Shawe, Samuel Edward

Klein Valley 23\rd/ Oct 1820 /
Sir /
My signature being affix’d to a Petition intended /
to be presented to His Excellency the Governor, I beg leave to /
state my reason as an individual for intruding myself /
on His Excellency’s notice. /
On M\r/ Parker allotting me a portion of Land in the /
latter end of July I immediately commenced ploughing for /
Wheat and had a few acres sown, my House nearly built and /
some of Garden Seed in the ground before the liberal offer /
of removal to the Z+uerveldt was made by His Majesty’s Govern=ment /
Being thus forward together with having purchas’d /
a Waggon, Oxen and other Stock with farming utensils 7+c 7+c /
and myself in a delicate state of health and having a Wife 7+ /
young Child not recover’d from the effects of a long voyage /
and fatiguing journey from Saldanah Bay, were the circum=stances /
that precluded me from embracing the proposal; /
and altho’ at that period I had flatter’d myself that my endevour /
would be crown’d with succes+s, I have now the painful task /
to inform you that all my prospects for this year at least are /
blasted by the entire failure of every sort of seed that I have /
sown owing I believe to the latenes+s of the season and the /
injurious effects of the Salt with which the Soil here is highly /
impregnated. Under these circumstances I felt it my duty /
to sign the petition and I trust your Excellency will think my case /
worthy of his consideration when I inform him that I have /
four /
Henry Ellis Exq\r/ 7+c 7+c /
>
families to support who will be left entirely destitute /
unles+s the fostering hand of Government is extended to our relief /
I also beg to state that I have only 25 Acres of cultivatable Land /
out of my entire grant, the remainder being mountain. /
Should His Excellency be pleas’d to allot me a portion of Land /
in any part of the Colony that would reward industry /
I have no doubt but I should succeed under the auspices of the /
Colonial Government. /
M\r/ Ellis’s affability to the Settlers who were so fortunate /
as to have an interview with him emboldens me to intreat /
that he will have the goodnes+s to represent the contents of this /
letter to His Excellency in as favourable a point of view as /
pos+sible. /
Trusting the subject will plead my apology for the /
trouble I have thus occasioned you /
I have the honor to remain, /
Sir, /
Your most obed\t/ humble Serv\t/ /
S.E. Shawe /