Address:
To
      the Rev^d William Tyler
            Partney near Spilsby
For M^rs Flinders       Lincolnshire

Annotation on envelope: Dec^r 16^th 1804             N^o 21

                                          Port Jackson – June 25 1803

    Grateful for thy recovered health my dearest love, and grateful to thee for thy many
long and most dear remembrances of me, which I have received on our arrival here
some days since, how shall I expreƒs the anguish of my heart at the dreadful ha-
-vock that death is making all around. How dear is the name of father to an af-
-fectionate son, and how sweet the idea of being soon able to console and aƒsist him
in his every want and wish. When parting with the hope of soon shewing that my
actions should prove better than my words how much I loved him, how dreadful is
this blow. Tis too painful to be dwelt upon, although, alas, I have lately had too
much experience of deaths power, for my eyes can scarcely be turned where some
victim does not lie. Douglas — the boatswain, is gone, — the sergeant, two quarter
masters and another followed before we got into this port; and since, the gardener and
three others are laid in earth. Deaths hand is now staid, and his envious eye
which had been cast upon more of us seems to be turning away.
    But little indeed can be boasted of our state and condition, but thou shalt
have some brief account of us; and first of the ship: — a survey has been held up-
-on her which proves her to be so very much decayed as to be totally irrepairable. [sic] It
was the unanimous opinion of the surveying officers that had we met a severe gale
of wind in the paƒsage from Timor, that she must have been crushed like an egg and
gone down. I was partly aware of her bad state and returned sooner to Port Jack-
-son on that account, before the worst weather came. For me, whom this obstruc-
-tion in the voyage and the melancholy state of my poor people have much distreƒsed,
I have been lame about four months and was much debilitated in health, and
I fear in constitution, but am now recovering and shall soon be altogether well.
M^r Fowler is tolerably well and my brother is also well; he is becoming more steady, and
more friendly and affectionate with me since his knowledge of our mutual loƒs. M^r Brown
is recovered from ill health and lameneƒs. M^r Bauer, your favourite, is still polite
and gentle. M^r Westall wants prudence or rather experience, but is good-natured.
The two last are well and have always remained upon good terms with me. M^r Bell
is misanthropic and pleases nobody. Elder continues to be faithful and attentive
as before; I like him and apparently he likes me. Whitewood I have made a masters
mate and he behaves well. Charrington is become boatswain and Jack Wood is now
my coxswain. Trim, like his master is becoming grey: he is at present fat and
frisky, and takes meat from our forks with his former dexterity: he is commonly
my bedfellow. The master we have in poor Thistles place, is an easy good-natured
man. — As I shall be better able in a few weeks to say how the voyage will
be prosecuted, and how soon we may probably return, I will leave Port Jackson
and return to thy dear and kind letters. I have now before me the following
– two dated in December 1801 — one in January 1802 — and others in Feb. June
and September 1802. All these I find on our arrival, and for which I am most
grateful to thee, and also to thy father and mother for their inclosures. Thou
hast shewn me how very ill I have requited thy tender love in several in-
-stances. I cannot excuse myself, but plead for respite until my return