Rio Janeiro
Novr 15 1809
Dear Sir
	I have the Pleasure to inform you of our safe arrival at Rio Janeiro after a very pleasant Passage of 56 days from Portsmouth. William Hall, his wife and John King are all well, and I believe very happy that they came in the Ann. They never could have been better accommodated than what they have been, as they have slept in general in the large Cabin. Hall is a man of very considerable ability, and I trust true Piety— He is naturally of a stubborn Temper, very obstinate, and rude in his Manner— at the same time very industrious, persevering in any thing he undertakes, & I think he will be found a very useful Man in New Zealand. I have endeavoured to convince him of the necessity of subduing his bad Temper— but it very often happens that those Persons who have a bad Temper think the contrary— This is Hall’s Case— His over natural Temper will hardly allow him to be civil  to any one— [f] His wife is a very amiable valuable woman; I have seldom met with her superior— King is a very quiet humble man; very conciliatory in his Manners, and will gain the Esteem and Affection of the New Zealanders, tho’ by no means equal to Hall in Firmness and Strength of mind— I have no doubt but he will make a good Missionary— The young Chief is very much attached to King, a very strong Friendship is formed between them— It is a most happy Circumstance that the young Chief was on Board the Ann— Such a complete Connection will be made between him and the Missionaries as may hereafter greatly promote the object of the Mission— I have written a long Letter to Mr Good, Caroline Place, relative to New Zealand. From this you will see what I have been doing on Board— I think it may give some Satisfaction to the Missionary Society, if you will take the Trouble to call upon Mr. Good, and get the [f] Letter from him for the Society’s Inspection. As Mr. Good is a very learned man, and acquainted with many men of Science, it is possible he may meet with some Author who may throw a little light upon the Inhabitants of New Zealand— I have wrote to him more particularly for that Purpose—
I trust both Hall and King will get some Knowledge of the New Zealand Language previous to their arrival in the Island— I would observe that the Revd. Mr Cartwright and Hall have not agreed well— Their difference took Place before we embarked— I believe it originated principally from the new Situation in which both of them were placed on board the Ann; without any solid Foundation— Excepting this little nonsense, we have been all very happy during the voyage, and I trust shall continue so— Mr. Cartwright is a very excellent man— and I have a very good opinion of Hall. I wish that they had the same thoughts of each other, as I have of them both; they would not disagree— The Captain has behaved kind to us all— we have had a very healthy Ship, and Service at Sea twice on the Sabbath— [f] We do not touch at the Cape, but proceed from hence to Port Jackson— Present my respectful Compliments to the Society— I shall write to you again from Port Jackson— It is my present Intention for all the missionaries to go on in the Ann to New Zealand. I apprehend there will not be the smallest danger in Mrs. Hall going on from the close Intimacy formed between them and the Chief. It may be necessary that I mention, another Circumstance, when we arrived at Rio— I directed Hall to make out a List of what Articles they would want, and I would purchase them, as I could get them along with mine at a much lower price— However I found Hall purchased what he thought proper without my advice or Assistance and had paid an high Price for his Goods— Afterward he asked me if I would pay for them on the Society’s account. I told him I certainly should not— He was at full Liberty to buy what he liked with his own money; but not with the money belonging to the Society. I know that he does not want for money, neither shall they want for any other Comfort, at the same time he did not appear satisfied, and perhaps will mention it in his Letter. What King has wanted I have supplied him with, because he has not those independent Notions— [f] Hall will require to be held in with Bit and bridle till he understands his real Situation: He will be very careful of his own Money— while he would think little of spending £50 of the Society’s money. I have seen many missionaries of the same turn of mind who have come out to Port Jackson from the London Missionary Society. Tho” Hall has those singular Notions yet I believe he will turn out a good Missionary. I have always found him sincere, and firm in the Cause. He has learned practical navigation during our Passage, and will be able now to navigate a Ship. I intend him to keep a Journal all the Voyage; that if he should be wanted hereafter to navigate a Vessel between New Zealand, and Port Jackson he may be completely qualified— London will do more Injury to simple young men in one month, by the kind Attentions of religious People, than many months of hard Labor can remedy— If Hall had remained in London much longer, he would not have been easily governed afterwards— It is astonishing how his mind was lifted up by the short time he was there— When you write to them, do not [f] say any thing that will tend to raise them above the Situation in which the Society wishes them to act. The Missionaries at Otaheite always appeared to me to consider themselves on a Footing with the Directors because they called them Brethren. The Term is proper in a religious Sense; but not in a political one. But this necessary distinction is soon forgotten— You will have the Goodness to excuse this hasty Scrawl— I have little time to write here as our Stay is short, and must refer you for Information to my Letter to Mr. Good— your near neighbour.
I have the honor to be
Revd. Sir
Your most obedt
humble Servant
Saml. Marsden