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.