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