MacDonald of Glenaladale, Captain John (1784) Letter (dated 29 April 1784) to his sister Helen MacDonald, accompanied by ’Private lnstructions and Hints regarding the building of the House [P.E.l. PARO 26649 and 2664—154]. John MacDonald of Glenalada/e lb. 1 742, d. 7810) had arrived on the Island of St. John late in 1 7 73 to take over the running of his estate and settlement on Lot 36 at the head of the Hil/sborough River, to which the previous year he had sent some 270 Scottish Catholic settlers. However, in 1775 after only a two year stay, he was to leave the Island for 7 7 years, at first (during the American rebel/ion) pursuing a military career at Halifax, fol/o wed from 7782 by a ten year sojourn in London. During this long absence from the island his sister Helen (ca/led ’Ne/ly’) managed his Tracadie estate and settlement. It was thus to her that he sent from London in April 7784 detailed instructions on the steps she was to follow in order to have a house built on the Tracadie estate. One of the principal problems that he foresaw was procuring the necessary lumber, and the letter is of value for the options that it outlines for possible sites where suitable standing timber and cut boards might be obtained. MacDonald of course must have been writing from his memory of the island as it had been in 7775 when he had last seen it. However, due to the effects of the American rebel/ion, it is likely that there had been little development in the nine year period. REFERENCES: MacDonald, A. F. (1964) Captain John MacDonald, ’Glenalladale'. The Canadian Catholic Historical Report, 30: 21- 37. Bumsted, J. M. (1979) Captain John MacDonald and the Island. The Island Magazine, 6: 15-20. Bumsted, J. M. (1983) MacDonald of Glenaladale, Helen. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, V: 513—14. Pigot, F. L. (1983) MacDonald of Glenaladale, John. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, V: 514-17. Letter: I think I can do no better than propose to you to adopt the Plan of Mr Callbeck’s A smaller house house such as it was when I was last on the Island it is true that it was rather does not require small for a large family particularly in a country place; but then it does not require large timber. extraordinary Quantities of timber or materials, nor any large timber, and therefore it will be easier be executed by you now than any plan requiring more or larger materials [p. 1] regarding the stance or the place where the house is to be built — I am affraid all Siting the house the wood near the place where the Uist people had their fields in my time is cut away near the woods. — I should like the house to be near the Wood if there were a good dry Situation, & that it would suit the regularity and proper division, so as to please the Eye, of the Ground in front, rear and on both sides. In. 2] Private Instructions : Poss/’b/e sources If you understand Mr Callbeck has agreed to restore Lot 35 to General Maitland then of the timber: you may safely take upon you to cut upon that Lot whatever timber for the Frame. Logs, Joists and Couples for the roof etc. may be necessary, and I should hope you Lot 35 should find them somewhere about Winter River or where we used to make boards on the little river that falls into the head of the Bay — But if Mr Callbeck has determined to refuse to restore the Lot in that case you may try what you can make of Mr. Lawson: perhaps he will permit you to take off his Lot [i.e. Lot 34] on La 34 the side of the River what may be sufficient — If this will not do I know not how you Lot 2, will manage it unless you may think proper to take it off Lot 21 for I know Mr Clarke will have no objection to let me have what I want -— In this case to float it round in good weather. [p. 1] I know not who your principal Carpenter will be but you will endeavour to get 50