On Board The Unity
1761-1763

• Letter from Adriaan Spoors – August 26, 1762, Essequibo
• Letter from Abraham Wijs – September 18, 1762, Berbice
• Letter from Adriaan Spoors – December 13, 1762, Essequibo 

Letter from Adriaan Spoors – August 26, 1762, Essequibo

[Received]
Rio Essequebo 26 August 1762
Adriaan Spoors
received 15 November 1762
answered: 23 December [1762]

[Letter]
Honourable Sirs,

Captain Jan Menkenveld, with your honourable ship The Unity and a remainder of 142 slaves, has arrived from the Berbice on the 7th of this month and has reported to me immediately. As is my duty and habit, I have looked after those interests as good as possible. The slaves were subsequently sold on the 19th of this month at a public auction to capital, yes soaring prices, with which I have the honour of congratulating your Honourable Sirs.

Further I will take the liberty to refer to the sales conditions and the account of the public auction, which the captain has the honour to send to your Honourable Sirs. From the first your Honourable Sirs will see that not only have I delivered you a home cargo, but that I have also made sure that the last payment will be paid in sugar. I have done this willingly so that by that time your Honourable alliance may have a ship that can make use of this cargo, which is better than to leave it unused! Finally, Honourable Sirs, my intentions are sincere and it would please me if my instructions will be responded to.

Having nothing further to expand on, the only thing left for me to do is to commend your Honourable alliance and respective persons and families to the godly protection and would like to recommend myself to your favourable frienship and to remain, will all due respect,

Honourable Sirs

Your Honourable humble and obedient servant
Adriaan Spoors

1762

Rio Essequebo, 26th August 1762

Letter from Abraham Wijs – September 18, 1762, Berbice

[Received]
Berbice 18 September 1762
Abraham Wijs
received 19 meij 1763
answered …

[Letter]
The Honourable Lords Directors
of the Commercie Compagnie
in Middelburg in Zeeland

Honourable Sirs,

Because of the sale of the cargo of slaves of the ship The Unity, captain Jan Menkenveld, via public auction, I owe your Honourable Sirs the sum of ƒ 34.348:8:- with the promise to send this sum with the first ship to your Honourable Sirs as said on the current account which was given to captian Menkenveld.

Due to the illnesses and deaths in this colony I have only managed to obtain half of those pennings. Nonetheles I have scraped together as much as the sum of ƒ 29.839:8:6 which I will already send to your Honourable Sirs according to the included list. The remainder ƒ 4.508:19:10 I will send to your Honourabel Sirs on departure of the ship The Reunion, captain Dirk Kray, which will depart on the 25th of this month.

This letter has been written in haste and because of all the bad circumstances it is short, may God make it better, in whoms protection your Honouorable Sirs remain in awe.

Honourable Sirs,

Your Honourable obliging and
obedient servant,
Abraham Wijs

Berbice, 18th September 1762

Letter from Adriaan Spoors – December 13, 1762, Essequibo

[Received]
Rio Essequebo 13th December
1762 Adriaan Spoors
received 24th March 1763
answered: 26th April 1763

[Letter]
Honourable Sirs,

Hopefully this letter will, with God’s blessing, be delivered to you speedily by Your Respected ship The Unity, captained by Jan Menckveld, to whom I have given the necessary accounts and bills of exchange for the fullfillment of Your Honourable’s first payment. Wishing your Honourable Sirs may receive one and other satisfactory, I will make sure that both other terms will be paid to Your Honourable Sirs on time.

I would like to ascertain at the soonest possible occasion whether Your Honourable Sirs will, for the last payment, send a ship here to pick up a cargo of coffee and sugar. This, so that I can make the necessary arrangements on time.

Regarding the rest I recommend myself to the affection and friendship of Your Honourable Sirs, and remain, with due respect,

Your Honourable Sirs,
Your Honourable humble and obedient servant
Adriaan Spoort
1762
Rio Essequebo 13th December 1762