Rio Essequebo, the 24th of November, anno 1762.
Honorable Sirs, directors of the Commercie Compagnie,
Dear Sirs,
Because the frigate The Hope, lying at the roadstead and commanded by captain Jan Blaak, is among the first to return to the homeland, I consider it my duty to inform your honors of your own ship, now under my command. We left GuyanaRio Essequebo for GuyanaRio Demmerarij on October 28th with 82 hogsheads of sugar and 9 sacks of coffee beans, arriving there on November 1st to take in the rest of our cargo. I am using all effort to my return; in the expectation of our Lord’s precious blessing I hope to leave for the homeland in the middle of next month.
Please find attached also:
- A copy of the letter from Rio Essequebo dated on August 27th 1762
- A copy of the conditions of the sold slaves in Rio Essequebo
- List of the paid letters of exchange, these being 15 bills which together (according to the accompanying list) amount to 6548 guilders, 17 nickels and 14 pennies.
So far it has proved impossible for me to send your honors the manifest and the transactional accounts. The reason for this is that Mr. Spoors has been too busy to settle the bill and also that I do not have all the sugar yet. The cargo now consists of 153 hogsheads of sugar, five barrels and 31 sacks of coffee beans.
I hope that you and your families are enjoying as good a health as that in which I, as well as my officers and crew, find ourselves.
I have nothing else of importance to report, except that the ship Spreeuwenburg, captained by Jan le Chair from Flushing, has arrived at this river with, according to my estimate, about 320 slaves. I think he has made between six and seven thousand guilders from them. The ship Het Hoff Ramsburgh, captained by Makkens, has also safely arrived here.
Closing, I have the honor of greeting you and your honorable family and recommending them to the protection of the Almighty
I sign with all respect,
Dear Sirs
Your humble and loyal servant,
Jan Menkenveld
