Unidad documental simple MFP/8/2 - Letter from Mark Forth to his brother

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To say that he has arrived safely and has made the acquaintance of Mr Slee who has found him suitable lodgings etc. Mr. Alladice , Mr Slee’s friend and business acquaintance , has sailed and left Mr. Slee in charge of his affairs. He feels very honoured to have met Mr Thomas, Mr English and a Mr Snagg at Grenada. He says he is unhappy that he couldn’t go any further in his journey, but sold the shoes he brought from Cork and continued.

He is sending this letter by Capt. Curry as he is unhappy that it took so long due to the squalls that made him quite ill, but due to the hurricane season. He assures his brother that he is quite well and happy in Canouan, and Mr Slee’s friendship means a great deal to them both as he is the first person he has spoken to from their part of the county in fifteen years.

Sends regards to friends at home and many members of his family. He explains in a P.S. that he was detained for 12 days in Grenada and was unhappy in his mind. Capt. Curry came to his assistance.

‘Dear Brother,
I have the Pleasure of Informing you that I arrived here Yesterday about Noon after a very tedious Passage from Grenada having left that Place on Sunday Forenoon owing to us having such Squally weather, it being the hurricane months.
My Friend Mr. Slee received me with the greatest Happiness, he knew of my coming as his Father had sent a Letter after my Departure by the Packet so that he had got a Lodging Room filled up for me, I can assure you he lives in a Nice Situation and has a fine Estate, we Rode out Yesterday in the afternoon to different Estates and I can assure you it appears to me a very fine Island and I make no doubt but I shall have my health. Mr. Slee says it is necessary for me to reside a while with him so that I can get into the way of the Island and in the meantime he will procure me an eligable Situation as he does not wish me to enter into a Low one, he is so kind as to send a Letter along with this as I know it is a great happiness to you to hear every particular about me. Mr. Hallidise (Allardice) is gone to England a near Neighbour of Mr. Slees and one who has been a great Friend of Mr. Slees he promised him he would go 200 miles out of his way to see Mr. Slees Father if so you will know every particular from him as I could wish you to see him for he has in his power of being a friend of mine, he is one of the first Familys in this Place. Mr. Slee is the first Person now he being out of the Island, it is supposed that he is Half way to England, he went Passenger with Captain Miller the Person I was to have come with.

Mr. Hallidise is expected back again about January next when I shall hope to hear from you. Please to give my kind Complements to Mr. & Mrs. Slee and Inform them their Son is very well and I wish you to take the opportunity of seeing Mr. Slee to know every detail about Mr. Hallidise whether he expects him or not as he is a Gentleman of great consequence and by your seeing him it may be of great benefit to me, at a future time. Mr. Slee manages all Mr. Hallidises affairs both here and at St. Vincent in his absence.

I think myself very much Honored by the Notice Mr. Thomas, Mr. English and Mr. Snagg took of me at Grenada, but my being so long detained that it took away the Happiness I should have enjoyed by it for no Person could not be more unhappy than I was by having got so far of my Journey and could not finish it, besides the difficulty I laboured under in getting quit of the Shoes I brought form Cork for Sale as without doing that I could not discharge what I owed Captain for remr of my Passage as mentioned in account by the Letter I wrote at Grenada and which comes by the same Post.

I had the honor of sleeping at Mr. Snaggs on Saturday Evening last, & breakfast on Sunday Morning before I left there. He was Attorney for half of this Island but now is Proprietor of it, Mr. Slee, Mr. Hallidise, besides several more Estates were Purchased of him besides he keeps a large Estate in his own Possession.

I send this by Captain Curry who desired me to send him a Letter upon my Arrival as he said he should be unhappy until he heard from me (as there was disagreeable Account from St. Vincent through the hurricanes) as the Vessel was so small, we encountered so many Squalls that made me ill most Part of the way. Mr Hinde, one of the Head Clerks in Mr. Thomas’s Stores said that he would not venture in such a Vessel but that did not deter me for I believe I would have come in a much smaller one rather than not had the Pleasure of getting here, I must again beg leave to acquaint you that I am perfectly happy in my Mind as it is beyond my power to acquaint you the friendship Mr. Slee received me with, I am the only Person he has seen from our Part of the Country these 15 Years.

After I have got a Letter(?) more settled will do myself the Happiness of writting to my worthy friends Mrs. Forth, Brother Thomas and Mrs. Britton who I send my very best respects to, allso my kind respects to Mrs. Woodhouse, Mrs. Silburn, Mr and Mrs. Able, Mrs. Shaw & Mr. & Mrs. Rose, and Compliments to all Inquiring friends. Please do excuse this Scrole as the Musketoes has bit me so much that I am swelled up in small Places over several Parts of my Body particularly in my Hands, their Bite is very troublesome. You will please to remember me to Sisters when you write to them, also to my Grandmother, Mother, Brother Robt. & Brothers and Sisters at Ganthorpe, you shall hear from me by first conveyance after this. Please do give my kind Comps .to Mr. Lambert as I know he is a well wisher of mine.

I am, Dear Brother, Your ever Affectionate and Loving Brother, and most obdt. and Hble. Servt.
Mark Forth.

P.S. I was detained at Grenada 12 Days before I could procure a Passage so think you will think that I had very good reasons to be anxious and unhappy in my mind.
I beg to acquaint you it troubled the Captn. to see me so anxious to get away and not have the opportunity he is a very worthy Man and spared me no pains where he had opportunity of assisting me in making all the Inquiry he could, I was obliged to be constantly upon the watch as the Small Vessel to run between the Islands goes away at a Moments Notices.’

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