| Description | Letter to Alexander Gordon from his brother James, London, regarding bill of lading for sundries sent from London to Portsoy, some for Alexander and his friends, and others for James himself. ‘They must be deposited at Letterfourie, where I’m persuaded you’ll be at no loss for a place to lodge them in the new House, the Lead and Window Glass you will doubtless immediately unpack … I must recommend the utmost care in the Cartage of every thing from Portsoy, how you’ll be able to manage that I really know not, for the small hobleing bits of carts around you will never answer. There is a very good Chiming 8 day Clock which was Riddoch’s … it must not be put into either Cart or Waggon, which would quite destroy it, but carried as the Chairmen do here, or the Hammocks are carried in Madeira’, wishes to give up management of the business, ‘I begin to find that I stand in need of a change of air, and to be, at least very frequently, out of this, and at the place where my Penchant most leads me to’, encouraging Alexander to continue his improvements at Letterfourie and not let them go to waste, telling him to unpack a particular chest containing Mrs Riddoch’s clothes and ‘your Boy Gamby’s Cloaths … Mrs Riddochs Indian Boy Jack goes now, I shall insure £300 on this vessel, including value of the Boy which I put at 30 guineas tho’ doubt no his being worth much much more … I send you know the German Receipt [recipe] for fertilizing land … and the remarks on trial of it by a Farmer in Yorkshire … by Sal mirabile is meant Globar Salt’ 11 May 1774 |