Returning to Bourtreehill, Ayrshire, Robert left the estates in the hands of factors. On December 2 1744, James Stirling writes:
We expected to have made a fine crop this insueing year having at least 140 acres of fine canes to cutt which in my opinion would have made 80 hhds[Hogsheads] of sugar providing that we could have gott all the canes of in time and no accedent happened, but alase our fine expectations were frustrated by a most terrible hurricane which begun here on the 20th of October about noon and lasted still 12 of the clock next night, it destroy’d the plantain walls ruined all the canes in such a manner that I don’t think we shall exceed 30 hhds at most, all the Negroes houses and out houses were blown down … but thank God all the Negroes were saved. [DC17]
Robert must have opened his letters with some trepidation. The next letter Robert received from the increasingly forthright James Stirling was written the following July:
Since my last to you 2 Negroe women and 1 boy died of fevers all the Negroes are well at present and everything else in the plantation. I must assure you that I think you wrong your interest very much in not putting a great deal more strenth on this estate: for wee are now in great want of 20 or 30 good Negroes. Mr Adam was willing to have put on 25 Negroes about 5 months agoe but Dr Aikenhead opposed it being unwilling to do it without your orders for wee now have as much land fallen as our strenth can manage…
P.S. Wee have 4 Negroes on the plantation, which never stays at home. I wish you’d be so good as to order Mr Adam to ship them off for they are of no maner of service here and only a charge to your plantation. [DC17]