We have but few fish; the men that undertook the weirs
were very slow and unfaithful, and not only neglected the
fisheries but the Mill also, for which reason we have not a full
load for the Sloop. The Mill we have not nor shall be able to keep
at work without more and better hands; have four less than we
ought to have for different branches of work, if all of them was
good boys, and with those that are bad must make a bad figure. We
have promised 30 to 40 hogsheads Lime to Mr. Best of Halifax and
hourly expect a vessel for it, and have encouragement of a
contract for the King's works there; expect nothing but to
disappoint him as that rascal negro West cannot be flattered or
drove to do one fourth of a man's work; shall give him a strong
dose on Monday morning which will make him better or worse, no
dependence can be put on him. * * We want three men, one that
understands tending a mill and two teamsters, which we beg you
will send in next vessel."

The correspondence of the partners shows that the manufacture of lime
continued to engage their attention. The first kiln was built in rear
of the store and dwellings at Portland Point near the base of Fort
Howe hill. When James Simonds visited Halifax in September, 1764, he
wrote a very interesting letter to Samuel Blodget in which he says: "I
have been with the King's chief Mason; have shewn him a sample of our
lime; he likes it well and gives me encouragement that he will take
all of me that he wants either for public or private use (he is the
only dealer in town) at a rate that will net at St. John's three
dollars or more pr. hogshead."

Several coopers were sent from Newburyport by Hazen & Jarvis to
manufacture hogsheads for the lime business, one hogshead being
considered about as much as a man could make in a day. With the view
of securing a more desirable class of employees the company began at
this time to take into their service married men with families for
whose accommodation they built comfortable log houses. Yet even here
there were disappointments, as we learn from another of Mr. Simonds'
letters in which he says: "Our help mostly failed us last fall, and
the hay season was the wettest that was ever known, which prevented
our having a sufficient quantity of lime-stone dug and wood cut to
employ the teams to good advantage. * * Old Abbot (the cooper) did not
do one day's work for sixty days after his wife arrived; no dependence