Page:Letters of John Andrews.djvu/67

 LETTERS OF JOHN ANDREWS. 01

remove a Rock (the one on which their fore-fathers first landed, when they came to this country) which lay buried in a wharfe five feet deep up into the center of the town, near the court house. The way being up hill, they found it impracticable, as after they had dug it up,

they found it to weigh ten tons at least. A modern instance of Superstition, 15 ill !

October 7th. One consolation afforded us by our people's refusing to build Barracks, is that they are fitting up the Block houses &ca., at the Castle, tor the reception of the expected Regiments, as well as that they keep the 64th Regiment also there, which was intended to have been quarter'd in town, had the barracks been built. Hen. Davis has let his store, on the Dock, for the use of the troops, and George Spooner his also, which lays near it; so that all those who improve Stores there are upon the look out to remove, they being determin'd so to do, rather than be in the midst of them.

October 8th. We were this morning bless'd with the agreeable sight of about twenty soldiers, with their tools. &ca., ready to go to work upon the store opposite the front of our house, formerly im- prov'd as barracks: so that we are like to have a fine time of it, all winter.

October 9th. Breck arriv'd home on. fryday evening, but his trunk not coming to hand, I did not receive your favor, by him, till last night. Am oblig'd for your intentions of being more particular, and can very easily make an allowance for the hurry of business, as I have formerly experienc'd it myself; nor is my wishes wanting to have such an excuse to plead now. But, alas ! Bill, our condition is undescribable. Cole's wife, I imagine, has been in your city some- time, as she went from here three or four weeks since, from whence she is to embark with her husband and children for England, who has let his ship to Captain Holland (a gentleman who has been this way near seven years, taking a survey of the Continent) to convey him and his family to Philadelphia, with whom Cole takes passage like- wise, and after her discharge proceeds with her to England or Scot- land, where he proposes making a long tarry. He din'd with us last week, and acquainted us that Mrs. Le Cand, upon account of the troubles here, had put off her intentions of coming for a twelvemonth, which information he had from Joe, who has had five or six letters from her since she left here. Therefore the excuse of masters of vessells not being willing to take letters is altogether idle.

When she was here, we were together at Cole's store, where she

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