Tucker, Henry

Port Elizabeth, 26 March 1821
Colonel Bird,
Sir,
In consequence of the very
great disappointments I have experienced in coming to
this Country, I have taken the liberty of soliciting that
you will be kind enough to afford me a Colonial Pass
in order that I may proceed to the Cape of Good Hope,
and procure a situation in a Counting House, in
which occupation the major part of my life has been
employed _ On my leaving England, it was represented
to me by the Mendicity Society. that a school was about
to be established in this Country on the new system of
Education for the instruction of One thousand children
which I was to undertake, and that a school, as also
a residence for myself was already built, but upon my
arrival here I found that nothing of the kind had taken
place _ The above prospects being held out to my, I
provided myself with a base of Stationery, containing
Books of Instruction & which I have unfortunately
lost, and having been confined in Grahams Town
Hospital with a bad leg for nearly 3 months, has been a