Same to the same.

My dear Mother We got here about a fortnight ago after being becalmed some time in the tropics. It looks very ugly from the outside and theres so much mud we could hardly get up the river but we got up at last and when your there you never saw anything look so pretty as this town did when we came up to it. It was just like the places Ive read about in books. There are canals right through it awfully jolly and the houses about are all shaded with cocoa nut trees and palm trees. I wish I could send you some cocoa nuts and some long things they call bananas.

Ever since weve been here we have had to unload awfully hard work and in a blazing sun by Jove it is hot. Now weve nearly got all our cargo sugar in bags it does stink and rum for Van Diemens land they say thats a rum place all prisoners. There are lots of niggers here most of them slaves and they dont seem half so badly off as people make out at home I fancy they tell a lot of lies about them there they seem the joliest lot in the place except some whove just been liberated they are a lazy lot wont work and awful thieves. They say they are going to abolish the rest soon I dont know what the poor page 38beggars will do then. Jones has been ill since weve been here with a sort of sunstroke. Edwards first mate has laid in a lot of tobacco on his own account he got it from another ship here and paid more than £300 for it he gave me some its awfully good tobacco and he says it will fetch double the price in Van Diemens Land.

Ive not seen much of any people here Ive been so hard at work. Edwards took me ashore yesterday but I was rather ashamed my things were so bad. I spent Lord Pennis money in a pair of boots and some things for Jones we shall be off in a few days now Ill write as soon as we get to Van Diemens Land.

Please give my love to grandmamma Mabel and all