File 2: Hassall family, correspondence, volume 2, pp. 298-702, 1817-1826

Copy of Letter to Mr. Thos Hancox by the Ocean by Lieut Parker [indecipherable] 3 Sep 1807

[MS 369] Feby 2 1821 Mr Editor Dear Sir The following extract of a letter from a very young Sunday School Teacher at Parramatta with a short sketch of the Aborigines or Natives of of New South Wales / if worthy a place in your useful little magazine / is perfectly at your disposal - Extract Beloved Sir Our Sunday School etc etc Signed J.B. of all the human race that inhabit the known world; none are perhaps more debased than those of the New Hollanders. They wander about in small tribes from place to place never remaining a week in the same situation - [original text has been crossed out] chiefly upon fern roots - grubs from the bark of trees, together with (?) fish & wild animals they can catch which are never

[MS 370] more than half roasted without preparation than thata if asting them on the fire as they were caught & they go entirely naked - they appear fond of their Chldren & generally indulge them to an excess yet few of them attain to the age of manhood from the very scanty means of sustance afforded them through the lazyness of their parents - Though the natives are thus debased, their childre are nt altogether without the means of instruction, a seminary being now established for the purpose of bringing them up & teaching them those things that appear to be most necessary for their future welfare and - it now contains about twenty (words crossed out) many of whom attend the Sunday School & make a very rapid progress. At the examinatoin last year one of the little black girls obtained the best prize as the reward of her industry to the

[MS 371] manifest gratification of her Teacher & their friends while this shows that the day of small things is not to be dispised. it proves that the most abject of the human race are capable of improvements and I am inclined to hope that such an instance as this may be calculated to give fresh energy to Sabbath School Teeachers and make English Children more thankful that they are blessed with the means of instruction - and inspire them with that degree of emulation which appears necessary in order to their improvement -

trusting that the instittuions of the nation in which you are engaged may be abundandly helpd by the lover of litttle children? {[?]

i remain etc B.B>

copy of a letter for the S.S. Magn at Oxford

373 Madeley 25th Aug. 1818 Mr T Hassall

My Dear Sir

I beg leave to acquaint you, that it is probable the time of our sojourn is this delightful Village, may terminate in about three weeks. We shall then, if the Lord wills, proceed to London preparatory to our sailing for New Zealand in the autumn. We do not know by what vessel as yet The New Zealanders are well, and send their respects. I do hope, that they are of late, thinking about their Souls. Teeterree in his Letter of Yesterday, to Mr. Pratt, remarks "Me and Tovi kneel down and pray in bed room every night. Me so sorry when lay down in my bed, small waters come into my eye, quite cry, because God Almighty see my heart". And Tovi says "I go to my bed at night and my heart sorry for sin before God. I kneel down and pray God make my heart quite good - When I go home I tell my Countrymen of the True God. New Zealand God all nonsense". I am sure my friend you will join with me in hearty prayer to our Dear Lord Jesus that these sweet appearances of Grace in the [indecipherable], may not be blighted. But that they may blossom and bring forth fruit abundantly. And whatever instruments the Lord may be pleased to bless in doing them good. you will have the honour, at least, of having been the Pioneer. I believe they love you. They never mention your name but with pleasure.

They get on very slowly in the book way, being only in syllables of three letters: I fear it will not do to push them. But I hope that if they once feel an interest in the Word of the