Smith, John

Beaufort Vale Jany 5th 1824

To the Right Honourable Lord Charles Henry
Somerset Governer of the Cape of good Hope and its dependencies.
That the Memorial of J Smith of Mr Wilsons
Party of Settlers is humbly addressed.
Your Memorialist having incurred great expences in
building and fencing on his location and having sustained great losses
from the destruction of his crops by the blight and flood for the truth
of which statement he begs to refer your Excellency to the Revd Mr
Boardman acting head of the party) is of oppinion that agriculture
cannot be pursued here with any prospect of success; and is desirous
to learn to the breeding, and management of cattle; but on account of
disbursements and losses aforesaid not having a sum of Money in hand
to purchase the quantity of cattle required to carry on the said business
profitable, and having a large Family to maintain he hereby requests
from your Excellency the loan of One Thousand Rix dollars, for which
he is willing to pledge not only his location with the buildings and
improvements thereon, but also an annual pension of fifty pounds
sterling, which he receives as a warrant officer in the British Navy.

Referring Your Excellency for any further inquiries to
HJRivers Esqr Landrost of Albany your Memorialist has the
honour to be
Your Excellencys obedient
and most humble Servant
J Smith