Onehunga Nov. 8th. 1859. My dear McLean, We have all heard with much concern of your sudden and severe illness. I sincerely hope ere this reaches you that you may be convalescent. Most truly do I sympathise with you on the suffering which you must have undergone. I was glad to hear that you had lighted upon tolerably comfortable quarters and had friends about you. The news reached us by a private letter from my brother, one from Searancke to Baker, and one of later date from Friend to Carmin - from the first I learn that the steamer was to pick you up on her way down from Napier to Wellington. I am therefore thinking of you as comfortably housed with Mr. Strang 'picking up' as fast as you may under strict medical surveillance - and am most anxious to receive the next accounts of you. Now I am not going to bore you with a long letter on official matters. Things are going on with tolerable smoothness. Rogan is off again into the bush but has written you by this mail he is himself complaining of lumbago - rather an unpleasant travelling companion. You will have heard of young Sinclair's accident. He had a very narrow escape with his life. He is slowly getting round but it has been a great pull down for him, poor fellow. His illness cast quite a gloom over the family at a time which would otherwise have been one of joy, it being on the eve of his Lester Mary's marriage - which was, I believe, postponed in consequence for short time. Your note of the 11th. from Castle Point reached me a few days before the news of your illness - I shall be aware of your friends of the ''Runanga'' - Cooper also wrote me on the same subject. But, as I said before I do not intend boring you with official matters or indeed with a long epistle on any subject. My present object in writing is to assure you of my heartfelt sympathy and to express my hope that you may pass safely and speedily through the ordeal of suffering and confinement appointed you and that we may soon see you again in your wonted health. It is sometimes good for us to be withdrawn for a season from the whirl and excitement of active life, it gives time for reglection and to correct the estimate which we are apt to form of the importance of this life's pursuits and pleasures while engaged in following them day after day. Do not be alarmed, I am not about to inflict a sermon upon you and will only add that both my Mother and wife unite in the kindest remembrances to you and hopes for your speedy recovery. And that, I am, My dear McLean, Ever faithfully yours, Thos. H. Smith. Donald McLean Esq. J.P. Wellington.