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Sydney New S Wales _ Septr. 28th 1800
Sir
I wrote you by the Friendship, soon after my arrival here, but from her round, I think this will reach you as soon - I arrived here the 15.th April (after a 5 months voyage) since when, until now, I have passed the most disagreeable and provoking part of my Life, if I except my long detention in England. Was I to consult my own interest, & convenience in any content, I should prefer being on Norfolk Island, than in this place, as every thing & person is in that state, that which every way I turn, I must lay my account, with finding opposition & obstacle. Still I must persevere. I shall not trouble you with a detail of what you may hear of, & judge from other quarters. Gov. Hunter has not given the command up to me, before the date of this letter, you will easily judge that the Colony has not benefitted much by the interregnum of six months. However, I do not despair of getting things on a very tolerable footing before long, it will be at least a year before I should be able to see my way, however I shall not trouble you with any detail as I know you can get a sight of the dispatches, therefore I shall confine myself to saying that with respect to Hunter, I believe him to be what the whole Colony says he is, [indecipherable] but the reliance he has placed, on those who to use his own words, "have tricked & deceived him in every instance" has placed every circumstance in
June 22