Gunpowder sold in a paper package 1736.

THE SOUTH CAROLINA GAZETTE
July 24, 1736
Charleston, South Carolina
"On the 8th Inst. a sad Misfortune happened at Wiltown, Mr. Welsh who kept Store there, having weighed two lb. of Gun-powder and put it in a Paper upon the Counter, another Man came in to light his Pipe and letting some of the Fire upon the Paper, the Powder in it went off immediately and set one Barril with Powder which was under the Counter and another over against it in Fire at once, which blew up the House, whereby Mr. Welsh and a Boy were kill'd, and a great many Persons that were then in and about the House, miserably hurt and burnt."

Southern Cross Free Trappers Latest Newsletter.

Detail from Millmerran 2017 pencil drawing by Charlie Timma.

http://freetrappers.org.au/newsletters/vol-60-november-2017/

From Stroud to Strouds: The Hidden History of a British Fur Trade Textile1 Cory Willmott

http://zjff.net:81/files/20131022/1382411823061_44.pdf

Baynton & Wharton, Traders,1768.

Baynton & Wharton, 1768.

I shall impatiently await the Arrival of our red Strouds &c, without which We shall suffer greatly in our Sales. Should any Accident have happend to them I recommend to you to send at least 100 Pieces of the already described Fabrick, as soon as possible.

I have already sent you a gen^ Order for the Goods which are in
demand here & which will afford a great Advance Mess" Clarkson
& Jennings drew it out, but I fear the Am* may be beyond your
Capacity. If so, I would have you generally confine yourselves to the
Articles therein mark'd with an A particularly those mentiond in the
inclosed List But a small Part of those markd B, will be very
necessary. As to Muscovado & Loaf Sugar, Coffee, Chocolate, Mens,
Womens & Childrens best & common Leather Shoes, Tin Ware —
Pewter d° Silver Truck, Appalachia Handkerchiefs — Beaver Traps,
& Soap, you cannot send too great a Q^^ but an assortment will
occasion quicker Returns & prevent Traders going to New Orleans.

Pray dont forget to send the Jesuits Bark by the first Opportunity
I expect to eat a pound of it myself if it comes in Time. We are
greatly distressed for Want of Medicines & shall be much more so in
two or three Months if Mr Wharton does not bring a small Supply.
I flatter myself that ere this you have forwarded to Fort Pitt A
considerable Part of the Goods I sent an Order for P Silver Heels &
Mr Young & That that [sic] they will be despatchd to this Place
before the Fall of the Waters — We shall be in Want of the following
particular Articles, Viz
Loaf Sugar
Muscovado d"
Hyson Tea
Bohea d°
Chocolate
Pepper
Shoes very large in the
instep but not high
quarterd fine &
coarse Mens Wom-
ens & Childrens
Tin Ware
Pitch & Cordage
Pewter Basons &c
Brass Candle sticks
Writing Paper
Spike Gimblets
Tap Bores
3 Largest Scale Beams
Steel Spurs Short of all Sizes
Salt Petre
Worsted or Cruels
Short Pipes
Blotting Cloaths
fine Irish Linnens
fine Chintz & Callicos
White & red Flan^
Swanskin
Black Barcelona
Cravats & Hkdfs
Bandana d°
small Gilt Trunks
Bed Ticken in Pieces
Table Cloths
Candle Wick &
Candle moulds
black Kip Hides
tannd Sheep Skins
Beaver Traps
Nails & Iron Mongery
for building of Houses
scyths & Sickles
scyth Stones

Knives & Forks
Garden Spades
Axes, of the best sort
A large Q*^ of English Cheese
12 lb Beeswax
Shirt Buttons
fine y^ w^ Cott Checks
blue & red striped
Ginghams & Cott
Hollands
Apalachia Hhdfs
Mens Boys & Womens
worsted Hose & th"*
G milld Hose &
Mitts & Gloves
Felt & Castor Hats
brass Jews Harps
Castile Soap
Playing Cards
6 best Whip Saws
2 Mill Saws
Bar Iron
Red Stroud &c &c principally the Indian Silver Truck as wrote for

These are the principal Articles & will yield an immense
Profit & are what C & J intend to run principally upon Whether
they open a new Store or not, the beneficially closing our Adventure
depends greatly on keeping ours properly assorted — The Expences of Store Rent, Agents, Servants, Diet &c will be nearly the same
Whether We have those Supplies or not, & the having the necessary
Assortments will abundantly contribute to the Sale of the Goods We
have on Hand — Mr Clarksons apprehending that we shall not be
able to keep up those Assortments & knowing the great Profits on the Sale thereof, has induced him I imagine to draw Mr Jennings in to make the inclosed Proposals,^ knowing that we would not accept of them, & that then he should be at Liberty to offer them to others.

Should any adventurous Persons adopt their Plann, I think they
would be still more bold Adventurers than ever B W & M were.
Our Trade 'tis true would be greatly injured but would reap
no Benefit & I cannot believe that Mr Jennings would undertake
such an Affair, provided you comply with the Order of December. 

Old Coins Put Traders in Australia much Earlier than thought.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-tech/coins-found-in-northern-territory-may-rewrite-australian-history/story-fn5fsgyc-1226646189425

NARRATIVE OF THE CAPTIVITY OF WILLIAM BIGGS. Part 11.

Robert Griffing.

While Coons was gone for the bread, the Indian that claimed me asked me to write his name. I asked him to speak his name distinctly. He did. I had heard it spoken several times before. His name was "Mahtomack." When I was done writing he took it up and looked at it and said it was "Depaway." He then went to his trunk and brought his powder horn, which had his name wrote on it by an officer at Post Vincennes in large print letters, and compared them together. They both were the same kind of letters and his name spelt exactly the same. He seemed mightily pleased and said it was "bon vely good." It was a big captain he said wrote his name on the powder-horn at Opost. The wife of the Indian that claimed me, next morning combed and queued my hair and gave me a very large ostrich feather and tied it to my hat. The Sunday following after I was

taken to that town, there was a number of Indians went from that town to the old Kickapoo trading town. They took me with them to dance what is called the "Beggar's Dance." It is a practice for the Indians every spring, when they come in from their hunting ground, to go to the trading towns and dance for presents; they will go through the streets and dance before all the traders' doors. The traders then will give them presents, such as tobacco, bread, knives, spirits, blankets, tomahawks, &c.

While we were in town that day I talked with my friend McCauslin to speak to the Indians and try to get them to sell me, but they would not agree to sell me then. They said they would come down the Sunday following and bring me with them, perhaps they would then agree to sell me. They complied with their promise and brought me down with them. My friend McCauslin then inquired of them if they had agreed to sell me;

they told him they would. McCauslin then sent for the interpreter, and the Indians asked one hundred buckskins for me in merchandize. The interpreter asked me if I would give it? I told him I would. The Indians then went to the traders' houses to receive their pay. They took but seventy bucks' worth of merchandize at that time. One of the articles they took was bread, three loaves, one for the Indian that claimed me, one for his wife, the other one for me. I saw directly they wanted me to go back home with them. After a little while they started and motioned and told me I must go with them. I refused to go. The Indian fellow took hold of my arm and tried to pull me forward. I still refused going with them. He still continued pulling and his wife pushing me at the back. We went scuffling along a few yards till we got before my friend McCauslin's cabin door. He discovered the bustle and asked me what the Indians wanted. I told him they wanted me to go home with them. He asked me if I wanted to go. I told him no. He then told me to walk into his cabin and sit down and he would go and bring the interpreter. I went in and the two Indians followed me into the cabin and sat down. The interpreter came in immediately and asked the Indians what they wanted. They told him they wanted me to go home with them. The interpreter then asked if I wanted to go with them. I told him no. He then told the Indians they had sold me and that they had nothing more to do with me, that I was a freeman, that I might stay where I pleased. They then said they had not received all their pay. The interpreter then asked them why

they did not take it all? They said they expected I would go home with them and remain with them until I got an opportunity to go home. The interpreter then told them they could get the balance of their pay. They said if I did not go home with them they must have thirty bucks more. The interpreter asked me if I was willing to give it. I told him yes. I did not want to go back again. The Indians then went and took their thirty dollars of balance and thirty more and went off home. I then owed the traders that advanced the goods for me one hundred and thirty buckskins for my ransom, which they considered equal to $260 in silver.

There were five traders that were concerned in the payment of the goods to the Indians. One of them was a Mr. Bazedone a Spaniard, who sometimes traded in the Illinois country, with whom I had some acquaintance. I told him if he would satisfy the other four traders, I would give him my note, payable in the Illinois country. He did so, and I gave him my note for the $260, to be paid twelve months after date in the Illinois country, and $37 more for my boarding and necessaries I could not do without, such as a bear skin and blanket to sleep on, a shirt, hat, tobacco and handkerchief.

Research,Research, Research.

I have mentioned the importance of research many times before, but it never hurts to remind people. Some mistakes in what you use may just cost you some embarrasment among your fellow living historians, others can be a lot more dangerous. I contacted a well known trader some time ago regarding the authenticity of his wares, in particular his 18th century copper kettles. He said the copper kettle in question had been authenticated by the maker!!! Sorry, not good enough. People spend a lot of money on this stuff, and although you can say "well they should do their own research", the fact is that some people don't, and they put their trust in the trader.

This Trader's image suggests that this copper kettle is 18th century. I have yet to see an 18th century kettle of this size. If one existed, and documentation exists, then I would genuinly appreciate someone showing it to me.

 

Powder horns it must be said are like a bomb hanging off your shoulder. I know this sounds frightening, and the last thing I want to do is put people off the sport or stop living historians from carrying their powder horns, but the danger exists.

There are several ways in which a powder horn can explode. One is if you leave the stopper out after loading and a spark gets into the horn from you firing your gun. Another is wearing the powder horn when lighting the camp fire. The stopper in the end of the horn can build up a black powder residue around the stopper, and a spark landing on this can result in an explosion.

For these reasons, the base plug is NEVER glued to secure it. It is only sealed with beeswax and secured with no more than 6-8 small pins or wooden pegs the size of a toothpick. The reason for this is so that IF the horn should explode, the pressure will blow the base plug out of the horn instead of fracturing the horn.

This horn was made by a proffessional hornsmith, he sells these horns for a living. Note the copper reenforcing buttplate over the top of the plug. Note how many nails are securing this plate and the plug. The description also states that this horn is scraped thin enough to be able to see through it. So the horn sides are weak, and the base plug is strongly secured!
Seeing as this manufacturer has seeminly no knowledge of the danger he is creating for his clients with this horn, I would strongly question the safety of the other horns that he makes.
If you are going to purchase a powder horn, ask the seller how it has been constructed. If he/she can't tell you with any certainty, go somewhere else. Place your life in your own hands, not in the hands of the trader or the manufacturer.
The other problem with bought horns, is that some makers do not seal the plug with beeswax, and powder residue can leak around the base plug. The danger here is obvious. Blow into the horn and see if it is sealed.

 

Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan invoiced Fort Pitt

In June 1766 the eastern trading firm of Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan invoiced Fort Pitt for a diverse inventory that included claret, rum,

blankets, tobacco, gun flints, paint, wampum, hatchets, brass kettles, bar

lead, thread, vermilion, lace, gun powder, bullet molds, hunting saddles, tin

cups, jews harps, combs, knives, awls, muskets, bed lacing, shears, ribbon,

pipes, looking glass, razors, silver jewelry, needles, and articles of clothing

including ruffled shirts, plain shirts, calico shirts, leggings, matchcoats,

gartering, and breechclouts.

 The following year, the Indian department commissary at the post reported

that over 26,000 pounds sterling worth of merchandise, including 6,500 gallons

 of rum, had passed through the fort. He also noted that over 13,000 gallons of rum

 had been distributed by unlicensed traders and that other sutlers had exchanged

 up to 40,000 pounds sterling worth of goods. In return, Fort Pitt had taken in 10,587 pounds (weight) of

beaver pelts, 15,253 pounds of raccoon skins, 178,613 pounds of "Fall

Skins," 104,016 pounds of "Summer Skins," and smaller amounts of pelts

from otters, fishers, wolves, panthers, elk, and bear.

⁹

7. Boissevain, Friends of Friends, 147-69.

8. T. H. Breen, "An Empire of Goods: The Anglicization of Colonial America, 1690-1776,"

Journal of British Studies, 25 (October, 1986), 467-99; James H. Merrell, "'Our Bond of

Peace': Patterns of Intercultural Exchange on the Carolina Piedmont, 1650-1750," in Peter

Wood, Gregory Waselkov, and Thomas Hatley, eds., Powhatan's Mantel: Indians in the

Colonial Southeast (Lincoln, 1989), 198-222. For a general study, see Carolyn Gilman, Where

Two Worlds Meet: The Great Lakes Fur Trade (St. Paul, 1982).

9. "The Crown to Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan For sundry goods delivered at different

Times, by order of Capt. Murray and Mr. Alexander McKee assistant agent for Indian Affairs,

for the use of the Indians, June 12, 1766," James Sullivan, Alexander Flick, Milton W.

Hamilton, et. al., eds., The Papers of Sir William Johnson, 14 vols. (Albany, 1921-1965), 5:

http://publications.ohiohistory.org/ohstemplate.cfm?action=detail&Page=010577.html&StartPage=72&EndPage=91&volume=105&newtitle=Volume%20105%20Page%2072

FREE online Living History Publication.

http://issuu.com/thereenactor/docs/the_re-enactor_issue_44pdf
This publication is FREE online, and it contains articles, and a world wide listing of groups and traders.

Pirate Trader- A Trader's Link.

Found this trader, & thought he may be worth checking out. He appears to have some good gear, certainly worth a look.
http://www.lettersofmarque.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&zenid=a494f945dc803f0bce0679a673f53544

If you make any enquiries or orders, please mention this blog.

Clothing & Etc For an earlier period.

I have no idea what these people are like to deal with, but I am occasionally asked where to purchase things from. These people emailed me, so here is their site address:
http://www.gardariki.org/

Morgan, Baynton & Wharton, Traders, 1768.

Winter Trade By Griffing.

A letter from Morgan to Baynton and Wharton:

Baynton & Wharton, 1768.

I shall impatiently await the Arrival of our red Strouds &c, with-
out without which We shall suffer greatly in our Sales. Should any Accident have happend to them I recommend to you to send at least 100 Pieces of the already described Fabrick, as soon as possible.

 
I have already sent you a gen^ Order for the Goods which are in
demand here & which will afford a great Advance Mess" Clarkson
& Jennings drew it out, but I fear the Am* may be beyond your
Capacity. If so, I would have you generally confine yourselves to the
Articles therein mark'd with an A particularly those mentiond in the
inclosed List But a small Part of those markd B, will be very
necessary. As to Muscovado & Loaf Sugar, Coffee, Chocolate, Mens,
Womens & Childrens best & common Leather Shoes, Tin Ware —
Pewter d° Silver Truck, Appalachia Handkerchiefs — Beaver Traps,
& Soap, you cannot send too great a Q^^ but an assortment will
occasion quicker Returns & prevent Traders going to New Orleans.

Pray dont forget to send the Jesuits Bark by the first Opportunity
I expect to eat a pound of it myself if it comes in Time. We are
greatly distressed for Want of Medicines & shall be much more so in
two or three Months if Mr Wharton does not bring a small Supply.
I flatter myself that ere this you have forwarded to Fort Pitt A
considerable Part of the Goods I sent an Order for P Silver Heels &
Mr Young & That that [sic] they will be despatchd to this Place
before the Fall of the Waters — We shall be in Want of the following
particular Articles, Viz
Loaf Sugar
Muscovado d"
Hyson Tea
Bohea d°
Chocolate
Pepper
Shoes very large in the
instep but not high
quarterd fine &
coarse Mens Wom-
ens & Childrens
Tin Ware
Pitch & Cordage
Pewter Basons &c
Brass Candle sticks
Writing Paper
Spike Gimblets
Tap Bores
3 Largest Scale Beams
Steel Spurs Short of all Sizes
Salt Petre
Worsted or Cruels
Short Pipes
Blotting Cloaths
fine Irish Linnens
fine Chintz & Callicos
White & red Flan^
Swanskin
Black Barcelona
Cravats & Hkdfs
Bandana d°
small Gilt Trunks
Bed Ticken in Pieces
Table Cloths
Candle Wick &
Candle moulds
black Kip Hides
tannd Sheep Skins
Beaver Traps
Nails & Iron Mongery
for building of Houses
scyths & Sickles
scyth Stones

Knives & Forks
Garden Spades
Axes, of the best sort
A large Q*^ of English Cheese
12 lb Beeswax
Shirt Buttons
fine y^ w^ Cott Checks
blue & red striped
Ginghams & Cott
Hollands
Apalachia Hhdfs
Mens Boys & Womens
worsted Hose & th"*
G milld Hose &
Mitts & Gloves
Felt & Castor Hats
brass Jews Harps
Castile Soap
Playing Cards
6 best Whip Saws
2 Mill Saws
Bar Iron
Red Stroud &c &c
principally the Indian
Silver Truck as wrote for

Australian NSW Living History Traders.

AUST - NSW	(26 Oct 09) Corps Sutler	PO Box 227 St Peters NSW 2044	Bill Lincoln Mobile: 0411 422 144 Fax:-	Reenactment goods for many periods
"	(10 Mar 04) Historica - Reenactment/Events/History	PO Box 1 Petersham NSW 2049	Brett Kenworthy or Stephen Gapps Phone: BK: 0419238611 SG: 0402 969 535 Fax: +61 2 6334 3025	Reenactment Events Management
"	(09 Apr 02) Scott "Shanks" Jeffcott	NSW	Scott "Shanks" Jeffcott Phone:0416009083 Fax: -	Blacksmith and Armourer
"	(02 Oct 00) Birka Traders	PO Box 3003 Marrickville NSW 2204	Peter Beatson Phone: - Fax:-	Medieval outfitting and supplies
"	(21 Oct 05) Cote & Cutler Outfitters	14 Seventh Avenue Katoomba NSW 2780	Bess and Karl Cook Phone: 02 4782 7394 Mob:0411 125 518 Fax:02 4782 7980	Historic Clothing and Accessories
"	(15 May 04) Full Tilt	Sherwood Park 176 Sunny Corner Road Yetholme NSW 2795	Rod Walker Phone: (H) 02 6337 5218 Fax: (02) 6337 5218	Provide quality jousting displays
"	(09 May 02) James Wran	Lismore Northern NSW 2480	James Wran Phone: (02) 6622 1479 Fax:-	Jewellery, Knives, Leather & Wooden Weapons
"	(01 Apr 09) Kat Kiss	- -	- Phone: :0425 364 659 Fax: -	Costumier/Designer/Artist, Period costumes made to your specifications
"	(26 Oct 07) Praxis	PO Box 361 Blacktown NSW 2148	Stephen Gapps Phone: 0402 969 535 Fax: -	Early music - Dark Ages to 17th C
"	(16 Dec 08)Possum Forge	403 Searles Road Eungai Creek NSW 2441	Richard Coumbe Phone: (02) 6569 9284 Mob:0412 179 391 Fax:-	Artist Blacksmith: Cooking & Camping Accoutrements inc riveted cauldrons, spits, roman tent pegs etc
"	(03 Feb 05)Savvy Leather Design	40 Dowling Street Northern NSW	Cheryl Phone: - Fax:-	Designer and Maker of leathergoods
"	(22 Aug 00)Ritual Vessels	40 Dowling Street Arnecliffe NSW 2205	Sophia & Liam Raptis-Hale Phone: (02) 9597-5329 Fax:(02) 9597-5329	Period pottery made to your specifications
"	(18 Mar 00)Sworded Forgery	19 Little Church Street Windsor NSW 2756	Igor Marjanovic Phone: (02)4577 8434 mob:0401 292 774 Fax:-	Arms,Armour,Blacksmithing, Leatherwork
"	(16 Jan 03)Talerwin Forge	PO Box 190 Rylstone NSW 2849	Alex. Scheibner Phone:(02)6379 1364 Mob: 0428 791364 Fax:(02)6379 1364	Blacksmith, Arms & Armour, Blacksmith's & Armour's tools, Leatherwork, Woodwork and Custom knives
"	(19 Apr 03)Crusader Books	NSW	Tony Garrett/ Rick McQualter Phone: - Fax: (02) 6288 4192	Books, Prints, Videos & Games
"	(23 Nov 04) Bruce Webber	Muscle Creek Rd Muswellbrook NSW 2333	Bruce Webber Phone: (02) 6543 4523 Fax:-	(WW2 Allied/ Axis Reproductions / Originals)
"	(27 May 05) The Sutlers Store	The Wilderness Badja Road VIA Numeralla NSW 2630	Tony Miller Phone:(02) 6453 3125 Fax: -	18/19th cent WW2 (Clothing, Clothing Accessories)
"	(14 Sept 07) Top Pots	PO Box 8024 Tumbi Umbi NSW 2261	Nick Howard Mobile:0407 777 294 Fax: -	WW2 Helmets, Clothing, Clothing Accessories