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I. . . recd. 2 [letters] from my dear mother. . . I hope in the course of one year I shall be able to send her what will keep her comfortable while she lives, all that grieves me is that I did not bring her with me for my life is miserable about her, particularly as I have not had it in my power to send her money which I promised to do, but unforeseen circumstances prevented me, in the first place we drew 12 months pay leaving England, and our voyage here was made in five months, the money was all spent, and we had to live the other seven as well as we could, we bought a horse and paid an enormous sum for him, he died, and we were obliged to give £50 for another, we also had to purchase furniture as there is nothing allowd. in Barracks but the empty walls, after all this I could have sent something but for Margts. Marriage which took place on the 18th. of last May you may recollect Lieut. Vander Meulen, he is a very fine young man and I gladly embraced his offer, his Father is rich and as a younger Brother he has 3 thousand pounds one of which has been lodged in the Agents these 2 years for a company when they were married he was under orders to go on detachment to Van Diemens Land one thousand miles from here, and I was at great expense in providing everything for them, they saild. the week after and I have not seen her since, I hear from her almost every month he has got a Colonial situation of Naval Officer and Inspector of Government works, which is worth about 3 hundred a year besides his pay. I do not expect they will join the Regt. before we leave this which will be about 2 years - I have a deal of comfort in my dear John, he is almost a young man and very much like myself, he promises to be a good scholar he is at the best school here I pay £1 - 12 a month for him he is almost as tall as his Father - I never expect to have any more children and do not regret it if god spares me those two, my poor Harry and Mary, are well provided for in heaven, as it was god's will to take them I must he satisfied. . . do not forget to write often.. . if you knew the anxiety of my mind, and the pleasure it gives me to hear from you, you would write oftener. [96]... I am happy to inform you that poor Wild is in good health and still retains the Adjutancy, we are in hopes that he will very shortly get his Lieutenancy which if god spares him will be a good thing for us. ...
This is a very fine country, the town of Sydney is very large & the Barracks beautiful, fruit and vegetables are plentiful they feed the pigs with peaches, potatoes are 1s. a hundred, beef and mutton 10d. a lb, eggs 2d. each, butter 3s 6d a lb, milk 8d a quart, and wearing apparel very dear, the best Mysore tea is 7s 6d and good black 3s. 6d a pound, sugar 10d, Indian goods are sometimes very cheap, but every thing from Europe dear, a common wine glass is 1s. and a plate 9d, every thing else in proportion, we had good rations when we arrived first but they have been taken from us, only 6 married privates to each company receive them, our present allowance is 12 lbs of good beef, 12 lbs of bread, and 2 quarts of rum per week and 2s 6d. a day for a horse, some of the Convicts have made their fortunes here, but if they rode in a Coach and six we dare not associate with them, they are all thieves and robbers, there are 8 to be hanged this week, they have regular events here and people of bad character are transported to New Castle to hard labour. The prisoners are obliged to work for Government from 6 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. They are then at liberty to earn what they can for themselves, their allowance is 7 lbs of meat and the same of bread or flour each week, no spirits, there are many respectable settlers and good families which makes it very pleasant to us, we are often invited to Govrnt. House, and in short the military are much respected.
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