8 February 1861 Maraekakaho My dear brother I received your letter tel[l]ing me you had a ship chartered to take ship to Otago. It is now the 8 of February and no word of a ship. The sheep should be all at Otago by this time and I am at great expenses keeping them hear seperate expecting a ship dayley and if she is not hear before maney days she may go without them for the sheep will lamb in March and April and it was not likeley that I should keep the rams from them and lose a lambing on an uncertainty because I never was made sure whether the sheep would go this year or not. The ship should have been hear on or about the first of January and then she might make tow trips but she may make one this year and that will be all as the sheep will not be abble to be removed on account of the lambing season but if she was to be hear this week it might be managed. When people take in hand to charter ships for the removal of stock they ought to bear in mind the time and part of the year they should be ready to be removed and if Bethune & Hunter is to send a vessell they ought to let me hear when or what time the ship was to come to Napier not to keep me in suspense and having my sheep drafted an[d] ready. Tow thousand 2 and 4 tooth ewes as good as ever you looked at for the last months expecting to hear dayley that a ship would be hear to take them away. Men will be wanted on the passage to look after the sheep on board. It will cost some money before they leave. The vessell will not come in side and they will have to be pointed out to her but I shall do my best and I can't do no more. I shall go with the sheep and se the place and take a man or tow to look after and se them on the station. In haste. Allways A McLean No more for a time. You will se about native land for some time but the natives want money. I have put them of for the three months till affter the meeting of the Council and things setled in the General Assembly or at homr. They wish me to rent the plains should be allowed and I manage to keep them in good humour the best way I can. I shall be writing you next week and give you all the particulars. The rest of the wool is in Wellington. You shall get the total number of sheep. A McLean.