Ingram, John

To His Excellency Sir Rufane /
Donkin K: C: B: Acting Governor, of the /
Cape of Good Hope /
The Memorial of John /
Ingram humbly showeth. that your /
Memorialest having used every pos+sable /
exertion in his Power, with his People /
to cultivate the Lands alloted to him /
he humbly submits his case to your Excellencys /
humain consideration. /
In the fist place he is /
most fully convinced from experience the /
Lands alloted to him are by no means /
fit for Cultivation, from the total want /
of Water and being highly impregnated with /
Salt Petre. and most humbly Prays /
your Excellency to have him removed /
from thence; and grant him such compensation /
as may apear to your Excellency your /
Memorialist may be entitled to. but should /
it Please your Excellency to continue him /
there, which he should most deeply regret /
>
as he is convinced a worse Place he could /
not be removed to; he Prays your /
Excellency will be Pleased to take /
into your consideration the propriety /
of removing the People from Klaine /
Vally and granting that Land to him /
as it was orrignaly orders to be given /
to your Memorialest. in case W Parker /
Party did not come up there. as I /
under stood from the Deputy Landrost /
he could provide, small Places for /
almost all the remaining Settlers /
which were up there. in case it meet /
your Excellencies approbation. as there /
never was a Place worse calculated /
for division amongist so meany Persons /
there being but one small stream of Water /
and should the Person at the top of /
the Vally require to irigate those at /
the lower Part must be destitute of /
Water. and that the Deputy Landrost /
may be order’d to allow me to graize /
my Cattle on such unoccupeyed Land /
>
of the Government as may be in his /
jurisdiction. that your Excellency will /
be pleased to name what rent it is /
expected your Memorialest should Pay /
for the same. as in case he had to Pay /
a Twentyeth Part. of what the Government /
Comited themselves to, the most consider /
it better to abandon it altogeather. and /
therefore feels most ancious on this head. /
at the same time as the Lands in Question /
are not cultivatable, that your Excellency /
may be Pleased to employ the Men /
(the better Part of whom are artificers) /
on some Publick Works at Clanwilliam /
or elsewhere. as such an opportunity may /
never occur again. in geting Works done /
which are absolutely neces+sary, [should the /
Settlers remain there]. or that I may be allowed /
to discharge at least one /
half of my Men. without endangering /
my title to the lands. as under the /
circumstances of not having arable land; /
their services now become of no use and /
consequently a very heavy burthen and /
expense to your Memorialest as well as /
>
to Government at present in feeding them /
as such men would have no trouble /
in finding employment with other /
farmers. but your Memorialest is /
fearful least it might be made to /
militate against his title at a future /
day. and that the same may be /
considered a Grazing Farm. /
Your Memorialist cannot conclude /
this without availing himself of this /
opportunity for observing that the kind, /
humaine, generous and holy interest /
which appears in every branch of your /
Excellencies Government. deserves not /
only mine but meany other {} most /
greatful and heartfelt thanks./
Your Memorialest /
will as in duty bound /
Pray /
J. Ingram /
N\o/ 27 /
Castle S\t/. /
Nov\r/ 9\th/ 1820 /