the sheep and the sheep kept down at Colenso's place all ready to put on board. It will be a sad loss of time and the sheep will be lambing in about 6 weeks more. Mr Thomas Condie is here and a very nice man. I requested of Alex for God's sake to take him with him to keep things correct for he is a most worthy man. He was not going to take him but I have prevailed on him to do so and when he is with him I will have some confidence in things going on better and more to your benefit than I fear they otherwise wood for Alex will never have any care about bills and expences. However I now trust he will take more care for his sister Catherine seems to have some controll over him. My dear Donald if you value your own interest I hope you will be here as soon as possible for it appears that the Maories are now going to leace their lands to Europeans. There is one man leaced a run from the Hapuka from our & Mason's boundary