Iron Pot,
Feb. 19 1875
My dear Mother,

I received your welcome letter of Decr and am sorry that you will be disappointed in missing my letters regular as the last I sent up to Luke to post was too late, but I suppose he will send it and the directions where to write to the Carpenter of the "Ethel" in London for him to forward the parcel to you. We are all very well since we came down here as the air is so pure. We get all our groceries from Hobartown in small crafts, and our meat from the main land about 3/4 of a mile distant when the weather permits. I go across in the boat and can get vegetable, eggs, milk but I soon shall have plenty of fowl myself, as this is about the best place for them that ever I knew and they lay all the year round. The salary is £100 per year and between £40 and £50 I do not know yet exactly for rations. At the other L’houses they get so much rations but we get the money, but I believe it is Mr B’s intention to get me a situation in town as soon as possible but I like this very well. There is hardly any ground on the rock but I will send you a photograph of it by and by. I see by the papers of the good that Messrs Moody and Sankey are doing. I wish they would come out here for there is the form? without the power. I have not been at Church since we came here as there is no regular church nearer than town but we always have family worship. I remember the Old Generation there well. Fruit is very plenty here. I went to a Mr Fergusons’s place about 5 miles in the boat and there were I suppose an acre of raspberries spoiling on the trees. We gathered about a bucket full and another of blackcurrants and made them into jam. The children are all better down here and Willy does not seem troubled with the worms now. This has been a very hot summer in Melbourne. There has been great mortality and those who can afford it flock over to Hobartown. The country has also been greatly burnt up by bush fires about where the Murttz’s live if they are there yet. Give my love to sisters and brothers, Joe, Mrs E and with love from Chris, Annie, Willy and George,

I remain your affect son,

J.C. Parkinson.

We thank you for the cards