Letter received by Banks from Nathaniel Portlock, 14 April 1793 (Series 51.03) - No. 0001

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His Majesty's Brig Assistant Port Royal Jamaica
April 14th 1793

Sir.

With much satisfaction I write you of our arrival here on 5th February in company with His Majesty's Ship Providence all well. the  bread plants and other plants all in flourishing state

We have been in both vessels very fortunate in general having healthy ships companys and having met with no accident during the voyage Except in our voyage between New Guinea and New Holland where we sustained an attack from a party of savages, inhabitants of the numerous islands scattered about in this navigation who with their arms wounded three of the Assistant's crew one of which is since dead of his wounds the other two are doing well, they certainly meant to have boarded the Assistant and were not more than six yards from us when they  began the attack but we soon drove them off with our

[note by Banks]
Recd June 7 1793)