Robert King Carter's Correspondence and Diary

   A Collection Transcribed
        and Digitized
   by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.


List of Letters | About This Collection

Electronic Text Center , University of Virginia Library


Summary



Letter from Robert Carter toWilliam Dawkins, August 8, 1728

     Robert Carter writes to London merchant William Dawkins, August 8, 1728, to set out his long-standing dissatisfaction with the management of the Carter and that his friend, Captain Thomas Dove, is beyond his ability with this ship.



Letter from Robert Carter to William Dawkins, August 8, 1728


-1 -

Rappahannock, [Lancaster County, Virginia]     
Augst: 8th: 1728

Mr. Wm: Dawkins

Sir --

     I am taking my leave of the Carter a final on [e]
I almost think Concluding the Owners will never have the patience
to undergo any more looseing Voyages, poor D [ove] can best tell
you the misfortunes he hath bin under him [self and] of the Gout
that kept him Confined to the Ship I think [ . . . ]


-2 -


and the baseness of the Officers he has had under him, worse I beleive
Master was never plagued withall you had better given Young
Baggwell £50 then let him Set his foot into her, they Seem all to
be pretty much of a piece. The Boatswain, Seems to be the best among
them I think in my Conscience had the Ship bin under brisk man=
agement and a lively brisk Driving leader She would have fared abundance
better and her dispatch bin a great deal quicker I have a very good
Friendship for Capt: Dove and would Say nothing to his disadvan=
tage I esteem him an honest man and that he hath Exerted his
utmost in the Service he is in and yet I cannot but be of Opoinion
but the Ship too bigg for him, This I do not Say with any design to
displace the man. The Stoory report that has bin raised of her Leekiness
whoever was the author hath bin mightily improved to her disad=
vantage and by none more then Some of the Masters, who have
found their Ends in it here was Tobbo: Enough in this river
Several hundreds of hogsheads hath bin carryed to York , which I am
not capable to give a Reesen for when so good a Ship in the river
was ready to Serve them, pray God Send her well home and [I]
Shall Endeavr. to be asie let what will become of her, for I shall
never desire to See her again unless She comes under a better prospect
If She be realy a Sound firm ship could be made an Early one
and put under vigorous managemt. there might be hopes of her
doing better but as things have run I can Entertain nothing but
discourageing thoughts and I am Sure my Pocket affords none better
beleive I have Said more then is Convenient but Sufferers will take
the Liberty to Speak though I have made but a dull heavy tale of it, being I am hughly unwilling to glance with any harsh
ness upon an honest mans livelihood, I am


              Sir --
                  Yor. humble Servt: --

per Carter


NOTES



Source copy consulted: Robert Carter Letter Book, 1727 April 13-1728 July 23, Carter Family Papers, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond. The leaf of the letter book on which this letter was written has some marginal damage and a missing portion at the bottom.

Robert Carter generally used a return address of "Rappahannock" for the river on which he lived rather than "Corotoman," the name of his home, on his correspondence, especially to merchants abroad. The county and colony have been added for clarity to the heading on the draft.

[1] the Rappahannock


This text, originally posted in 2004, was revised December 4, 2014, to add a footnote and strengthen the modern language version text.