Transcription
COPY of a very interesting Letter which was received in Glas- gow on Wednesday last from Andrew White, at Botany Bay, who was engaged in the Battle of "Bonnymuir, giving a particular account of the situation of himself and his com- panions; and many other interesting particulars respecting that now respectable Colony. " Paramatta, (New South Wales), May 8th 1822. " My Dear Friend, " I received your letter, and was happy to hear that you was in good health, thank God as this leaves me in the same, you mentioned to me that you had not received my letter, but my dear friend, I was not so neglectful as not to remember you. I am still with the same master whom I went to when I left England. I am his Butler and has every thing under my charge, so that the greatest confidence is put in me; I want for nothing that is within his house. I get money when I want it, in short I am more comfortable than when in Scotland. I see great num- bers of Scotch people here both prisoners and free people. I see Glasgow News- papers often, but I can see nothing concerning Bonnymuir. "I shall now say a few words concerning the Colonists; when a man comes to the Colony he is taken under the charge of the Government, when he is allowed 14lbs. of fine flour, and 7 lbs. of fresh beef per week, and Saturday to himself? When three years in the Colony, be by application, may get a ticket of leave to go and work for himself; and a man, when highly recommended, gets emancipation, and can then go any where in the country, provided he behaves himself; in fact, there is every indulgence to good behaviour. A free settler is of course entitled to all the rights and privileges of a British subject at home. " The climate is wholesome, and abounds with fruit of every description; we have got an orchard as large as half the Drygate, which contains oranges, peaches, grapes, figs, and all the other fruits which are to be found at home. There are now five or six pretty large towns here. This place (Paramatta), is about as large as Anderston, and my master is Magistrate of it at present, but we expect to go down to Sydney every day. We have had several illuminations, here lately. " My sentence has been mitigated to seven years, and my master and mistress has promised to bring me home with them; so these things keep me in good spirits, and I slatter myself with the hope that I shall soon see you again, when we will spend another New-year's day morning, singing, " Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled," or " Auld lang syne," or " Willie brew'd a peck o' maut." " All the men of our party are in good health at present, and are all very com- fortable. Alexander Hart is going to be married to one of our servant girls; Thos. M'Culloch is overseer to Capt. Irvin; Gray and Latimer are at Van Dieman's Land; Pink and Thomson I have seen often, and when they come here they are always made welcome by my master." ' Another letter from one of the above party mentions the safe arrival of Mrs. M'- Leod and family, who joined her husband in the month of April last. Extract of another letter from Van Dieman's Land, dated 10th April, 1822 " Is it not infamous to see that convict, John M'Dougall, of ship-sinking noto- riety, walking about here like a gentleman, and advertising in the Newspapers for business as a general agent and accountant? When the ship arrived with him, he was brought ashore by the Governor's boat, separate from the other prisoners, in plain clothes, instead of the convict dress (of yellow cloth) so as to save his feelings. He pretends that he has not a stiver in the world, and that he was preparing to send home documents to prove who were the guilty parties?a post too late for himself however," Printed by John Muir, Glasgow.
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1822 shelfmark: L.C.Fol.73(031)
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