*1790 June 22nd letter page 106

".....a lady of great influence lives in Feriland by name, a widow WESTON a Roman Catholik and native of Killkeny. I wrote to Dr. LANAGAN and requested he'd write to this Lady, & recommend Mr. EWER to her as being the only clergyman qualified to officiate, and also to withdraw her protection from POWER & c. The Doctor has not answered me, & it's very probable he has not wrote to Feriland; this makes me suspect he is for POWER." sgn'd Wm. PHELAN, Waterford, Ireland

**1794 August 7th

...[The log says: August 5th/25th moored in Aquaforte Harbour].."While our Frigate lay at Anchor in the Harbour I avail'd myself of going through the woods to Ferryland. I had occasion to call on business on Mrs. KEENE who lived in a place called the Grove. She is now a widdow, is left in good circumstances having fourteen cows, which in Newfoundland puts the proprietor on a par with Job in point of Riches. Her husband came over from England about fifty-five years ago as an Adventurer--what is called here a green man, which means a man that has never been in a Fishing Boat on this Coast before. By dint of Industry and Perservance he became the most affluent Fisherman in Ferryland;....." page 109

**1794 page 110

..."In Ferryland is a kind of House of Entertainment called the London Inn. It is now kept by the Widdow of Captain TREE, an American LOYALIST, who lost a considerable Property when the British Troops abandoned Boston. They came and settled here. Mrs. TREE is in a very comfortable situation, has a large and roomy House and Genteel Furniture. A Gentleman may have as good a Dinner and Rest at this House as any in Newfoundland. I Din'd here the day I made the Tour on Four Covers, Viz. a Boiled Leg of Pork, Fowls, Lamb, Ducks, Pudings, Green Pease and other vegitables, served up with Sauces and Gravys. Had an Epicure been one of the Guests he could not a found fault with a single Dish.

Mrs. TREE is about fifty, rather corpulent, but in possession of one of those faces which is the Frontispiece to Good Nature and the Emblem to Sociability and calm serenity. She related to me this History of the American War and the fatal consequence of its effects to her Family, the Terror of her mind when she heard the Cannon roar at the Battle of Bunker Hill, which produced on her understanding a continuous torpescenty that she could not get rid of untill she had made her escape from the Country which was then the Seat of the War. She told me that she had, at this time, a Son on board the British Ship the "Royal George" of 100 Guns, who was born in America, serv'd under General Washington in the American Army, and was at this time a Citizen of the States of America; that he belonged to an American Ship from New York to London, that when the Ship arriv'd in London he being ashore one evening was press'd and Forc'd on board an English Ship of War....." etc. etc.

1794...page 111

..."To say more on this controversy between Mrs. TREE and myself--I cannot but admit but what it wrote a consideration on the subject in my mind, and the following is the fruit of my Reflection:

It is held unlawful for our Offspring to resist the will of the Parent. It is likewise deem'd un-natural in a Native to fight against his Country, which has foster'd him, whose Laws have protected him in the enjoyment of his Property and in the Freedom of his person. So fully doth the Constitution of England set up this principle that on our engaging in War we instantly issued a Proclamation telling all our Subjects to quit the Service of that Power against whom our Arms are directed, on pain of death, which punishment can be inflicted by the antient Law of the Land. Now if one Kingdom or State says that this Law has Equity and Justice for its basis it surely must be confess'd that the other Countrys have a right to enact the same Laws in regard to their own Subjects. America is acknowledged by all the Powers of Europe a Free and Independent Republic, and the instant that instrument was signed, that very moment, all her Citizens or the persons born in the Land became free, and were absolv'd from their Allegiance to any other power......." etc. etc.

"In the American States some anxiety has been givin in regard to American Sailors being detain'd on board British Ships of War. Very much difficulty has arose in the English Service on this head between the American and the English sailor. There is no external marks for discrimination, and it is easy for a man who wishes to evade the English Naval Service to say that he is an American." etc. etc