Sir,

ABRAHAM PEREIRA MENDES TO HENRY CRUGer, Jr.

Kingston, Jam'a, 18 February, 1768.

IN consequence of a desire of my Father-in-Law Mr. Aaron Lopez of Rhode Island, I am to inform you that his Brigantine Charlotte, Capt. John Newdigate, is safe arriv'd here from the Bay of Hunduras, and as said Vessell is now bound a second Voyage there, I beg you would get Insurance made on her to the Value of £400 Stg. on the Hull from Kingston to the Bay of Hunduras, at or before the 20th Instant, and at and from the Bay to Kingston, the Value of £400 on the Hull and £300 Stg. on the Cargoe.

The Brigantine Industry, Capt. Peters, is safe arriv'd at the Bay and I expect her every day. as soon as she arrives I shall acquaint you thereof of further Insurance.

I shall in a little time make you a Remittance per Bill of about a Thousand pounds Stg. more. I would have done it before but this time of the year commands no produce which being the only Channell that Commerce is drove thro'.

I have not further to add but conclude with my Compliments and remain, Dear Sir, your very humble Servant, ABRAHAM PER. Mendes

N. B. You are to observe that Capt. Jno. Peters now commands the Brigantine Charlotte from Kingston to the Bay. this is for your Government in regard to the Insur

ance.

JOHN POWELL TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN 1

Dear Sir,

Boston, 19 February, 1768.

I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your Letters of the 8 and 17 Instant, with the Documents regarding the fresh Beef supplyed the Garland. Wilson's behaviour is extra.,

1 The original is in the Newport Historical Society.

tho' I have met with some that would as willingly leave me the bagg as he did you. The Expence is great, Two Dollars and heavy postage. I fear if he may not skulk when he gets home and make excuses he was not with the Ship, and lay pon the Steward, etc. however shall send them forward to Mr. Law; wrote him long since to lay in a Caveat against passing his accounts. If ever receive it, will be attended with Loss and Charge. all Steps to over oblige these People meets with ill returns.

Freeman of Connecticut talks of sailing next week, takes in freight for Newport, by whom shall ship the Beef Pork and Butter. Please to write Mr. Joseph Richardson to ship you only Thirty Barr's Bread note are small, or as much as you judge will serve both Vessells till go to Hallifax. I judge the Senegal will stop here in her way to Hallifax, which you may hint to the Capt. for your Goverment in the Supplys.

If you think best to supply Loaf Bread, which never did, write Mr. Richardson for as much Flour and Cunals as may be needfull. It is impossible to know what turn Bread and flour may take, till May I judge will not advance. It may be lowest on the first opening the River, before any demand for Newfoundland, etc. If you can buy as cheap at Newport as can be imported, it will not answer to lay in more than really want to be at the charge of storage, etc., especially while so high. I have not ben able to get the Blank Certificates struck off, shall by the time you may want them, to send you.

I am with great Regard, Dear Sir, Yours,

J. POWELL

JOSEPH AND WILLIAM RUSSEll to Rivera and Lopez

Gentlemen,

Providence, 23d Feb., 1768.

YOUR favor per Capt. Brigs of the 19th inst. we received. We concieve a like Sattisfaction in cultivating a Commerce

between us and are willing to improve every opportunity that offers for our mutual advantage.

We observe you consent to take our Brigantine on the Terms we offerd her to you the 19th ulto. and as the Captain approves of her we agree to lett you have her, and agreeable to your desire have deliver'd her to him and Mr. Hacker now takes her down to Newport as he order'd him with a Cable and Anchor. we wish her safe to your hands and likeing. As to the several articles you mention at the foot of your letter, we agree to take the amount of Ten pounds Sterling in H & H hinges, Fifty pounds of the same Indigo as we had last of you, the half Cask of Hobb Nails. as to the T Nails the seal of your letter happen'd to cover the Quantity, but we will take eight or Ten Thousand of 'em and not more, as we shou'd not know what to do with 'em, having Six Thousand now by us which will last us some years. As Mr. Ingraham the Joyner is not quite finnisht his work which he undertook by the job, he consents to go from home to compleat it on condision his board is paid; and as he has done the job very reasonable we have told him it shall be paid, which doubt not you'l comply with as it will not be but about a week.

We here inclose you the Brigantine Bill amounting too £619.5.0 Silv'r L. Mo., which you'l please to pass to the credit of our Account. We remain Gentlemen your most Humble Servants,

Jos. & WM. RUSSELL

BENJAMIN WRIGHT TO RIVERA AND LOPEZ

Gentlemen,

Savana la Marr, the 29th February, 1768.

YOURS per Betsey Ann is now before me. find inclosed Captain Thomas Tillinghast's bill of Ladeing with an Invoice of sundries shipped on the joint Account of Owners of the Ship America, agreeable to Memorandum left with you, all which you have complyed with the greatest Exactness, which layeth me under the greatest obligations to

return the Complement as nearly as posable in complying with your Orders, and fulfiling every Incoragement I gave you in regard to remitting good sterling bills to Bristol. it is not in my power to acquaint you the Amount of Bills I remitt for your Account, as our Payments are so precarious in regard to what we shall receive them in; but am in hopes shall be able to remitt six hundred Sterling you may rely on the goodness of those bills. in regard to John Bours Order flatter my self shall be able to gitt them discharged by close application and carrying the matter on ezey. find it will not answer at any rate to be harsh; they rather be sued then not, as it would gaive them longer time. shall spare no pains to serve Mr. Bours as I no his Necesity. att the Schooners arrivall at Kingston Mr. Mendez forwarded your letters, at the same time acquainted me of a mistake that happned he hoped would not fall under my Censure he had bartred away twenty eight boxes my Candles for Coffee and sold four Boxes for Cash at 2/6 per Ib. I thoat the above mistake ware verry extroadnearry as I know that you are verry particular in transacting your busness could not amagine that you had made two Invoices for one percel Candles. the Captain likewise must be a novice to sign one bill of Loadeing to deliver the Candles to two different people. I rote them both on the subject in the plain language. Yesterday the schooner arrived here from black River. Mendez is here likewise. They now inform me they have twenty-five boxes for me so there is twelve boxes deficent. Those Candles had ingauged all at 2/9 per lb. You may rest asured the twenty-five boxes they are pleased to deliver me will go at the 2/9 per lb. had you sent 50 boxes more could have disposed of them at 2/9 per lb. Notwithstanding I have been obliged to sell Candles at 2/6 to raise little Cash. In my first via Georgie hope you have received dated the 2 January, wherein informed you the Prices I had sold att. I have now no Cargo on hand which came in the Ship except a few Hogsheads Codfish am under no Apprehention but have sold sum dry fish sence

shall dispose of them soon

I rote you via Georgie at 23/9, as I found sum part of my fish not to answer our expectations, at any rate the last four bbls. Lamp Oyl I disposed of at 100/ hope shall be able to give you as good account of Oyl as any you ever sent this way, notwithstanding have suffered sum by Leekage. shall by next opertunity forward you Account Sales. shall willingly comply with your request in assisting Mendez in despatching the Betsey Ann. the schooner arrived here in a unlocky time, just as the produce begins to come to marquett. the price of produce is not yet broke to our likeing, and if we push hard for rum and molasses, am afraid it will be detremental and be the means of brakeing the price of Produce high, which will make a greate differance in the ship's Cargo. notwithstanding there has been one hundred and fifty Puncheons Rum purchased on the North side this Island at 2/6 per Gallon, yet we on the south side are striving to gitt Rum at 2/3 per Gallon. we do not chose the north side shall be a presedent for us; but wheather we shall accomplish our designs is yet unceartain. you may rest assured the Betsey Ann shall not wait for me. Mendez requests me to putt fifteen Casks Rum on board

am

shall comply to his request timely. have now on board the Ship America sixty two hhds Mollases takeing daly altho the price is not yet broak am afraid it will go at twelve pence per Gallon, as am sure Rum will be high the planters are not willing to part with there Molasses, espetally those that have Convenancy for destilling. Markets here is low and the Island much glotted with all most every article. Captain Potter being late will be to your advantage. shall spair no pains to make despatch am in hopes shall leave little or no mony behind me. if you determine that the ship shall come to this port next fall, I will lay before you what I think rally necessary to have provided timely, as the Ship may be here at least three weeks sooner: seven thousand hoops, five thousand white staves, six thousand reed oak staves, teen thousand Jersey boards, two thousand white oak heading, three hundred bbls splitt shads those caught in the fall-fifty