Letter received by Banks from Philip Gidley King, 26 November 1807 (Series 39.105) - No. 0001

[Page 1]

Portsmouth Novr. 26 1807

Dear Sir

The Purser at my desire has required the writer make a present to you before the receipt of yours.  The Surgeon who goes to Town to morrow takes up the Head of To mau o wey coo a Young Chief of the District of Moodoo Whenua at the N part of New Zealand.  Here the Skin & hair &c is so perfect his scars being clearly explained the hole in the Cheek & under the Ear was his Death Wound.  If I can get the [indecipherable] smuggled to him the Surgeon shall take it up also - he has the charge of the plants any time & his attention to them &c has been a very sober and I believe accurate drawer of the Country & Settlements.

A few days ago I saw the Master of a Whaler North from the Bay of Islands from where I received very satisfactory Accounts of my Friend Fipaté since his return The Pictures he carried and his unlimited authority caused him to be joyfully received by his Subjects.  The Henna I sent was a Ishma in his Residence 

Some Weeks previous to my being relieved having sent a Schooner to fetch Dalrymple at the Derwent with some provisions & Convicts on Coming to the former place she was seized by some Convicts.  Soldiers started away with her Cargo.  From the Account of the Master of the Whaler it appears that the Schooner put into the Bay of Islands the pirates being