A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
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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
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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 losing Voyages, poor D [ove] can best tell
you the misfortunes he has been under him [self and] of the Gout
that kept him Confined to the Ship I think [ . . . ]
-2
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and the baseness of the Officers he has had under him, worse I believe
Master was never plagued withall you had better given Young
Baggwell £50 than 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 been under brisk man=
agement and a lively brisk Driving
leader She would have fared abundance
better and her dispatch been a great deal quicker I have a very good
Friendship for Captain Dove and would Say nothing to his disadvan=
tage I esteem him an honest man and that he has Exerted his
utmost in the Service he is in and yet I cannot but be of Opoinion
but
the Ship too big for him, This I do not Say with any design to
displace the man. The Stoory
report
that has been raised of her Leakiness
whoever was the author has been mightily improved to her disad=
vantage and by none more than Some of the Masters, who have
found their Ends in it here was Tobacco Enough in this river
Several hundreds of hogsheads have been carried to York [River] , which I am
not capable to give a Reason for when so good a Ship in the river
was ready to Serve them, pray God Send her well home and [I]
Shall Endeavor to be easy 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 really a Sound firm ship could be made an Early one
and put under vigorous management there might be hopes of her
doing better
but as things have run I can Entertain nothing but
discouraging thoughts and I am Sure my Pocket affords no ne
better
believe I have Said more than is Convenient but Sufferers will take
the Liberty to Speak though I have made but a dull heavy tale of it, being
I am
hugely unwilling to glance with any harsh
ness upon an honest mans livelihood, I am
Sir --
Your 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.