn one as Attorney to Will^m Ogilvy on Captⁿ Will^m Ogilvy RN Edenburgh for £156: 4:6. one as Attorney to William M Frye,on Will^m M Frye at Geo: Blackmans Esqr London for £50 and the other as Attorney to Alice Eliot on misters Plummer Barham & Co London for £65: 11:9 lastly one drawn by Wm Shill on Henry Dyatt Esq^r London for £30, together making the sum of £792: 12:9 Sterling.  You have also enclosed the second of Sir H: W: Martins Bill for £616: 17:4, the first of which was sent you on the 21^st April.  I hope you will receive them safe.  I had requested my Agent here to send you the Barbuda Accounts (letter damaged) the end of December last, I now find they were sent to you (letter damaged) blank cover by the Killenbeck, no notice of the Bills (letter damaged) was taken in these Accounts, they will appear in the next

                                                I am

            Sir

             Your Most Obedient

              Humble Servant

        (signed) John James

Reference: JJ263 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.