File 1: Hassall family, correspondence, volume 2, pp. 1-297, 1794-ca. 1823

9 49 This might [indecipherable] a great advantage to the New Missionaries & [indecipherable] great [indecipherable] to them; should a ship constantly visit them from this colony they will be able to keep up correspondence with their friends in England.. I hope Mr Madasm to be [indecipherable] with a him at every opportunity, it gives me [indecipherable] to him from you; away from my friends [indecipherable] you do not know the happiness it gives me, not only for the moment, for I know I am alone, & [indecipherable] I [indecipherable] myself with sending many friends letters & find myself [indecipherable] - My family is the same as [indecipherable] I wrote a boy, a girl; [indecipherable] is [indecipherable] enjoying just beginning to [indecipherable] please to give my best respects to Mr Stokes & your daughter

50 & thanks to Charles for [writing Anns name in her] books - You might also remember me to Mr Salmond, & let me [indecipherable] as intense in your [indecipherable] I am Madam your obliged E Marsden Mr M [indecipherable] by this ship

51 in her death & methods of defending them I had to read in order to explain the truth of [indecipherable] Test & repute the errors of popery. I recollect on one occasion his master proving his courage - a dreadful storm [indecipherable] night during the voyage all hands were turned up to reef topsails & perform those arduous duties which are requisite on board of ship when "when she [indecipherable] up toin" Among them this little fellow was from his bed & desired to go aloft he did not hesitate but as [indecipherable] as if he had been an old & experienced seaman. I agreed how it was he [indecipherable] such courage as I understoof it was a dreadful night. He replied I thought God could keep me at the topmast head as well as upon deck so I was not afraid. When I came on board I used to say my prayers every night until the Sailors laughter & mocked me out of it & then I used to say them to myself. What prayers used you to

52 repeat? Matt Mark Luke 2 God bless the bed I lay on Four corners to my bed Four angels there [be spread?] But do you not think that it is wiser to pray to him & to [indecipherable] since God has tot us how to pray & through him to pray He [indecipherable] but then if you wanted something from a great man say the Governor & you could not see him would you only be glad to have a friend to ask them for you - or suppose I wanted some great favour of you & did not like to ask you and I know you love your mother & [indecipherable] do it for her would it not be well for me to get her to ask you my [indecipherable] I ansd the case was widely different - when our Lord was upon earth he checked the very first rising of adoration for when we [indecipherable] blessed is the want that [indecipherable] which gave the such omnipotence. he replied yea rather [indecipherable]

53 August 24th 1801 Sydney, New South Wales

Dear Madam, I received your kind fabour by the Cornwallis. It always gives us peculiar pleasure to hear from you in this distant part of the globe. I hope, we this period, our friends Mr. and Mrs. Johnson will have paid you a visit. From them you will learn the exact state of this Colony and what a miserable place it is in a moral and religious sense. Since my colleague's departure it is quite changed. The greatest alterations have been brought about from a variety of causes uniting together. Our present Governor has put almost a total stop to the introduction of spirits into the colony. However strong an inclination the common people may have to get instructed they will not have it in their power. We have also had a number of ships from all quarters with commodities for sale, which has reduced many goods below their original cost, and many thousands of [indecipherable] worth of goods have been taken out of the settlement lately for want of purchasers and an immense quantity of goods (have been taken out of the Settlement lately for want purchasers - all deleted) remain unsold; we are at present in great want of bread. This is a great [indecipherable] to be attributed to the extravagance and idleness of the farmers, who