SD1077. Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother) to Edward Moulton-Barrett (father)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 362 (in part).
Cin. Hill
Novr 19th 1839
Your letter my dear Father of the 30h Sept. reached me yesterday & I find from it our safe arrival at Rio Bravo had reached you but not at our place of destination: My object of going by boat was certainly to take all our goods & chattells with us: & being a 6 hwt boat of Capt. Harts & he with us I anticipated little danger[.] We are both now as well as our best friends could wish us to be, notwithstanding the ordeal we are going through: The season has been unusually sickly especially amongst the Blacks, it is in great measure attributable to the very heavy rains we have had & the excessive heat during the day: I am a tolerably good Salamander, but the weather even to me has been most oppressive. Left out. I need not tell you after such seasons our canes are growing most luxuriously I never saw Cornwall hold out such prospects & the seaside cane on this Estate are not far behind: I have in fact very lively anticipation of the coming crop: The canefield is trashed & cleaned. I am to day planting a piece of almost six acres, and after it is find go on the Pastures: our people with a few exceptions are well inclined & giving me every satisfaction. I am not however singular in this respect, for there is a general acknowledged improvement amongst the labourers in this side of the Island: Though where the rent question is mooted the people often leave for other Properties where no rent is charged: In truth the crying evil of unsteadiness amongst the labourers, is in my opinion in a great measure attributable to the want of unanimity amongst the Planters. At this moment we do not feel the loss of labour in the want of |steading| amongst a portion of the Estates labourers, but I have my fears that on the [illegible word] of crop the price of labour will be much increased: There I shall endeavour to avoid it by taking the crop off by job work. I at present employ few hands by day labour & only those from necessity; I pay for Planting canes 5 l/2 dollars per acre digging £6.13. S[.] The Bank silver is weekly increasing, & as it went considerably against my sense of economy: I have estd a store here similar to one at Hyde Hall Estate which will save Premium: I have not taken the store on yr ac/. till your feeling was ascertained: I have therefore Purchased the foods on my own, and all the advantage you at present derive will consist in retaining the negroes on the Property & saving Pre. I feel it necessary to advise you of this as you would of course prefer retaining an establishment of this description to your own hands: Mr Shirley has done so at Hyde Hall: & though I am aware of my over sanguine temperament, yet the fact of the store having already yielded profits will speak for itself. In such articles as Pork, Butter, lamp oil, Phs Bread, soap, candles, Porter, I should advise being sent from England also Teneriffe Wine, I bough[t] a quarter cask here sale 2/6 a bottle cy. Agreed wit[h] |Mint| to keep it at £40 a year and weekly ac/ rendto me. On the subject of Waddell I have had some discussion with Mr Carey & Dr Doman having declined to take the house the negroes giving him no practise, rather than leave it uninhabited. I have by Mr Careys desire written to Mr Waddell offering the house & 7 acres of Pasture for at an annual rent of £80 cy He has lately done his best amo[ngst] the negroes & left all question between Master & labourer to be decided between themselves, & as in my conin with you on the subject in England you appeared to treat it as a matter of Policy whether or not it would be better to eject him, under those cirances I trust you will feel satisfied with the terms I have offered him the house for, you shall next Packet hear his decision– Storm & I go to St Elizabeth next week with gold for stock. Your Retreat Stock are all sold Steer £20/ [illegible words]
I remark what you say about C. H. rum, as to quantity, the extreme hard state of the Still head & goose neck fully ac/c for it. Tinkler is glad the quality is good: I shall Endeavour to get the still head renewed or partly so before crop. I am making every exertion about Falmouth land but do not wish to appear too anxious to sell– [Illegible words] lease of Falmouth land for £200 for three years– About sheep: glad to get a few.
S M Barrett
E. M Barrett Esqre
Publication: None traced.
Source: File copy at Eton College Library.
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