render the passage and arrival
of the unfortunate Loyalists in some degree comfortable to them. Before
Captain Briggs sailed from Annapolis, the grateful Loyalists waited on
him with the following address:

"_To Robert Briggs, Esquire, Commander of His Majesty's Ship
'Amphitrite.'_

"The loyal refugees who have emigrated from New York, to settle in Nova
Scotia, beg your acceptance of their warmest thanks for the kind and
unremitted attention you have paid to their preservation and safe
conduct at all times during their passage.

"Driven from their respective dwellings for their loyalty to our King,
after enduring innumerable hardships, and seeking a settlement in a land
unknown to us, our distresses were sensibly relieved during an
uncomfortable passage by your humanity, ever attentive to our
preservation.

"Be pleased to accept of our most grateful acknowledgments, so justly
due to you and the officers under your command, and be assured we shall
remember your kindness with the most grateful sensibility.

"We are, with the warmest wishes for your health, happiness,
and a prosperous voyage,

"With the greatest respect,

"Your most obedient humble servants,

"In behalf of the refugees,

"AMOS BOTSFORD,
"TH. WARD,
"FRED. HANSIR,
"SAM. CUMMINS,
"ELIJAH WILLIAMS.[139]

"Annapolis Royal, the 20th of October, 1782."

_Letter with Enclosure from the Hon. R. Hodgson, Chief Justice of Prince
Edward Island._

"CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island, 12th June, 1861.

"SIR,--

"I recently perused, in a newspaper published in Halifax, Nova Scotia,
called the 'British Colonist,' a statement to the purport that you
contemplate publishing a history of 'The British United Empire Loyalists
of America,' and have issued a circular to the descendants of the
Loyalists, asking for information relating to the lives and adventures
of their forefathers.

"I have not seen your circular, and possibly the whole thing may be a
mere newspaper fabrication; but it is stated so circumstantially as to
carry with it an air of truth, and I have been induced to copy a brief
memoir of my maternal grandfather, Lieut.-Colonel Joseph Robinson, in
his own handwriting, now in my possession, and to enclose it to you
herewith, to be made use of as you think fit in your intended
publication. The memoir would appear, from a statement contained in it,
to be written in obedience to some order from the then Secretary at War,
possibly calling upon