Shepherd et.al

Sir /
We beg leave most respectfully on /
behalf of ourselves and others of the Settlers /
who will not from distance be able to affix /
their signatures, to lay before you the reduced /
state of our stock of every description of Grain /
7+ corn to solicit your interference with /
His Excellency the Governor to grant us the /
relief required, or such other as may be /
deemed advisable. /
We beg to premise, that when the /
Official return of our last years Produce /
was acquired from us by the field Cornet M\r/ /
George Dyason, and which return we hear /
was intended for the inspection of the Governor, /
our crops, particularly of Indian Corn 7+ Potatoes, /
had not been generally harvested, we are concerned /
to say that eventually they proved miserably /
deficient, and in the course of a few weeks will /
be generally exhausted. _ added to which, the /
Market at Grahams Town continues to be not /
only Scantily supplied from other districts but /
it is also 50 to 100 prCt dearer than than the /
prices quoted from other districts but /
it is above the reach of the majority of us. indeed /
a few who have already consumed their stock /
subsist on Meat alone, Vegetables also having failed /
from the continued extreme drought. /
Under these distres+sing circumstances /
it being reported to us that there is a laying /
stock of Flour warehoused at Algoa Bay, /
which was brought direct from England /
several months since, we humbly pray /
that directions may be given to allow us to /
purchase what our want may require, and /
that the conditions of sale, may be such as /
to place within the reach of our diminished /
means this most neces+sary article of Life /
It /
>
It is with extreme concern we have to add that /
our prospects for the next Harvest again appear /
to be most discouraging, the Rust having again /
destroyed all the early sown cape wheat, some /
of which we were compelled to sow, not being /
able to procure /on the Frontiers\ a sufficient quantity of the /
sold Straw Bengali Wheat. /
Albany 4th August 1823./
William Shepherd. /
J. C. Wright /
*
E.H. Hanger /
A. Kidwell /
J. H. Greathead /