Page:New Brunswick Magazine Issue 1.djvu/155
White came to St. John in 1762, is therefore a mistake.
Occasional glimpses are afforded, in the letters written by James Simonds to his partners in New England of many privations endured in the early days of the settlement at St. John. For example, on Sept. 23, 1764, Mr. Simonds wrote to Blodget and Hazen.
"I hope if I sacrifice my interest, ease, pleasure of Good Company, and run the risque even of life itself for the benefit of the Company, those of them who live where their circumstances are every way the reverse will in return be so good as to take a little pains to dispose of all effects remitted to the best advantage."
Again on May 27, 1765, Mr. Simonds wrote to Hazen and Jarvis.
"I thank you for the willingness you express to relieve me and that you think there is any difficulty to go through in these parts . . . and I am obliged to you for sending some furniture for truly none was ever more barely furnished than we were before. Gentility is out of the question."
Communication with New England in those days was slow and uncertain, and sometimes the non-arrival of a vessel, when provisions and supplies were at a low ebb, caused a good deal of grumbling on the part of the hands employed. This was particularly the case if their supply of rum had chanced to run out. On one occasion we find Mr. Simonds writing, "The men are in low spirits having nothing to eat but pork and bread and nothing but water to drink. Knowing this much I trust you will lose no time in sending to our relief."
For several years after the white inhabitants had effected a permanent settlement on the river, they were liable at any time to be reduced to distress in the event of a failure of the crops. An instance occurred in the year 1770, which is thus described by Mr. Simonds:
"Most difficult to remedy and most distressing was the want of provisions and hay. Such a scene of misery of man and beast we never saw before. There was not anything of bread kind equal to a bushel of meal for every person when the schooner sailed the 6th of February (three months ago) and less of meat and vegetables in proportion—the Indians and hogs had part of that little."