[Trade]. [Mexico]

[Letter Written by Charles Penfield to the Firm of B. Delano & Sons Regarding His Business Misfortunes on a Trip to New Orleans]

New Orleans: January 21, 1842. [3]pp. on a folded folio sheet. Old folds. Small loss from wax seal, affecting a few words on third page. Light wear and soiling. About very good. Item #3123

A wandering "woe is me" missive from Charles Penfield to his business partners back home in Massachusetts, detailing his numerous misfortunes on a journey by boat to Mexico and thence to New Orleans. He writes: "To tell you of my misfortunes, I think you should rather console with me than to sensure [sic] me, however you can write your friends in Baltimore & let them see me &c. First of my troubles I was fined in Mexico as you have the documents to amount of moste 600 dollars with the expenses. Next misfortune was detained in town 22 days to attend to the [?], board 2 dolls. per day, horse hire about 25 or 40 dolls. with expenses on the road, vessel being 40 miles before the town. Next, I took the yellow fever or Mexican fever & as you must expect, my bill was high when I went to town. The deaths was 25 a day, population of 6000." He goes on to detail freight costs to New Orleans and the other expenses related to the journey, writing: "You had better get these papers translated by some Spanish merchant in Boston & make claim on Mr. Brown." He also notes in a post script that the price of freighting cotton to Liverpool is a half penny per pound. A detailed account of the trials and tribulations of uncertain business ventures in antebellum America.

Price: $450.00