Sant Pears [St. Pierre], Martinico Jany 26 1776
Sir
I arrived here after a Tedious Passage of 19 days (I say Tedious) because we had Two or Three hard Gails of Wind a fue days after we came out, and our Vessell proved so Leeky that She made upwards of a Hundred Tons of Water for every 24 Hours after the 3 first, untill we came in here, you may well Judge how fortigueng it must have been where there was but 6 men in all, and my mates Leg Scaulded So as to render him incapable of doing much
I was many times fearful Wheather we Should be able to hold out untill we Could arrive to our Desired Port, but Going from the Pump to the He[lm] my Self and incourageing my People, that we Should soon Arrive at our Desired Heaven, Keep their Spirits up so that they never faulter'd ー
But had we arrived at a Good market we should in some measure forgot this But sr I can't think that markets ever were worse for such articles as I have Got
I have sold the Tobacco a 55/pCt French Weight 45 Barrels Pork at £4.10 ー p Bl All the Flour at 8 pe 8 pr Bl ー have not been offer'd more than 2/6 Pee for the Candles and 12 four for y[torn] & 10 four for the Tallow ー there is Two English masters whose Vessells are at Sant Leussia who are obliged to Get their Cargo Freighted from thence to this poor market ー and their is no encouragement for my Going their I have Laid out about 1000 Dollars here in Twine Rhubabe Nutmegs Jesuits Bark Cinamon Handkerchiefs &C ー altho' I find every thing to be very Dear & scarce here, they take Grate advantage of the times, here is in Powders for sale abt. 25.C which is bought up at 4/6 pe for One Capt Parker at St Lesscia, belonging to Portsmouth ー no Guns here, nor Lead, nor Duck, nor Scare[e] any thing else which we are in want off ー I Shall sale this Night for Corisoe, as I have from Good Intelligences that there is 8 Ships of Warr which Crewse for English Vessells, between Granarda and St Estacia have taken Several, and some from the French ー
I Would Willingly Stear as clear of them as Possible which is the cause of my Going there, which I think must be some what out of their Channiel & from thenc[e] I Expect to go to Hispineloa, Am affread shall make you a bad Voyage, but you may depend I will do every thing in my Power for your Interest ー our mainsale proved very bad, & Rotten am in hopes to mend it so as to make it Last Home ー at what time that will be I can't say ー Have Stopted our Leik in Part. when I get to Corisoea intend to Compleat it ー
this I send by Capt Smith of Conniticut River who intends to run into either Philadelphia or Egg-Harbour, and then Immediately by Land to his Home ー In hast I am [&c.]
PS. I am not very Well Imputed it to my Hard Service hope as soon as I Get to sea to be Better
[Endorsed] Letter from Paul Allen Came to hand in Apl 1776