498 Journal and Correspondence

Original.

[J. Hollingsworth to Council.]

Baltimore December 1^st 1776.
Sirs.
I have provide for you near 200 bbls of beef which the
Buchers have and are delivering every day, the barer M^r
Crafford has a parsell of beef barel'd and to barrill which he
think very good and wants to sell the quantity hee has is so
great that I did not choos to purchase it without your consent
if you think so much beef will bee wanted please write and it
shall bee puc^d there is no pork yet come to hand but I think
there will bee a great number of hogs in this winter for the
peoples expectations are up.
If M^r Crafford's beef would do for Capt. Cook sum of Capt.
Cook's agents ought to examine it and bee satisfyed as to
the quality. Capt. Gibbens has saild as low as the Boom
Capt Martin will bee loded this week and shall do every thing
in my power to get them away but it is hard to bee done,
there is a skooner here ownd by Mess^rs Morris and Turnbull.
Shee is quite new and seems a good vesell her fore timbers
are all Mulbery She has all her saills but a flying Gib, new

and in good order, good ankers and cabbels I think her a

good vesell and fit for sea But the prise is high 14 hundred
pound is the prise hee told mee to write she I think will carry
near 500 bbls Pleas let mee now what you would have done
in this the Capt is waiting for your directions to Capt Cook
about the mate. I have a deall of trouble and fear you blame
mee for delaying the vesell, but I can lode 20 vesells rather
than man and saill 2 the mony paid to Capt^ns and sailers is
woonderfull and no way to shun it shall send you sum naills
as soon as I can but there is no such thing as I now of.
from your friend and
Humble Servant
Jesse Hollingsworth.

Original,

[T. Smyth to Council.]

Chester Town December 1^st 1776.
Gentlemen.
This will be delivered you by Robert Read a Black Smith
of this Town who waites on the Council to sell them 17 mus-
kets which he has made and carries with him, they seem to be
strong and substantial, he proposes contracting with your
Board for a good many, he bears the character of an honest
man, has some real property in this Town and I believe would
be pretty punctual.
I wrote the Council a few days ago that no salt had reached