15 August 1865 Glenorchy My dear Donald I am happy to say that things are going very well up here thank providence. Alexr never was so anxious to do well as at preasant. George has been down doing all the plowing he wanted done at Maraekakaho and sowed the padock in oats. Alex is also finishing the fencing at the cottage and strange to say is making a gardin their and quite anxious about it. He went with me and picked the seeds with as much care as I used to do. I hope and trust his last illness will be a blessing to himself and his relations. He is going tommorrow to the plains to look after Ngley/Wgley [?] and other horses and to speak to Carlyon about his sheep as they are becoming a pest in the back country. Indeed I could not believe he would change so much. I hope he may spend more of his time up here as by talking over things that is to be done together I find now that he quite likes it and formerly he would get quite angry when I would sugest any thing. He was today in the bush and spliting timber himself to load the dray to keep the fencers going. So poor fellow he may do well yet. He says he will pay off all usless men and make reforms so my dear brother I hope God may change him and all that require a change for the better. I was very sorry to hear of the dreadful news from Bay of Plenty but I hope you will endeavour to soon have it put down altho I am certain it must gave you very great concern. I do believe were you to try a scheme as I spoak of and rise a native force on pay say that you would have 1/3 of the armey native under English officers and the other half Europeans. I do believe it would do more good than all the military as they would be under the Colonial Office. I hope and trust you will be very careful how you go allong the coast. I dread the idea of you having to go at all. I have a great wish to see you up here as soon as you can at all make it convenient just to break down a fear I have had on me for some time that is that I might not see you here at all for I have so often prepaired to see you. Please to tell Kate her poney is up here and will be sent down next Saturday. I find no account of the ages and number of Inglis [English] sheep in the old book but as I told you Alex must have an account of them on paper as I recolect making it out. No more at preasant. Always your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean