Curtis Fawcett - 1840-10-14

To:  Jos.  Fawcett   P. M.    St. Charles    Missouri

Philada  Oct 14th 1840

Dear Pa,
            According to the request made in your last letter, which was handed me yesterday by Mr Ellison, I now write you upon my return, from the West Indies and in fact my first viset to any foreign, country or countries.
            It was about 3 o,clock of the 12th that we anchored, abreast of the navy yard on the lower edge of the city; but owing to a head wind & tide, we were not able to get ashore until near the middle of yesterday, & having some visets, and errands, to attend to, I find this my first opportunity of writing to you.
            Our  voyage with the exception of some bad weather; was alltogether a very pleasant voyage and one I am glad to say profitable to the owners, of the brig.  We had pretty rough weather, whilst crossing the Gulf Stream; but after getting over that, we had verry pleasant weather; with which we could find no fault, other than the winds were so light; as to prolong our outward passage to twentyfive days; which is along passage for any other time than just at that season of the year.  But long as it was, we were fortunate enough to get there, before; by one day, a vessel that sailed on day, previous, to our departure; and one about which our owners where verry anxious, as the market is limeted; and the consequence of her getting in first; might have been to us, a spoiled market, allthough we did beat her; it so happened that we got in upon saturday. & she on sunday; consequently our beating her, was of no profit to us; as they do no business there upon sundays   Not withstanding; she did not reduce, our cargo in the market, for just at the time, there happed to be, a scacity; of Flour & meal, of which our cargo consisted; sufficient to create a demand for both her’s & ours.  After dispay of our cargo, which kept us in Barbadoes, six days.  We left there on the 28th of August & arrived in Port Auprince, on the 9th of September.  After passing between the Islands of St Lucie on the left and Martinico on the right afew days after loosing sight of  them; we came in sight of Portorico, & and passed between the western end of it, and the eastern, of St. Domingo; while we were, boing through this, which is called Mona, passage; we had in view at one time, four different Islands; Pororico and Sacco, on the right; with St. Domingo & Mona; on the left hand.  After getting through, we run down the Northern side of St. Domingo, until we reached the most northerly point, when we steared south westernly to the entrance of the bay;  upon which Port Auprince stands; from thence se had to beat back against the wind, ex[? page torn] the course from which we had just come;  [torn] after getting there; with considerable trouble, there was nothing verry gratifing, in the view of the capitol; of this republic, dark in the colour of its inhabitants; & dark in its future prospect.  For its buildings are such as don’t deserve the name, mere sheds, without finish, for the most part, though, there are some creditable exceptions, the streets too; are neither paved nor clean, & in many places the water that comes off a steep hill, that is back of the place when it rains; collects in the gutters, gullies owing to their not being a free, passage for it, off to the water, it there becomes a corrupt mortar bed; with the dirt that gets mixed in it; and nothing to the health, of the citizens, who number about thirty thousands all black or mulattoe with the exception of some white merchants.  Bridgetown, Barbadoes is not only much larger; containing 120 thousand, but much cleaner & handsomer place alltogether.  There the negroes compose about 2/3 of the population; and they are just as free, as the whites, it not being uncommon to see, a black & white judge upon the same bench; & they have as much to do with makinging their laws, as white men have.  The Emancipation, appears to work well, many of the plantations, that were deep in debt; are now clearing themselves; by giving them ½ a dollar per day and they provide for themselves.
            The Brig will probably be here a month repairing; so that if you wish to write, there will be time for me to receive it. --

Mr Ellison sends his best respects; and I, my love to all. -- Curtis