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Diary of John Harroiver 99 and I shou'd soon be with you. May God grant that such a cast may happen to you. I must now conclude by offering my Compt". to Mf and M? Vance, and all who enquires for me in a friendly way, with my bless- ing to you my sweet life and my Dear Infants is all at present from, My Dearest Jewell, your ever affectionate Husband while — Signed J. H. Belvidera 28'." Aug' 1775. Addressed to M? John Harrower in Ler- wick, Zetland, by Edinburgh, North Britain. Same date. A Coppy, D: Sir I make no doubt but by my not laying my mind oppen to you sooner I have partly incur' d your dis- pleasure. But before I am done shall hope for your excusing me, And allow me to take this opportunity of returning you my most grateful! Ac- knowledgements for your good advice and Assistance to my Dearest Wife and Children since we have been absent from one another, and I earnestly intreat your continouance of the same and am hopefull you will not see her in strait untill I am able to repay you, and wherin I can serve you or yours it shall never be wanting on my part. My design of leaving Zetland for some time was only known to my wife ; And the making it known to any person else wou'd not in all probabilitie wou'd not have hindred it ; I being so straitned that nothing but money upon Intrest for some Considerable time cou'd have saved me from being per- sonally exposed ; But when I left the Country, I did not intend going further than Holland, or even London cou'd I have found business there to my liking but not finding that, and the frost being strong in Holland, I was determined to see what I cou'd do in this Western World. And as to my business and situation here, Annie can fully inform you if she has not already done it. Here I have keept my health much better than ever I did before in any place, and am as happily situated as I cou'd wish hade I my wife and Children with me, Only not in a way at present to make much money, tho I hope in a short time I shall be able to make more ; I have now wrote Annie to advise with you with respect to her moving to this Country with the Children, and shall expect her thoughts upon it in her next ; And I earnestly begg of you that on receipt of this you take the trouble to write me yourself and give me your mind on the same subject, likeways let me know how trade goes with any thing else that is remarcable in the country, And Annie will give you the proper directions for me. LTntill the disputes betwixt Goverment and the CoUonies are set- tled there is no such thing as getting any remittance made to any part in Britain ; Hostilities being already begun at Boston and three Engage- ments already fought betwixt the British troops and the provincialls the last of which on the 17'^ June last at Charleston near Boston, when the Provincialls gained the day as they did of the other two. In this last Eng; Gen'.' Gage hade above a thousand men left dead on the field of Battle and 500 wounded. Among the dead are many of the British offi-