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

39 [Evidently written by Rev Thomas Hassall, See p35] Sailor Bay By one of H M Chaplins in new South Wales

It is my dear little friends with the sincerest desire of promoting your temporal & spiritual welfare that I undertake the task of writing this short memoir. I do it from the hope that this poor boys honesty & integrity industry & piety may have a tendency to animate you to the same line of conduct so that your faith & diligence may be equally conspicuous - nor shall I omit his faults (so far as they came under my observation) that you may watch & shine against a repitition of them To prepare you for the better understanding of this narrative it may not be improper to introduce myself to your attention. My Father was one of the first Missionaries to Otaheite & being compelled with several others to leave that delightful island he came to settle in

40 in this colony. He was a good man and to the utmost of his power to extend the Rev Kingdom & of not having myself [indecipherable] to train up his Family true sense of Religion * in the form of God. & was sent to Sydney & placed in a Merchant's House where it was my lot & I may say my happiness to meet with this poor lad whose simple annals I now record from the best of my recollection. He was born in Ireland & from thence when very young was taken by his parents to Liverpool where his Father went to sea & left his Mother with a family to provide for. His Uncle took him on a voyage to Rio de Janerio where being a Roman Catholic he thought the people very religious at this place he obtained a row of beads & a crusifix & thought himself happy in having such baubles. As many who read may not know the use of these things I shall here explain &

41 Parramatta Feb 22 1800 Dear Madam Tho' I have written to you not long ago yet I am induced to send you a line again by this conveyance. I have sent to England my eldest daughter, Ann, under the care of Mr. & Mrs Clover, (note in margin - it should be Cover) & have directed them to wait upon you with Ann before the [indecipherable] down into Yorkshire. Mr Clover is a worthy man, & has conducted himself with great propriety in this settlement. He was sent out in the ship Duff on the mission to these Islands in our seas. I shall refer you to him for any particular information ... you will wish to hear. How the kingdom of our Lord suceeds amongst us. I am sorry to say appearances are worse than ever. Satan's kingdom seems to be so fully established, & his power & influence so universal amongst us, that nothing but an [indecipherable] display of Almighty power can shake his throne. My situation becomes disgusting & painful to the last degree. I long to quit the Colony & to retire from such scenes of ungodliness & wrong Our friends can form little more idea of our situation in this country than they [indecipherable] of the invisible region. I have made application to government to return, whether I should obtain permission or [indecipherable] I know not. If I do, you may expect me in London in about 10 months God willing, after you receive this. Should any material change take place so as to affect any prospect of real good to this colony, I might be induced to remain longer - This depends wholy on circumstances. I think it probable Mr. Johnson will return soon. It is his present determination to do so. We may say on our departure from this country we have been fairly [indecipherable] out of the settlement. Our life is one continued scene of [indecipherable] & opposition from the beginning to the end of the year. Besides, living where [indecipherable] about so [indecipherable]; & [indecipherable] with the worst of [indecipherable] dry & barren. We feel little of that real [indecipherable] spiritual life which is so essential to the happiness & progress of the real Christians. To be cut off from all the conversation & society of the righteous & to [indecipherable] a situation on the state that calls you forth to act continually with

wicked men in power is painful & distressing. We are not situated in this country like clergymen in England, who have only to attend to their studies & their flock. Many other unpleasant duties revolve upon me. In the midst of all my only consolation is The Lord knows how I am situated, & foreknew it. I sometimes hope I am doing his will even under a dark & thick cloud. The end will come by & by. We shall then see why & wherefore we have met with this & that treat. In every difficulty I have cause to be thankful for good health. Mrs M enjoys the same & our little family. Mrs M would have written, but has been so busy as getting him ready for sea & having only got her bed about right weeks ago, therefore hopes you will excuse her. It was my intention to have made you a collection of the seeds of this country & to have sent it by this ship; knowing they would have been taken care of, but it has not been in my power for want of time. The few I had collected with a branch belonging to each kind according to their number I have sent you under the care of Mr Clough, & am sorry they are so few. They are all new & fresh gathered with my own hand. Mr Clough will inform you how few spare moments I have. I am busy in building a church at Parramatta. I shall be happy to see it completed. I think it would never be done if I were to leave the settlement. I can only say it is my present intention & wish to quit the colony yet my times are in the Lord's hand. It will be enough if I am found faithful when my work comes to be done. The building of an Orphan House is another object that lies near my heart. I shall feel uncommon satisfaction in having it carried into execution. The number of poor children in this colony I pity, who have either no parents or would have been better at this moment if they had never known them. I shall say nothing of the monopoloies extortions & oppressions, of the great, & the wickedness, poverty & ruin of the lower ranks of the inhabitants of NSW. You will hear of these things from other quarters They will & must become a national concern speedily, or you will hear of the thunder [?] of the greatest part of us by & by. Let me be dear Madam an interest in your prayers. May the Lord bless you & yours - give my kindest respects to Mr Stokes. Mrs M joins me in every Christian respects. I remain Madam, Your's sincerely, (signed) Sam'l Marsden

* or a desire to promote the Lord's kingdom on earth 43 On their arrival in London his Uncle took lodgings but probably for want of employment or any money he went off leaving his poor Jimmy to pay the rent & other expenses the greedy Landloerd or Landlady siezed his little property & what he prized much his cruciefix & now of news Cash upon the [indecipherable] had now to labour on by his [indecipherable] and having no character he found it no easy task to obtain a home subjective added to this he was not much more than 15 years of age. It was during this disturbing period that he met with the kindred in whose employ I was finding him a sharp lad he [indecipherable] him to cook for the people who were working at the ship - this he did so well that he was hired & eventually apprenticed. On the engagement to