8 August 1810

Barbuda August 8^th 1810

Sir

  The salvage for the sloop Unicorn has been settled, the Gross amount of the sales is £1570. 15 the Magistrates have awarded you one third which is £523. 11. 8 but you will have to pay out of it £50 the hire of a Drougher that took over part of the Cargo, as well as some Lighterage; the reason of these being hired was, that, the wreck happened at a time when the Fleet was about sailing and when Mr Hodge was a good deal pressed & therefore required the Island vessels to get your Sugar down in time; the amount of the salvage I presume has been paid on this to Mr Martin.

  The Island quarters accounts to 30^th June I have left in Antigua to be forwarded to you by the Packet, the Balance of which is £1854. 11. 11 ½, the greatest part of which I have paid Mr Martin and I have no doubt but the whole is paid by this time, as I left the very particular directions Mr Boadley the agent to do it.

  I have great pleasure in forming you that since my last we have had some very good rains particularly within the last week, in consequence of which the whole of the Yams are now in the Ground, and are doing well. I have also planted about 150 Acres with Cotton, one half of which is Now Land, and is looking as well as I could wish, the other half is in Land that has been cleared some years, and I fear from its present parents will not succeed, unless the weather continues to be favourable, however if the Cultivation is found to answer, I shall be unable to get if sufficient quantity of good Land cleared for another season. The stock over every description, from the great abundance of Pasture, all over the Island, are in as good condition as could be wished for; we have had a much larger quantity of Calves this season than I ever remember. The remainder of the last years yams I have now been able to dispose of, Admiral Cochrane has bought them at 12 (shilling symbol) per 112 lbs(?) for the Navy, a schooner sailed from this yesterday with 39 thousand weight.

  I have sent to Antigua four Green Turtle, & three Barrels of Cashew Nuts to be forwarded to you by a ship belonging to Mr Trattle, and Sam which will sail I understand in a few days.

                                                                                              I have the honor to be
                                                                                                Sir
                                                                                                your most obedt. humble servant
                                                                                             (signed) John James

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

16 July 1810

Antigua July 16^th 1810

Sir

    On Friday night the 22^nd of last month, the Americans sloop Unicorn, from Rhode Island bound to Antigua, with Corn & Provisions, was wrecked on the North Reef of Barbuda; the whole of her deck load consisted of Fish, & wood Hoops, was thrown overboard immediately on her striking; the remainder of the cargo has been saved, with the exception of some Corn which got wet; it was sold on Saturday last by public auction; I have deferred writing until the very last moment, in hopes, to inform you of the exact sum it sold for, which has not yet been ascertained; as the Corn & some other things have not yet been delivered; but as nearly as I can calculate, it will be about 1600 pounds currency; I hope the delivery of the whole will be effected today, in which case the salvage will be settled tomorrow, & the money immediately paid to Mr Martin. I am sorry to say Barbuda is not lately had its share of rain, about five weeks since. I was unable to plant some part of my yams, & about 50 Acres of Cotton, the former is doing as well as I could expect considering the dry weather since; but nearly the whole of the Cotton must be planted over again, I have now at least 140 Acres ready for it. I left Barbuda on Wednesday last, since which there has been a good deal of rain in this Island, I hope Barbuda has also had some, if so, the whole of the Cotton & Yams are in the Ground. I have been able to sell but a very small quantity of the last years yams, & that to the Navy, as Cash cannot be got from the Estates in this Island for them, however, as Mr Hodge is in want of provisions for your Estates, & has agreed to take both the Yams & Corn which I may have to spare, I trust it will be the same thing to you; the Corn will be full as much as I before informed you, but that Yams must of course at the season of the year decrease considerably in weight; I have now more Ground prepared for Yams than I had last year, which I hope will do well stocked I shall also pay particular attention to the Cotton. For the first time, since I have been on the Island, we have this year had a second dropping of Lambs, particularly on the North side, & middle of the Island, in the windward, & South sides we have not been quite so fortunate, perhaps owing to the difference of feed; the Cattle are in good order, we have had a very fair proportion of Calves this season, The Man of War occasionally call for Beef and which will I suppose be stopped as soon as the Hurricane months commence. Several of the Negros have lately been attacked with slight Fevers, but they are all I am happy to say doing very well, the Quarters accounts to the end of June should be made up the instant I can get rid of the wreck.

                                      I have the honor to be

                                                  Sir

                                                  your most obedient and humble

                                                                           servant

                                                         (signed) John James

Reference: JJ257 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.