powder in the Royal Magazines and one measure was obviously intended to support the other. The Gunpowder I understand has been restored on orders from England given to that effect, and as the restrictions upon His Majesty's Service evidently grew out of that seizure, I presume to hope that they might also be annulled with it.

I beg leave to appeal to your Excellency whether it be possible for the permits as they are given out by the Custom House to have the effect which the Comptroller of the Custom proposes; a slip of paper is issued with the permit upon it, and a rix dollar is received for it, but no inspection, in general, takes place, either on the shipment or the landing, and whether the Article be a bale of goods or an ox the process is the same.

I trust your Excellency will see that the offer I made to Lord Charles Somerset of submitting the Transports and Store ships to the most rigorous inspection, of receiving a Custom House Officer on board should it be deemed expedient to send one, and of submitting all the documents relative to their cargoes to the Custom House, is likely to be a greater protection to the Colonial Revenue than the plan suggested by the Comptroller of the Customs, and that you will be pleased to permit the King's Vessels to have their former means of landing their Stores without hindrance.

I have &c.

(Signed) JAHL. BRENTON.

[Original.]

Letter from the REVEREND WILLIAM BOARDMAN to his Son.

MR. WILLSON'S PARTY,

NEAR BATHURST, 10th September 1820.

DEAR THOMAS,-We are at length settled at the place of our location, or rather, have been here 7 or 8 weeks; but, Mr. Willson having left the party immediately on our arrival, the business of measuring the land, and allotting to each his portion devolved on me; so that I have been almost continually engaged. I am happy to inform you that our situation is delightful, resembling much a park, the air and water are good, and the soil apparently fertile ; so that, unless the summer prove very dry, we have the prospect

of a good crop of corn. My neighbour Lieut. Bissett and I have ploughed in common a valley containing about five acres, and sown about half of it with wheat, but cannot sow the rest yet, as seed-corn is very hard to be obtained. We have also digged a garden, and planted about 100 vine stocks, with potatoes, pease, beans, French beans, pompions, and melons, which are come up, and promise a fair crop; we have also sown the seeds of other vegetables, as turnips, cabbages, onions, beets, cauliflowers, &c., but, I am afraid prematurely; as, altho' the midday heat is equal to that of the hottest at Midsummer in England, yet the nights are intensely cold, and a hoar frost is often found on the grass before sunrise: as we live in tents these changes from heat to cold affect us more severely; as soon therefore as we have finished the cultivation of the ground we shall begin to build without delay, altho' straw for thatch cannot be had until December, when the crop of wheat is ripe.

My salary is fixed at 2000 Rixdollars per annum, for which liberal allowance I am under the greatest obligations to Mr. Maude, the Governor demurring to allow me a stipend, as the whole of the party were not members of the Church of England: two or three families of methodists and as many of Jews, (or proselytes as they call themselves) having smuggled themselves on board; the British Government also had sent no definitive instructions relative thereto; their sanction to the measure must therefore be obtained, which I have not the least doubt will be the case, as that Government which intended to confer a favour on Colonel Claughton, would never have thought of doing so by sending a person he so highly esteems to perish with his family in the wilds of Africa.

From the liberal manner, however, in which the colonists have been treated as well by the Colonial as by the British Government, I have nothing to fear. On the passage, (as I believe I observed in my last letter) the health and comfort of the settlers were provided for in every possible manner: tea, sugar, cocao, lime juice &c. were provided in sufficient quantities for those in health; and wine, preserved meats with other medical comforts for the sick our agent Lieut. Williams turned the people regularly on deck, often at first much against their inclinations, whilst he, with myself, and Dr. Paull, the surgeon, superintended the nitrous fumigations below.

Soon after our landing 3rd of each man's deposit was returned; the rest has been detained by the colonial Government, in part of payment for the rations of beef or mutton and bread or flour which I understand will be delivered out (as they are at present) until the wheat be harvested, so that the Colonial Government has evinced a degree of wisdom which deserves the greatest praise. I had also forgotten to observe that another third of the deposits was furnished to the settlers in agricultural and other useful implements, as spades, shovels, hoes, axes, harrow teeth, saws, hinges, nails &c. at very low rates; waggons also to bring us hither from Algoa bay (now Port Elizabeth) were found by Government.

The Colonial officers also are in general British, and execute their respective offices with fidelity and ability. His Excellency the Governor Sir Rufane Donkin, to whom I had the honour of being introduced by Captain Cloete, is the complete gentleman and man of business: also Captains Cloete, Evett, Moresby R.N. of the Menai, and Trappes, with whom I have had business to transact, have shown me every attention. Captain Trappes's family is related by marriage to Grimshaw Lomax Esqr., also to the Blundells of Ince Blundell & Crossby.

Altho' it is now the commencement only of the Spring, yet the number and variety of most beautiful flowers is astonishing, there are also many useful plants, as wild leeks, marjoram, mint, wormwood, &c., as also a tree bearing berries resembling wild cherries, and another, the round succulent acid leaves of which make excellent pies or puddings, resembling in taste young gooseberries or apples. There is also abundance of game, as antelopes, wild hogs, zebras, monkeys, & baboons, hares, wild Guinea fowls, ducks, & doves, and geese, with partridges, plovers, parroquets, and a variety of smaller birds of the most exquisitely coloured plumage. There are however other animals which are more unpleasant neighbours: about 5 miles from hence the postboy (a soldier) was stopped by a lion on his way from Bathurst to Grahamstown, which caused him to turn back: scarcely a night passes in which we are not serenaded by the spotted hyena (vide Encyclopædia Brit. article canis) which comes generally singly, but sometimes in troops, the noise of which is most horrid; there is also another species called the laughing hyæna from its diabolical laughter. The notes of these troublesome creatures, the barking of watch

dogs with the report of firearms in every direction form no pleasant concert. We have lost five sheep, which straggled from home; and which they, no doubt, have picked up. There are also leopards (called here tigers) seen occasionally: our servant Wm. Hogg when I was surveying in the woods, bringing my dinner, was stopped at the entrance of a jungle by a leopard, which he represents as a most beautiful animal: being at not more than ten yards distance from the beast, and thinking that I would rather lose my dinner than my servant, Will offered him the former, which he civilly declined; and greatly to the satisfaction of one of the parties at least, they parted good friends. We have also enemies of a more insidious kind in abundance, as scorpions, scolopendras, and the most deadly kind of snakes, one of which (the puff adder,) I killed on Thursday next (sic).

Of the Dutch settlers I can say little, having seen none except those who brought us here and who came from Graaff Reynet 150 miles to the northward; we could not understand each other's language; yet they appear an uncouth, half-civilized race, a composition of knave and fool, in which the former predominates; they have raised the price of every necessary of life to an enormous height; and had it not been for the provident care of the Government we must have been starved.

All our party, many of whom are very worthy and respectable, and firmly attached to the British Government, are anxious to hear from Britain, myself among the rest. I request therefore that you will write to me without delay and direct to me near Bathurst, District of Albany, Cape of Good Hope. Your mother, sisters, and brothers join in love to you with

your affectionate father,

WM. BOARDMAN.

P. S. Present our grateful respects to Messrs. Hornby and Maude and family, as also to Dr. Whittaker, and every friend at Blackburn: communicate also the contents of this to our relatives at Childwall, Speke, and Prescot. Present our best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Barton, and above all write to me immediately. I should be happy to receive a letter from Miss Dawson.

We are all in good health and spirits, in the midst of good

neighbours; and I have the happiness to be much esteemed by all the party. See W. Hogg's mother, and inform her that he is in good health, and contented, and that he behaves very well.

[Office Copy.]

Letter from HENRY GOULBURN, ESQRE., to MAJOR GENERAL SIR RUFANE DONKIN.

proceeding to join the Mission of the United Brethren.

H. G.

[Original.]

Letter from J. W. CROKER, ESQRE., to

HENRY GOULBURN, ESQRE.

ADMIRALTY OFFICE, 15th September 1820.

SIR,-Referring to my letter of the 24th July last conveying the request of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that Lord Bathurst would instruct the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope to allot a suitable piece of ground for the erection of an Observatory, I am commanded by their Lordships to request to be favored with an answer thereto. I am &c.

Proclamation by SIR RUFANE SHAWE DONKIN.

Whereas the late accumulation of population in various parts of this Colony, remote from the residences of the local Magistrates,