(seq. 79)

Boston Jan'y 23d 1748

{Captain} Robert Robins

Sir
This acknowledges the Receipt of your
Letter {per} {Captain} Powers, wherein you inform us of your Arri=
=vall at North Carolina, after a short Passage of Eight Days
which we are glad of, & also that you were like to get to a
good Markett, & as you wrote us you should be ready for a
Vessell in Six weeks at furthest. We have now accordingly
(which brings it nigh the Time you fix'd) agreed for Ste=
=phendson's Sloop again (as we could not do better) at the
Rate of Two hundred & fifty Pounds (old Tenor) {per} month
& we Victual & Man as before, which is indeed too much
& more than we expected, but as other Vessells not [burthning?]
so much let for the same & Vessells so scarce was obliged
to give it. Should have been glad we could have so ord=
=er'd it, that you might have gone Master, but as Stephend=
=son insisted upon going in her himself we could not avoid
it. Said Vessell would have sailed to you a Fortnight
ago, but was so hemm'd in with the Ice, that was with Diffi=
=culty we could get her out, tho she has not been in Pay but
Two or Three Days, & if a Fair wind will sail tomorrow to you.
Inclosed you will find a Bill Lading for Two Boxes of
Glass & Two of Lead to carry with you to [Fiall?], there to be
Dispersed of for your & our Acco'ts. We have likewise shipt you
Five Peices Kendall Cottons, sundry Ruggs & one Cask Corsica
Wine on the same Acco't which believe will answer well at Ca=
=rolina, were we would have you dispose of them For the most
you can get, & not detain the Vessell For these Things on any
Acco't as we expect you will be ready with her Loading, by
the Time she arrives, which was the Reason we have not shipt
you more & only sent a few things, which we apprehended
would be the quickest, & best [sale?], For you are sensible as well
as we, that the more Cargo you have, so much greater will
be the Returns, wherefore over & above all, if you think it ne=
=cessary & most For our Interest to draw on us to the Value of
our Four or Five hundred Pounds that Currency, either to lay
out there in some small Articles or carry the Money with
you to the Western Islands & there lay it out for our best ad=
=vantage, you have a Liberty to do it, getting as much Time
allowed for the Payment as you can, for which Purpose
you will have sundry Letters inclosed from us to our Friends
at Carolina, desiring them to afford you all the Service they can
would have you therefore in the first Place apply yourself to them