Description:
1843 (Nov17) lengthy cross-written entire letter headed "Port Macquarie/Near Sydney" (a bit of a stretch; the actual distance is 390km!) & signed "JBarbara Host" (?), to Berkshire with fine strike of the unusual octagonal 'PORT/MACQUARIE/PAID' h/s in red & an unusually fine strike of the framed-oval 'PORT MACQUARIE/[crown]/ NO*17/1843/NEW.S.WALES' d/s, largely fine 'PAID SHIP LETTER/[crown]/NO*21/1843/SYDNEY' d/s in red, London transit b/s of '14JU14/1844' & rated "8" for an incoming ship letter, 'WINDSOR' arrival b/s of the same date, overall even soiling.
The letter is a marvellous account from an obviously well educated female convict who states "...Time with its hasty and destroying strides has now brought me to the seventh year of my banishment...My husband...has earned the confidence and good wishes of the most influential people in the District...I have been living in a painful sense of dread and terror of the Aborigines, the first execution that ever took place in this part of the Country was lately performed here upon one of their Chiefs in consequence of his having murdered seven unoffending innocent English Settlers, the Natives uttered threats of vengeance and congregated in Battallions in the dead of the night...the Soldiers soon dispersed the Blacks but...they will yet seek revenge and that is likely to be of a most deadly nature. They obstinately refuse becoming Converts to Christianity, they entertain an idea that after death they rise again the third day to people some other part of this great Island..."
Symbol : c
Grade : b
Categories: Stamps & Postal History > NEW SOUTH WALES > NEW SOUTH WALES - Postal History