SD964. William Tinkler to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 342 (in part).
Cinnamon Hill
Decr 10th 1838
Sir
Since I wrote you last, things have proceeded so much in the same manner, that I put you to the expence of a letter more in compliance with your request than from any intelligence I have to communicate. The seasons have been very favourable & the canes are growing fast—some weeks back I thought I saw signs of Spearing on the sea side canes, but it has proved to be a deception arising from their rapid growth. There is not an arrow on the Sea Side, & but few (compared to last year) on the hills. The crops are expected to be tolerable good ones if they can be taken off in time, of which there is very great Doubt in this quarter |Crerar| tried an experiment last week on a piece of overstand.– With an implied understanding that the people would fill their respective stations, he cut canes two days & on the third he drew off the cutters in despair of getting the mill about—in the course of the morning the mill gang straggled into the yard & made 1 Hhd. & 2 Skips at an expence of upwards of £10/– From 25 to 30 of our Field people are pretty constant in working on this Estate, but only for as many or few days as they please..change is very Scarce & at a premium of 5 P Cent & sometimes a sufficiency cannot be procured to meet the week the few who happen to be disappointed grumble very much, although they See the last coin paid & every person on the Estate put in requisition to meet their dues as far as possible. Next week there are fewer at work & this is nothing more than might be expected. I hope the proprietors will see the propriety of sending a supply of small coins in their Invoices it will save the present premium & I presume will only cost Insurance, as it may be packed in the body of any larger packages[.] The general cultivation of the Estate is in fair order, but the dung mostly remains on hand. There seems to be a general aversion in all this neighbourhood to working Carts except at exorbitant wages this I think may easily be accounted for. The neighbouring parsons have had the loan of carts & cattle & have hired men to work them at the rate of 3/4 pr day & sometimes (as I have been told) still more. The cartmen expect the same rate & will not believe that the proprietor cannot as easily take the same sum from his pocket as the parson can from his collection plate. Sam Watson lately took in hand to carry dung to Great house piece at 6d pr load, or 5 loads for 4 bits (He paying the loaders). The weather was so unfavourable that he lost by it– Afterwards he engaged to carry to the Sea Side intervals, at 7 1/2 pr load. He has already carried 60 loads there, but I have not yet learnt if he makes wages for himself & loaders. The weather being now favourable I should think that he will & hope he will continue. Mr Carey gave notice on Thursday that he should require rent from every person not at work & that they must either quit the Estate when the time of the notice to quit had expired, or come to an engagement to work regularly: when the message was conveyed to the people then at work, they were offended at it, or misunderstood it, & declared they would not work Friday, but would have their money that evening for what they had already done. The overseer was out of the way when they came & I prevailed on them to go home without quarrelling with him, as there was not a dollar in the house & none could be procured till midday Friday when they would have the opportunity of adding another maccaroni to the sum already due. They did not turn out next day, but this morning the gang is stronger than for some time past (27 on hoe)– I have made out complete copies of all people at work on both estates from the time Mr Carey took charge till now. He intends sending them home. You will see by them the persons on whom the most dependance can be placed.–
The amount paid on Cinnamon Hill previous to 1st August from April 17 is £304.5.7½. on Cornwall £174.3.11½ & on Pleasant Valley £26.6.5½. Amount 1st August to the 8th Instant is on Cinnamon Hill £503.10.2¾ on Cornwall £260.2.8½ Pleasant Valley £111.15.8¼.— —
Your American corn has totally failed. After being in good ground & in good weather 3 weeks, I picked up the Husks but the heart was rotten they could not have been worse had they been Kiln dried, very little of the wheat has sprung, one parcel of the beans totally failed, but the rest are bearing well. I shall have plenty of creole seed to hand you when you return. The mammoth pumpkin will not grow nor will some of the smaller seeds although I have Sowed them in boxes placed on bricks in the gutter leading to the tank, where no ants could possibly reach them The melons & squash are doing well– Of all such as I can raise I have planted very small beds & will plant other small ones at a future time so that I trust you will find a tolerable stock of vegetables ready whenever you may arrive.– As I forward you newspaper regul<arly> you <will> learn from them the public news & opinions. They seem <to> anti<cip>ate better prospect for the future than the planters in this qua<rter> I cannot say positively that our prople would have settled down if you had been here, but I have frequently heard them say, when dissatisfied with some arrangements “make it stand so till young Massa come“ I hope that your Father, yourself & Family enjoy good health
& am Sir
Your Obed Serv
William Tinkler
PS 11th This morning the Gang is increased to 35 & Cornwall to 37. I wish it may be from good disposition, but strongly suspect it is only to collect money for Christmas festivities[.]
Samuel M Barrett Esqre
Address, on integral page: Samuel M Barrett Esqre / 50 Wimpole Street / Cavendish Square / London.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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