Broadside entitled 'Copy of a very interesting Letter from Botany-bay'

Transcription

COPY of a very interesting Letter from

Botany-bay

Received in Glasgow, a few days ago, from
one of the Persons engaged in the un-
fortunate affair of Bonnymuir, giving
a particular account of the situation of
the whole of the people who were trans-
ported for being concerned on that un-
happy occasion; with a description of
that Colony.

THE following very interesting Letter was received a few
days ago from Thomas M'Culloch, Stocking-wever, adress-
ed to his wife in Glasgow, dated.

Sydney, New South Wales, October 21, 1821.
I send you these few lines hoping they will find you and
the children in good health as they leave me at present, thank
God for it. We arrived here on the 18th of May, all in good
health (after being at sea five months). I was taken off the stores
by a Mr. Panton a native of Scotland, and employed by him
as a labourer; but not agreeing with me he was so kind as to
transfer me to a Captain Irvine, and I am to be with him as a
house-servent, and l am going to remove about 40 miles up the
country.

If you think of coming here, there shall be nothing wanting
on my part to bring you. as I have every encouragement from
several Gentlemen that can enable me to do so, as your presence
here will free me from bondage ; as any man's wife that comes
here as a free settler, can take her husband from Government
employment, or being a servant to any of them. Captain Irvine
has promised to do every thing for us to make us comfortable.
By your friends applying to the Secretary of State at London,
you could obtain for us 3 or 400 acres of land. It is Andrew
Dawson's wish that his wife would come here also, and we will
endavour to get you out both together; but if you do not think
of coming, I hope that you and the rest of my friends will do all
they can to obtain a mitigation of my sentence, as my mind
never can be at rest till I be with you and the rest of my family.

Sir Thomas Brisbane arrived here two days ago ; he is to be
our new Governor, and the Governor can pardon any man he
thinks proper; a great many have obtained their liberty since we
arrived here; Captain Irvine Mr. Wyeems, Commissary General,
and the other Gentlmen, have promised to befriend us; and the
whole of our party is much respected here by the most respect-
able people in this country, and if you will only come out, a
steady man and woman can do well, as they are very rare articles
to be found here.

Andrew Dawson, James Cleland, J. M'Millan, and A. Murchie
are kept in Government employment on account of their being
blacksmiths who are valuable in this part of the world; W. Clark-
son and John Anderson is with Mr. Lord, a respectable Gentle-
man, who much esteem them; A. Johnson is principal servant
to the Commissary General; Thomas M'Farlane and Thomas
Pink are with the Barrack Master ; James Wright is a shopman
to A Dr. Phillips; Benjamin Moir, John Barr, and David Thom-
son, is with Sir John Jameson ; Andrew White, bookbinder ;
and Alex. Hart, cabinet-maker, are in Paramatta with Dr. Douglas;
Wm. Smith is also at Paramatta, with Mr. Marsden, Robt. Gray
and Alex. Lattimer, is in Ven Dieman's Land with Mr Mulgrave,

This is a fine country, and will grow any thing that will grow
in any other country, and in general have three croops a-year.
Loaf bread 3d per lb., butter 2s. per lb., beef and mutton 10d.,
eggs 2s. a dozen, tea 2s. 6d, per lb., sugar 6d, potatoes 10s. per
cwt. A free labourer gets from 25s. to 30s a-week, and a trades-
man who has a trade to suit this part of the country can make it
a great deal better. I see Gilbert M'Leod, (late printer of the
" Spirit of the Union,") often?he is very well and is acting as
a schoolmaster. The letter concludes with compliments to a
number of friends and acquaintances, and he requests to be
remembered to his shopmates.

THOMAS M'CULLOCH.

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