15 October 1821

Antigua Octo^r 15^th 1821

Sir.

  By the second August Packet which arrived a few days since I had the honor to receive your letter of the 15^th of that month & I particularly regret to find you have reason to complain of my not writing as often as you could wish, I certainly meant to have written by the Apollo & to have sent you the wool, Turtle, Arrow Root &c, which except the Wool was sent by the Percy Hall to London, but the Apollo sailed within three days after I wrote saying I should do so, & certainly much sooner than I expected I was therefore not ready for her, being then engaged getting as much from the Spanish schooner as possible.  The Wool I have not hitherto sent having an idea you would rather have it at Bristol than London, & the Apollo was the only ship for the former Port, also being informed that it would not injure by keeping I have also to regret that the weather has been such it was impossible to send off any fat Cattle from Barbuda, nor has there been a single demand for the working Oxen except from your Estates, Bettys Hope has had twenty-two &  Skerritt’s twelve; Barbuda working Oxen are not in demand when they are to be got in this Island; I have done all my power to make the most of the Island, but we are so subject to dry weather that every precaution cannot secure a Crop, the two years before the last the first 1818 was dry & the gale of 1819 nearly destroyed all the Corn, the consequence of which was that I was obliged to buy a considerable quantity for the Negroes; last year we were more successful & I think shall have from one thousand to twelve hundred bushels to spare but it has been at so low a rate and I have not thought it advisable to sell any as yet, particularly as Guinea Corn will keep two or three years, at the time I received Robertsons money I forwarded all the Bills I could get, & then owing some money for Corn I thought it advisable to pay for it out of what remained, expecting to get Bills the beginning of August to forwarded to you in its place, but which I have hitherto been disappointed of, but I have no doubt shall be able to do so by the next Packet, by which conveyance you shall also have a Bill for the amount of the wrecks, the proceeds are very trifling compared with the trouble we have had they were all but under the direction of M^r Joshua Kentish Agent to Lloyd’s in the Island who has assured me that I shall have his Bill by the Packet for the Amount.  The Rum from the last ship could not be sold here without paying the Colonial duty which would be scarcely double its value. I have therefore determined on shipping your third part to M^r Trattle, your part was 13 Puncheons which I have kept in Barbuda, I suppose it will take one to fill the others up, two I shall keep for the use of the Island, the other ten I shall ship on board the Snow Adelphia, F. Stuart master of 337 tons she is insured at Lloyds and is expected here immediately to load sugars. I have done all in my power to recover Rawlins Bill but without effect he has gone to one of the Dutch Islands taking all is Negroes with them, the whole of the Papers I left with Mr Woodley the Attorney General of St Kitts to do what was possible I shall write him by the first opportunity if you still wish to have the Papers sent home it shall (be?) done. I do assure you I should be most happy to part (with?) a great part of the Negroes, & I think it a pity Mr Osborn will not assist me in sending them to your Estates, as fast as I can find them doing anything wrong they are sent to Bettys Hope, seven able men have been sent lately as you will perceive by the Triennial Return which will be forwarded you together with the Island Accounts to the end of June, by the Adelphia directed to the care of Mr Trattle; the next Packet will be due at Barbuda next Sunday week, the amount of the salvages independent of the Rum is £321:3:3 currency. The Privotes(?) has proved the best to you as they left all her sails, ropes and cables &c behind which will serve your vessels for some time they have already had a good cable & a set of sails each we have as much more canvas left, besides a quantity of rope which will last the vessels at least three years.

                                                        I am Sir Your Most Obed Humble

                                                          Servant

               (signed) John James

 

Reference: JJ272 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

21 May 1819

St Kitts May 21^st 1819

Sir.

  I came to this Island for the purpose of ascertaining what had been done in Rawlin’s business, and find that Mr Woodley the attorney general to whom(unreadable) had obtained a judgement against Stedman Rawlins the drawer of the Bill; that who I am sorry to find had left this place some time since, and has taken refuge in one of the Dutch Islands, he has also taken off the whole of the property he possessed, and I hear his debts are such as to preclude his return at least for some time; William Rawlins who was the purchaser of the Cattle is also off the Island.  Mr Woodley having spoken to Henry Rawlins the father to whom I understood that Cattle were intended, on the subject, who says, he knows nothing more of the transaction than having purchased the Cattle from his son, and for which he paid him; I shall however go to Nevis where he lives and see him.

  We had I am happy to say some good rains at Barbuda about a fortnight since, of which we were much in want, and I doubt not by this time the Island is looking well, before these rains, the enclosures were so very dry and I was obliged to turn all the cattle into the woods, on my return I shall endeavour to collect them again. The ship Cato arrived in Antigua yesterday week, by her I received a bill of lading for the Cotton Bagging etc.   By the Killingberk which has sailed on this 9 sent to Mr Trattle eight bales of Cotton, and box of tortoise shell, also four Turtle for you, the Turtle are smaller than I had been in the habit of, or wish to send, but are that best I could get notwithstanding the boats have been constantly out, but I hope to be more fortunate by some of the other vessels. I have not yet seen the New Schooner since she has been at Antigua, but understand she is capable of carrying forty Hh^ds of Sugar, with this you will receive Thomas Hardman’s bill on Bayer Otto Bayer Esq^r for £129:2: Sterling

Nevis May 22^nd

  The packet is now here but will sail almost immediately, and as Mr Rawlins lives some miles from the town I am under the necessity of inclosing this letter without seeing him.  I remain

Sir

              Your Most Obedient Humble

Servant

(signed) John James

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

Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

05 Sep 1818

Barbuda Sept^r 5^th 1818

Sir.

    In a letter of 9^th July of last year, I informed you of the necessity there was of building a vessel for the use of this Island, and your Antigua Estates; I am now happy to say that it is in a great state of forwardness, and could be launched in a very short time, and as it will not be much wanted till about the commencement of the next sugar Crop, it is not my intention to get her into the water till about Xtmas; she is built of the very best materials, and I trust will be a fine vessel, of about sixty tons and will carry thirty two Hh^ds of Sugar.  I have, from Bolts obtained from Wrecks, then enable entirely to Copper fasten her; the Deck as well as Bottom, & Bands.  I therefore trust you will have no objection to have her bottom Coppered as far as her light watermark. It will cost some money at first, but ultimately will be a saving; without it a vessel in this Country ought to be hove down at least every six weeks; when carrying Sugars it is a great loss of time: as well as expense; we cannot do it in this Island, I am therefore obliged to have it done in Antigua; in consequence of which, it is seldom done in less than a week.  In a list of things required for the use of the Island I have included that Copper sheathing, but should you disapprove of the vessel being coppered you will of course strike it out. The Cable, Chain, & Canvas are principally for her use. The vessel now in use is very old, and must soon be condemned; I have been patching her ever since I have been on the Island.

The list of the things for the Island is absolutely necessary the Negroes having had no clothing since 1815 the date of the last Invoice; as I shall have to make the vessels sails after the arrival of the Canvas, I shall be glad to have the articles out by one of the first ships to Antigua, that she may be ready early in the Crop to carry Sugars.

I am sorry to say that I have heard nothing from Lord Combermere since I wrote you in November last; he was to have sent for the Cattle, and had promised to let me hear from him some days before his vessel would be here; he also talked of visiting this Island in his next tour.

We have an extremely dry, having had no rains of consequence for the last three months till yesterday, when we had some good showers, which enabled me to plant the whole of my Corn for next Crop. Last night and this morning it has been blowing hard, but nothing in the shape of a Hurricane, tho I think it possible it has blown harder at no great distance.  I trust my boat will be able to cross the Channel, with this, tomorrow, I do not think it safe for her to do so this day.  Enclosed are the second of the two Bills forwarded in my last of the 14^th (instant?), one for £200 the other for £168:8 Sterling. I have forwarded the papers respecting Rawlins Bill to St Kitts. I am

Sir

              Your Most Obedient Humble

Servant

(signed) John James

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

Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

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.