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Capt Peter Gwinn
Boston September 4th 1761
Sir- You having the Command of my Briggt Phillis your Orders are to Embrace the First Good Wind + Proceed to the Coast of Affrica. Touching first at Sinagall. & there dispose of as much of your Cargo as you can to Advantage for Cash or Prime Slaves & then Proceed Down the Coast to such Places as you may Judge the moSs Likely to dispose of your Cargo & Slave Your VeSsell as you’l be very Barley upon the Coast you are not to take any Children & Especilly Girls, if you Can Avoid it by any means, + as fiew Woman as PoSsible, + them Likely, but as many Prime Young Men Boys as you Can get from 14 to 20 Years of Age Take no Slave on Board that has the Least defect, or Sicky as as you will be Early & have a Chooice well aSsorted & Good Cargo, make no Doubt You’l be able to Pick Your Sives, I had Rather you would be Two Months Longer on the Coast then to Bring off Such a Cargo as Your Last which were very small & the meanest Cargo I Ever had Come- You have half as much again Cargo as you had the Last Voyage, + by a Moderate Calculation Sufficient to Purchase 140 to 150 Prime Slaves, what Money you Get at Sinagall you may Keep till you see if you have Occation to Part with it for Slaves to Leward, Should you be so Fortunate as to fall in at a Good Time, so as to Slave Quick with Grown Slaves, so as to be Ready to Come off by Begining of Feby, at which Time I think if too Early to go to South Carrolina / in that Case you may go to Mounta Christo + there Dispose of your Slaves + Purchase you a Compleat Load of the Best white Sugars + whare you Cant Stow Hogsheads Stow in Barrells, + the remainder of your Money Purchase, Sugar or MollaSses + Ship upon any VeSsell Bound this Way. But if no Opportunitu to Ship then bring Home your Money in Gold & Seacreate it in Some Place about you – that in Case you should be taken you might save it. If Capt Job Prince is at Mounta Chrsito Advise with him— But
Should you be detained Longer then Febuar on the Coast then You may go to South Carrolina, or Vineyaw & there dispose of as many Slaves as you can for Cash, & then some few Refuge for Rice for what Slaves may be left. Proceed to Cape Fear & apply to my Friend Capt Richard Quince to dispose off the Remainder for Nothing but Cash or Undoubted Bills ofEkchange. Such as Mr Quince would Indorse himself, + if you take Bills at South Carrolina should Chuse a Good Indorser, of which you must be very Carefull, but if by any Accident you are Detainid till June upon the Coast I think in that Case you had best Come Directly Home to Boston. I shall Lodge Letters for You at the Mount, South Carrolina + Cape Fear – Whatever is don at Either of there Places, you must do it with Dispatch Your Privelidge if Four Slaves your Wages 3. Lb Stg per Month. Your Commissions Form P 6″, write me by all + Every Opportunity of Your Proceedings & be very Perticular as to Numbers of Slaves ye Quality + when You think of Sailing & where bound. You must be very Carefull & Watchfull Over Your Slaves + —— more so than Common as I Hope You’l have Mostly Grown Slaves- I send you Charles Wright, I would have you Take Care to find out if he has any Relations that will Receive him, he has been with me this Two Years his Board Schooling and Clothing Cums to at Least Sixty or Seventy Pounds Sterling. Get what you Can more or LeSs – Lighten Your Portlidge Bill, by Supplying Your Peopi as much as You Can – I have taken Perticular Care about Your Rum Cask, so that I hope you’l have but Little if any Leakage – Mind + get all your Old Debts Left Last Voyage, & Try if you Can get any Thing from Rand – Keep your small arms you have for Sale + for the use of the VeSsell in better Order than Last Voyage – you have 384 Barrs Due upon the Coast which you must Mind & Receive in Prime Slaves The Letter you have for Mr Cleavland is Concerning Charles – Read Cleavlands Invoices & Rand’s Letters
& then Seal & Deliver them – You must be more Carefull of Your Cargo than Last Voyage, many things are Wanting not Accounted for Wright me by Every Opportunity by all means – I am Wishing You Good Voyage & safe Return
Sir Your Friend & Owner
Timothy Fitch
Boston September 10th 1761 / above stands Copy of my Orders Which I Promise to Follow as WitneSs my hand-
WB. Capt Quinn ComiSsion if four p 6 U upon his sail upon the Coast & Return to Boston but if to Mounta Christo or Carrolina 5 p per 6U for what he sells + Brings produce for
Timo Fitch
Letter reference number: P:2