Queens Channel
Decr 19-1818
Dear Sir
	I received your kind letter and it has greatly refreshed my spirit, may the Lord return you seventy fold into your own bosom, for all that tender concern and pius [sic] solicitation which you have  manifested toward me, May the Lord enable me to exercise that meekness and patience which you so earnestly recommended and which is absolutly [sic] necessary and especially in our present situation. Our Cabins are very small, and we are very much pressed for room, but we are all endeavouring to make each other as comfortable as we can Mr Kemp very readily changed Cabins with me, as his was somewhat the largest, but my present one is so small as to oblidge [sic] me to write this letter on my bed, but I am sure it will give you great pleasure to know that we [are] all perfectly contented. Our Ship has been in [a] state of great confusion ever since we have been on board, there are so many things to be done when a ship like the Baring is setting out to sea. At present we have not had an opportunity [f] of assembling ourselves together for prayer or reading, but we hope to do both, when things are a little settled; but aplan [sic for place] to assemble in is the most difficult thing, Mr Hall & the Zealanders Cabin being the largest, we intend to sit very close together in that, and instruct and comfort each other as much as possible, I hope our Lord Jesus Christ will fill our souls with love, and enable us [to] indure all things for his sake, and to glorify him with our bodies & souls which are his. Captain Lamb is a Gentleman who seems desirous of making us every way comfortable as far as things will admitt [sic], our living is very good, the sailors and Convicts so far as I have had any conversation with them are very kind and civil , and I had no doubt we shall have good order and regularity as soon as possible. As there are so many officers & Passengers on board We are oblidged to have two distinct parties to breakfast and dinner. We cast Anchor at this place last night at 5 OCk, the weather coming on very dark and wet and windy. The wind continued blowing very hard until two OCk this morning, and the motion of the Ship made many very sick and ill, the convicts [f] were spueing one over the other. But am sorry to say that Mrs Butler & Child Mrs Kemp & Mr Kemp & Saml Butler were all of them very sick indeed and very ill & all of them are very poorely [sic] at this time and particularly Mrs Kemp. I am also very happy to say that I never felt My  Bodily health better or stronger than at the present time, and I trust I feel humbly thankful to God for it; I have therefore in some measure been enabled (and with great pleasure) to attend to them who are sick. Our dear friend Mr Hall is anxious to do all in his power for every one of us. He is especially tender and loving to Tooi & Teterie [sic]; and he is I am happy to say in good health. He thinks poor Tooi is not quite so well as when he left London, all pray for him, and may the Lord answer our prayers in his good time, and restore him to perfect health. Tetoree is quite well, Mrs Butler his [sic] obliged to have a woman one of the soldiers wifes, to assist to clean the Cabin and take care of the Child, no Child being allowed at Table; therefor [sic] a person to take care of the Child while Mrs B. gets her meals is very necessary, and more especially as she is sick. I am to pay her Two shillings pr week, which I intend doing out of Dollars given me by Mr Sergeant for general purposes. We all join in returning you our sincere thanks for all [f] past favours & earnestly solicit your prayers & the Society at large, We trust we are all bound together in abond [sic] of love and union never to be broken; and in testimony whereof we all with our greatest respects & thanks subscribe ourselves your faithful and obedient servants
S. Butler 	Jno Butler
      Jas Kemp
      F Hall
PS. My Dear Mr Bickersteth will accept my very sincere thanks & also Mrs Bickersteth for all favours may God bless you both allso [sic] Mr Pratt & family, and all friends AM The Ship so fast rocks about so much my head is also giddy— you must excuse both writing & blunders—