LETTERS OF JOHN ANDREWS. 07
stroy'd of his furniture &ca., to the value of two hundred sterling — which was not to be nam'd with what fifty other houses suffer'd, or I may say a hundred.
I was oblig'd to pay at the rate of a dollar an hour for hands to assist me in moving; such was the demand for laborers, that they were taken from me, even at that, by the tories who bid over me, for the sake of carrying away other people's effects, wherever they could come at them, which so retarded my moving that I was oblig'd to have my kitchen furniture in the house I left — consequently it was broke open and rummag'd, and with all my crockery ware carried oil'. Wat has strip'd your uncle's house of every thing he could conveniently carry off, which had I have known that had been his intention I would by no means have consented to go into it. but as I had mov'd most of my heavy things while he was preparing to go, it was too late for me to get off, when I discovert! it. Your uncle Jerry was almost frantic about it, and said he should write his brother and acquaint him that I was knowing to it, and yet permitted him to do it; little thinking that it was not in my power to prevent his carrying off every thing, if he was dispos'd to do it, as I only took charge of the house as his (Wat's) substitute. He has left all the looking glasses and window curtains, with some tables and most of the chairs ; only two bedsteds and oik; bed, without any bedding or sheets, or even a rag of linnen of any kind. Some of the china and principal part of the pewter is the sum of what he has left, save the Library, which was pack'd up corded to ship, but your uncle Jerry and Mr. Austin went to him and abso- lutely forbid it, on his peril. He treated them in a very rough, cavalier way; told them they had no right to interfere with his business; he should do as he pleas'd, and would not hear what they had to say. I. pon the whole, I dont know but what it would have been as well if he had taken them, seeing matters are going to be carried with so high a hand. For my further comfort, 1 have Boston upon my hands with a confirmed consumption upon him, whom I had not the least thought of being troubled with, as he was in the service of Major Smelt of the 17th and had embark'd with him, but was sent on shore again, on account of his sickness.
I am well in health, thank God, and have been so the whole of the time, but have liv'd at the rate of six or seven hundred sterling a y ear — for I was determin'd to eat fresh provissions, while it was to be o.t. let it cost what it would ; that since October I have scarce eat three meals of salt meat, but supply'd my family with fresh at the
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