An emigrant's home letters/Letter Six
LETTER SIX.
January 1st, 1836.
My Dear Sister,
I am obliged to send to you again, so soon upon my last letter, as I expect we shall embark much earlier than I stated to you. A ship goes on the 29th of this month, and I believe we shall go in that. My chief reason for writing now is that we must have a certificate of being in sound health from a respectable medical man. I send a form of one on this sheet. You will be pleased to get Mr. Porter, or if he has left the town, Mr. Charles Porter, to sign it, since I never had any other medical attendant, and the gentleman who attended Clarinda has left the country, so that it is impossible to apply to him. All that it affirms lie could readily ascertain by applying to Mr. Houldin and Clarinda's friends. If you can possibly get all the signatures by Thursday afternoon send them in a parcel to me the same evening. Take it to the Albion coach office early enough, say four or five o'clock, so that I shall be sure to get them at the office here the next morning. I would rather have the certificates in Mr. Porter's own writing. I only have written this that it may be something like the prescribed printed form of the Government emigration committee, but the one I send will do.
The clothes can be made up on the passage. If you can exchange any of the books for cloth for them, or stockings that would do for either of us, or four or five handkerchiefs, you will befriend us. If Booker would make my shoes, and you think you could pay him in two months after I am gone, I should be very glad to have them.
I shall write to my father, to Eliza, and to my brothers before I go. I think you will hear from us if we go this month about next October, but not before. I shall send to you once or twice before we go.
Clarinda will want half a pound of white cotton and shirt buttons, if you can exchange books for them. Give our best love to all friends.
Your affectionate brother,
H. PARKES.