January 1-December 31, 1781 353

culty I can get a man to assist me in collecting of Cattle from one
house to another, and have been under the necessaty of turning driver
myself — a very disagreeable alternative this warm weather.

July 17

[Joseph Dashiell, Worcester County, to Gov. Lee.]

I Rec^d by Express yesterday Sundry laws &c but was surpriS^td
that I had not a scrape of a pen from your Excellency — Relitive to
the prisoner I rote we had in Goal. When we sent Traves away,
Since which we have apprehended Elijah Sturgis & one Rugby
Slocom, the latter is a vilian that has bin with the enemy Burning &
plundering, was Taken by Capt Shadwick, on W Island, and sent
to us as he is One of this County.
I most sincerely wish that your Excellency & C^o would Order a
Court to try those persons, as they are kept in Goal at a very Grate
expence, being oblidge to keep a Constant guard, the Goal not being
Trustworthy — and I Cannot send them forward to Annapolis for
want of money.
I have detained the Vesel of one Samuel Garock, from Baltimore,
that Traves Informd me had bin down to Portsmouth with him, and
had Taken a Protection, not having money to send a guard I Tuck a
bond with good Securety, that he would appeare before you by the
10^th this Ins^t by whom I rote you and requested if he was Detained
to know what I was to do with his Vesel & Carco, which Consists of
Flower & Iron &c Your not wrighting or mentioning his name gives
his Securety Grate Reason to fear that he has not made his appear-
ance before you agreable to promise, if he has not Travis can give
you all the Information, abought him that is necessary, should be glad
to heare from you and have Directions what to do with his Vesel &
Cargo, I think it my Duty to mention a practice that is Carrying on
here, that must be attended with every evile Consequence, Almost
every person that falls into the hands of those Miraudors Give a
parole, Under which they wish to hold themselves bound, wheather
taken in Armes or not, & as often as they please go to Portsmouth
under pretence of having a summons to appeare there, without any
licence from Any officer whatever, I am inform'd that Col^o Peter
Waters is now gone to Portsmouth upon a summons from One
Atkinson a refugee, to answer to his parole, taken by Capt Colliar,
last fall if this is to be suffered I am convinced it will be Imposable
to do any thing efectual with our Barges, as every peace of Intelli-
gence, that they want they can have we should be extremly Glad of
your Directions in this Particular. I submit it to your Excellency
wheather the Corn purchased last Winter was a year had not better
be DispoS^td of as a good deal of it must be much Damag'd & all of it
must be Lost if it is not DispoS^td of before the Hot weather is Over,
I rote you by Capt Levin Handy relative to Capt. Waylys Com-
misions, should be glad that they were sent down, agreable to his
request — which I Communicated in my letter by Capt. Handy.
23

July 17