27 November 1861 My dear brother I received your [letter] stateing your anxiety about me but I got on well. We had a long passage and some bad weather and at one time I thought I would have lost boath sheep and horses. They were eleven days on board but what saved them was putting in at Tabble Cape where I got abundance of green food for them and the mares came down without a scratch on them. The bay mare has a good foal and roon mare will foal in a day or tow. The 7 sheep look well and a good maney has come to see them and wants me to keep them some of the lambs. The black mare looks well. She is in good condition. All the horses are doing well. The Maid has a fine foal. I have cut all the colts and they are doing well. The sheep are in the padock tonight for drafting tomorow. By the looks of them their will be from five to six hundred to cut and mark. They all look well but I shall no tomorow night the number of lambs but as the mail is going earley I will not have time to let you hear by this mail but I shall write you in a few days. We shall have a good clip by all appearance. What is to be done with the wool. I have not as yet seen Gollan but sent the letter. Tiffen is not at home. I left his letter. I have had good news from Otago which I shall send you enclosed. I was offered a good run at Tabble Cape. Shall I take it will come in for some boddy. I did not sell the mare that I got in Auckland as she was heavey in foal but sold the grey mare I bought from Williams for £45 and she left a fine filley a yearling which came usefull to me as one of the men wanted the money. You must send three hundred pounds by next post as I had to get money to pay the natives £130 and forty pounds for timber which I told you and the shearing to comence on Monday next. The plains we must have I shall write you a long letter next week Week and give you all the news and the diferent work that I should like to do hear but I hope you shall soon be hear and se for yourselfe. How is Douglas. I wish we had him hear. Tell him to write me as I should like to hear from him. My thanks to Brackenbury for his kindness. How is he doing or have you seen Rogan lateley. Give him my best wishes. In haste dear brother. Yours allways Alexander McLean