| Description | Letter from Alexander Gordon in Madeira to his brother James Gordon of Letterfourie, sent by Captain Clapp, anxious about the shipment of wines, selling off damaged wheat, ‘For God’s sake if you send any more crocus baggs let them be of a better quality and better sow’d’, asking for more flour of first and second rate, some of third, dressed flax (more in July and August), intending to ask for goods from Hamburg soon that might sell well in Madeira, and discusses arrangements for shipping, Norwegian herring would do well in the summer if Scots herring has not come in first, beef is doing well, arrival of flour will probably lower prices, ongoing concerns on the quality of pipes for wine, scarcity of pale wines, reports of correspondence, list of bills, asking for items of stationery, bung plates and nails, dispute over wine, ‘We are now provided with a housekeeper a passenger from onboard of McKenzie & on as easie terms as we could expect, we’re like to lose Tobie what with pilfering & getting drunk’, 12 April 1761 |