Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 1
Since my departure from Boston this is my fourth Letter but perhaps they may not have come to hand. I arrived at Bath the third Instant, after a Tedious passage & have since been selling my Goods to the best Advantage I am able. What I have sold, I have sold tolerably well, but the Country looks as if deserted of people, but the next Week the Assembly will set at Bath which I hope will bring a Concourse of People & take off my Goods. Tarr is Exceeding scarce, but I hope to get my Complement without Difficulty as soon as I have rais'd the Money to pay for it. Had I a Vessell here now she must lay a great while before she could get Loaded. But I want to see no Vessell before I'm the Possessor of a Load, & then by the Time she arrives here I can easily have it where she will Load quick, so that unless some Accident happens I doubt not but the Voyage will turn to accompts, but Gentlemen as I have not got the Quantity of Goods with me, that was first design'd, so I cannot purchase so large a Load especially as Tar is dearer than was expected; & with Regard to sending me more Goods, there will Remain a difficulty; for the short Time I design the Vessell Shall lay in Country will afford me no Time to sell Goods, but as it is unlikely there will be Any Vessell bound here by whom you may send any thing, so before yr. Vessell comes I may be able to determine the Matter more to advantage than I can now.
I have taken every Opportunity to inform you of My Proceedings; & hope the next Letter to be able to write for a Vessell with a clear Conscience. I am yr. Obliged humble Servt.,
I wrote you dated the 8th. Instant. I have not as yet got yr. Tar; & I doubt I shall be pestered to get it speedily, for collecting Debts in159this Country is no small Jobb; but believe I shall get it in season. The times are very dull, but in as much as I am here without a Vessell; so I shall be able to get the Load all ready by the Time the Vessell comes. I hope the next Letter to write for one, but cannot now with a safe conscience. Yr. Sugar is none of the brightest in the World; but I shall sell to advantage. You may depend upon it I shall consult yr. Interest in every proceeding & make all the dispatch that is possible. I Remain yr. obliged humble Servant,