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Capt Peter Gwinn
Boston 27 Nov 1769
Sir
You being appointed master of my Snow Fair Lady. Fully loaded & acquipt for the Sea – My Orders are that you Embrace the find favorouble opportunity & proceed to the Coast of Affrica. toutching first upon the Windward Coast, where I would have you dispose of your Cargo if. PoSsible. & purchase your Slaves, even sopose you give One Hundred + fifty Gallons Per head. I mean for Prime Slaves & to have Dispatch, but if you find that cant be don, make what Purchas you can down the Coast + Rice your VeSsell + proceed to Anamaboe, + there dispose of your Cargo to the best Advantage + Purchase a Cargo of Prime Young Slaves- You’l obsarve that it is my Advise to purchase as Quick as PoSsible, so as not to lay long upon the Coast, even Sopose you give an Extraordinary Price, you have often hurt your Voyage by laying long upon the Coast, I would Sooner have you deal largely with the Factors where you can have Dispatch + good Slaves, even sopose you should give 20, 30 or 40 Gallons Per Head more than with the Natives-
You must consider in laying you bring it Late in the Year, badd, gitting off the Coast, Resque of your VeSsell, Charges ofWagees + Provition + SickneSs attending your People + Slaves, all this you’ll consider + make Dispatch by all means ~
After you are Slav’d you are to proceed to Hampton Rhoad in Virginia + there Enquire for MeSsrs Samuel + George Koor at Cabben Point + MeSsr Adams + Griffin Mercht” in Virginia where you’l find Letters logd’d for your further Proceedings, but if by Accident you should be detaind longer than June upon the Coast, which by all means you are
to endeavour to prevent by selling by Whole Sale ! /1 say should that Happen to be the case, it will be too late to be at Virginia after the Month of August + Dongerous on Acount of Humcains in the West Indies, — But should you be belaited you are then to toutch with causion at Cape Nichola Mole for Wood & Water & after you have Wood & Water’d proced to Jam a [Jamaica ? ] + apply to my Friends Messr Eliphalet Fitch & co where you’ll meet with Letters for your further proceedings – rake no Acts of Trade nor make no badd Debts – Your Privlidge is 5 Per Cent Slaves – Your Coast Commission is four of 104 & you are to observe the whole Purchase of Slaves are made togeather & you may either Avarage with the Sale of the Cargo, or when the whole purchase is made you may Draw Lotts in the presence of your Mates a what falls to your lott you are to marke & take the resque of living of Dying, I once more urge Dispatch by giving a greater Price than others that you may be able to go to Virginia which I look upon much the best prospect of a markett – However you’l be the best Judge, where to Proceed when you come off the Coast – if you are belaited call at Barbados an advice with MeSs’ George Nurse & Co get as much Cash as you can wherever you Sell + be very causious what Bills you take -1 shall lodge letters for your Govoumment at Virginia & Barbados — Miss no opportunity of writing to me & be very perticular. Once more I urge the Greatest Dispatch & by all means to try to be Early enough to go to Virginia, Lighten your Portledge bill by supplying your people on the Voyage & Discharge as many as you can Spare when you get to Virginia or the West Indies. I am with wishing you SucceSs.
Your Friend & Owner
Timothy Fitch
P.S. it is to be understood that 5 pr” Ctt” privlidge is to be Eight Slaves
Letter reference number: P:13