10 December 1823

 

Antigua Dec 10th 1823 

Sir. 

I left Barbuda with the intension of answering your letter of the third of Sept. but from want of wind, & a strong currant I was three days on my passage, & this is the sailing day for the Boat to follow the packet, having been anxious to put all the information I could I have not now sufficient time to answer it to my satisfaction, but will do so immediately on my return to Barbuda in as to be ready for the next opportunity for England & which I hope will be in time. 

By the brig John Troughton for Liverpool I inclosed to Mr Trattle your Bills in chanary against Mr Blackburn, with his answer, and shall hope for further instructions to settling(?) it, I am much fear you will have to pay it, but of that your law advisers will be the best judges, Mr Ick was requested to bid but merely the nominal sum, say from 50 to 100 £ as that was more than it was worth to anyone but yourself; and it applies unfortunately that Mr Blackburn’s claim should have finished first in the Marshalls book altho on the same day with yours which I understand gives him a priority. 

It gives me much pleasure to say that the weather in this Estate has been uniformly good I therefore think I may assure you that we shall make about 200 Hhds the whole of the land having been will manured we shall be late as I had any thing to do when I took possession of it last year than about 90 acres of plant canes, I expect very little from the Rattoons in part I am now cutting them down for plants, my first piece I began yesterday I have this year taken in about 26 acres of new land near the marks eighteen of which will be in canes the remainder in Eddoes. For the crop 1825 I shall have 124 acres of Plant Canes every bit of which will be well manured, added to which I will have as much Provisions as I can possibly get on. I have for this year sixty acres of provisions which I shall soon begin to reap. I regret that I have been oblige to draw on Mr Trattle for £93.18.32 for corn & a statement of which you have the low as well as on the margin of this Bill. 

I am sorry to say that the Cattle are in no demand I have now thirty five Oxen and some Asses on this Estate from Barbuda which I have offered for 25 £ per head but no buyers perhaps as there is a prospect of a large Crop on the Island they may sell by & by, American Beef is now retailing at one shilling currency per pound I think they will soon be sick of such prices, I hope to be enabled to send a good quantity of yams from Barbuda to this Estate as our Negro Grounds are in good order, tho this weather came rather too late corn, I have a good deal of last year’s crop still in store, this Island has for some time been extremely unhealthy several dying daily entirely amongst the white inhabitants, I have one Overseer as Ill as a person can be; I shall return immediately to Barbuda where I shall remain till after Xmas. I remain 

Sir 

 

Your Most Obedient Humble 

   Servant 

(signed) John James 

 

 

Land in Provisions for 1824 

Yams_____16 

Eddoes____24 

Potatoes__20 

                     60 

Out of the whole of which has been reaped a crop of Corn 

 

Land cultivated for Crop 1825 

64 Acres ready holed for planting 17 of which is now land all well manured. 

60 acres in provisions which will be put ready as part as the provisions are taken out 

124 acres for crop 1825 

 

 

Reference: JJ278 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.