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Boston — 8th November 1760
Capt: Peter Gwin
Sir___, You having the command of my Brigg Phillis your Orders are to Imbrace the first favourable opportunity of Wind & Weather to proceed to the Coast of Affi-ica- Touching first at Sinagall, at your arivall at the Barr, after seeing your VeSsel well secured, you are to take out such Goods as you think most Suitable for that place in your Boat & go up to Town, where if you find good Incouragement you are to Dispose of all or such part of your Cargo as you Can do to Advantage & take your pay in Cash.
Capt: Ennes in my schooner Pompey sails in Company with you, should she Arrive with you, she may serve as a Tender to go up to Town Over the Barr with her Cargo, after being Well ASsured you have Brought her to a proper Draught of Water, if you Can Dispose of this Schoo:” there for at least One Hundread & Fifty pounds Strg. in Cash Dollars at four Shillings & Six pence, I would have you do it, but make no Doubt you may Obtain Two Hundread pound_ Capt: Ennis & his people to Come on Board you when he is told, you must make a Reserve of his Boat when you sell the Schooner & all his provisions etc: Otherways after you have Disposed of all you Can other & your Own Cargo for Cash she is to follow you Down the Coast wherever you go & whenever you Can Dispose of her to the best Advantage you are to do it. I hope for at Least Fifteen or Sixteen Prime Young Boy Slaves, this with your own Cargo, the Schooner & her Cargo. I hope you’l Purchase One Hundread or One Hundread & Ten Prime Slaves & have Considerable Money left fo Bring home with you, which you’l procure at Sinagall, if it should so happen that you can Dispose of your Cargo the Schooner & her Cargo to a good Proffitt att Sinagall, I mean at about Cent per Cent Advantage, I would have you do it & there Purchase what Prime Boy Slaves you Can get, & come home with the Rest Cash, should the Schooner not Arrive at Sinagall by the time you have Dispos’d of all you Can there, you are not to Wait any time for her, but leave a Letter for Capt: Ennis, & let him know if any thing is to be done there, weather his Cargo will sell there or his VeSsell & the Price he may get for his VeSsell or Cargo, weather it is worth his While to go up to Town, if so, after he is Sold to meet you at such a part of the Coast as you shall appoint, as you must Consider Severall VeSsells will soon Tail after you you must do your BuSsineSs with Dispatch at Sinagall not tarry more than five or Six Days if you Can Avoid it by any means
& then proceed to Seward to such places as you may Judge most Beneficial for your Trade___. Now in Regard to your purchasing Slaves, you’l Observe to get as few Girl Slaves as PoSsible & as many Prime Boys as you Can, after your Compleatly Slaved, you are to Come off, & if Early you may fall into the Southward & go to Philadelphia or York or Jerseys, where I hear there is no Duty on Slaves & there Dispose of as many Slaves as you Can for Cash immediately & when the Sail grows Dull, proceed with the Remainder to Boston, should you fall into the Eastward, you may Dispose of What you Can in the same manner as above, or wherever you may happen to fall in so as to turn out the Prime Slaves from Thirty to Forty pounds Strg: per head you are to Govern yourself wither coming here or elsewhere as the Winds may Hang, so as to Shorten your PaSsage__ I Recommend Palm Oyl for your Slaves, & that you are well Rice’d & Water’d etc; etc:__Ennis Schooner may be of great Servis to you going up Rivers Wooding, Watering etc: etc: but Don’t keep too long so as to miSs a Good Opportunity of parting with her, you may Recomment her as a Prime Sailor__by all means keep you VeSsel Bottom well Secured form the Worms by Graving well etc: you are by no means to Omitt writing me by all & every Opportunity & be very perticulor in you Letters__ take good Care of your Bigger VeSsel & Sails & Stores of every kind__
Your long Boat I hope will sell for four of Five Prime Boys.
Your Commissions is Three per cent on your Sails, Four Slaves Privalege & Wages, Three pound Ten Shillings Strg: per month which is all you are to have___. Whatever Rum Clothing etc: you Supply your people with must be at Coast Price, as they have all Receiv’d there month’s pay here. According to Agreement__ keep good & exact Acct: of your Cargo & what you Expend on the Voyage that your Cargo may hold out______
I Recomment to you Frugallity, Industry, & Dispatch, great care of your Slaves a Constant Watch & Guard Over them both Night & Day.
I am Wishing you a Good Voyage & Safe Return___
Your Friend & Owner
Timothy Fitch
P:S: if you want any ASsitance my Friend at Philadelphia is Mr. Smith at New York Sampson Simpson at
Hallifax Jon:Binney__but you are to leave no Debts behind you.
Tim Fitch & Capt Gwin
Nov 1760
Letter reference number: A(5)