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JANUARY, 1932 ] THE SCATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
121
which this year was not to be had. The merchants tell me that the next year will be a great deal better, they haveing orders from the Emperor to open the tutenaugh and gold mines, which will make those two comidities pretty plenty ...
Your old freinds Linquah and Anquah are brave and hearty still, and carry on allmost all the business, but I think they do not play us fair in some things. You will hear Captain Newton rail at them and Captain Hudson and Fenwick praise them as much. And as for Inquah, he has not done one hundred tales worth of business this year, neither with the French nor English. In short, Linquah and Anquah does all the grand, and Comshaw, Chounquah and Pinkee all the less.
Mr. Clark writes from Amoy that that port will become good again. They have taken off all the Manderins petty duties and uses him very well, and goods at very moderate prices. By Mr. Child have sent you 4 catties of Congo tea which hope you will except off
remain your humble servant
[Unsigned]
[NOTES ON DOCUMENT No. 37.] The place you have so often been at. Osmond Beauvoir spent several years in India as a free merchant. He was at Canton in 1710.
Mr. Clark. Probably Jarvis Clarke with whom Scattergood corresponded later on.
Amoy ... will become good again. For conditions of trade at Amoy in the early eighteenth century and the extortions to which Europeans were subjected, see Morse, The East India Company trading to China, Vol. I, chapters xii, xiv. .
Mr. Child. John Child who subsequently engaged in the Ostend trade.
[38]
[13 November 1713] Honoured Mother, I received a letter by Captain Hudson from you which gave me a world of content to hear that you and the rest of our family were well, and pray God to keep them so till I can have the happiness of seeing you all togather which will be a joyfull day to me, which I hope will not be long. Till then I live in hopes.
Mr. Lewis writes me that he will certainly goe for England this year. From him you will hear the latest news of Madrass, so shall not trouble you in this. I am now upon my departure for Surratt, where if I arrive safely, hope to make a good voyage both for my employers and self, and if I can goe another voyage to China, hope to gett a handson competency to goe for England; but if I should fail, will goe with what little I have.
My brother Elihu, I beleive, has write you how matters goe with him. I hope to meet him at Surratt where we will consult for both our future benifitt in voyages.
By Mr. Fenwick, my old friend, I have sent you 4 catties of very good Bohee tea, a gold suuff box, 6 fanns and my image made hear, which I hope will be acceptable. Everybody tells me it is like me, but you may easily see if it is so or not by looking in the glase.