To Miƒs Chappelle, M^r Hendrys Marine Row Hull Feb^y 7^th 1795
from the Supply in Plymouth Sound
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To M^r Tho^s Franklin Feb^y 8^th Supply in Plymouth Sound
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To Miƒs E. Flinders Feb^y 9^th Supply in Plymouth Sound
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To Miƒses Chappelle and M. Franklin Spilsby Santa Cruz Road Teneriffe

March 10^th 1795

My charming Sisters

Miƒs Chappelle, I sincerely thank you for your
kind Letter from Hull and hope you receivd [sic] mine in Return, but my dear
Mary, why did you so far neglect your Brother as not to write before
we left England, indeed it was not kindly done, but perhaps we saild [sic]
but a Day before it might arrive – however my loves pray write as of-
-ten as poƒsible, when you feel in a writing mode, sit down and di-
-rect as many Sheets of Paper to me as your Pen can run over, if it
cannot be sent that Month never mind, it may the next, the greater
the Interval ere it comes, the greater Quantity I hope to receive and
the greater will be my Happineƒs in receiving it, by every Ship which
shall touch at the Settlement and whose Course is bent towards that
fair Isle where all my Happineƒs centers, shall a memento of my
being and Situation be transmitted to my lovely Sisters – we have
been here about four Days after rather a long and boisterous Paƒ-
-sage tho no Accident fortunately happend [sic] – my little Samuel on
board the Reliance stood the Gales of Wind exceedingly well, he is in high
Spirits and has lost no Part of that enterprising Spirit which brought
him on board with me, I hope he'll make a good Sailor, a good of-
-ficer and a good Man, which last is the Groundwork of the other two
and the Foundation of all Happineƒs – when I compare this barren
and desolate lump of Rocks which produces nothing but fruit in the
slender stoney Vallies between the Mountains with that fruitful Coun-
try

I have left where every Neceƒsary, every Comfort & Luxury are plen-
-tiful, I thank that God who formd [sic] them both for placing me and
those who are dear to me in that highly favourd [sic] Isle, coud [sic] every
Person in it but be sensible of his happy Situation, all woud [sic] be
joy and gladneƒs, but man and I believe more especially English
-men where not born to be happy, however the Comparison will tend
to make one Subject so, for never will there be a more happy Soul
than I when we return, oh may the Almighty spare me all those dear
Friends, without whom my Joy would be turnd [sic] to Sorrow and
Mourning, but according to my own Maxim, the perspective is
to be turnd [sic] towards the fair side of the Prospect, which I hope will
always be the Case when you write to me, pray sit down in a good
humour, I should like much to have one when something had so
far pleasd [sic] you as to be able to laugh half an hour together, the
Sympathy woud [sic] certainly catch me at New Holland and I should
certainly laugh as hearty on the reading as you poƒsibly coud [sic] on
the writing, however whether laughing or not dont [sic] neglect to give
me a Sheet by a Ship which will sail in a short time for the Settle
-ment, she was fitting out when we left England, most probably
M^r Nelson knows of her – our next Paƒsage is to Rio de Janeiro on
the Coast of Brasil and from thence to the Colony at Sidney [sic] Cove
New South Wales – what a charming Climate are we now in, while
you in England with your double fortified great Coats can scarcely
keep out the cold, we with the slightest covering are almost too
warm, yet this strange Variation of Climate with a fair Wind may
be effected in a Week, such a Variety does Nature give to Man
with a little Aƒsiduity – As I have no particular News or Infor-
-mation I shall not trouble my friend Thomas with a Letter
till we arrive at Rio, therefore to him make my kindest Re-
-membrance and Affection – I hope Betsey is perfectly recovered –
my best love attends her, – when you write pray inform my Aunty

[ends here]