68 AVES ISLAND. 



Boston, June 22, 1854. 



Dear Sir : As you are about proceeding with a gang of men to collect 

 guano and ship it home, the following is our understanding as to com 

 pensation: 



You are to receive seventy-five dollars per month and fifteen cents 

 per ton on all the guano shipped from the island, the weight to be 

 ascertained on landing in this country ; and it is further guaranteed 

 that your compensation shall in no event be less than one hundred and 

 fifty dollars per month during the time you are so employed. You 

 can draw for seventy-five dollars per month payable here during your 

 absence. 



Captain N. P. Gibbs. 



Dear Sir : You will proceed as soon as possible to Sydney, Cape 

 Breton, and take a cargo of coal as per charter party herewith, and 

 proceed to the port of Mole, Island of Gruadaloupe, and discharge the 

 same according to bills lading or charter party. You will notice the 

 freight is payable at the rate of $10 per chaldron of name measure or 

 its equivalent. The silver 5 franc piece is a legal tender in this country 

 at 94 cents each. You can take your pay in this coin or in French 

 gold coin at the rate 18f to 19 cents per franc, or bills on France of an 

 undoubted character at ISf cents our money per franc. I prefer your 

 taking gold or silver for your freight which you can collect yourself, and 

 not pay any commission for collecting the same. You probably will 

 have to pay a commission on your disbursements, which I presume 

 cannot be very large. You will take in sufficient ballast to take your 

 vessel safely down Has ''Aves" or Bird Island, which you will find 

 down on the chart, latitude 15° 40' 56" north, 63° 36' 54" west from 

 Greenwich, where you will no doubt find Captain N. P. Gibbs with a 

 gang of men prepared to furnish you with a cargo of guano, which is 

 the object of this voyage ; and you will with your boats and crew lend 

 every assistance in so loading your vessel or in any way make yourself 

 useful with your crew in assisting Captain Gibbs. After getting your 

 cargo proceed to Neiv York as speedily as possible and report yourself 

 from coast of South America consigned to order. Should you not find 

 Captain Gibbs there, and you cannot with your crew and the means at 

 your disposal load the brig with guano, you will proceed to Turk's 

 Island and get a freight of salt to Boston on the best terms you can 

 with the least possible delay. You will write me from Sydney how 

 much coal you take and when you are to leave, and from Guadaloupe 

 when you expect to get away, and how much money you have over; 

 and if you take bills of exchange for your freights send them to me 

 properly indorsed to my order inclosed to my order. The first and 

 second you can bring with you. 



Capt. Luther Howland, of hrig Cronstadt. 



