Iron Pot,
May 5th 1881
My dear Mother,

As the mail leaves before I receive your letter I thought it better to write and let you know that we are all well. Hoping that this may find you the same. I forgot to tell you in my last that when I was in town I enquired about the "Eucalyptus". It is very expensive. The only chemist that had it had a bottle forwarded to him from Melbourne but was going to send it back. I should say that that there was ¾ of a pint in it and he said it cost over £3-0-0 but that it would be better to try and procure in London as bottles were liable to break in carriage by the mail. Before this reaches you I hope that the Lufia will have arrived and as there is a photo of the Iron Pot in the box for Uncle Edward. You might say that I received his last letter and will write next mail. I hope you will have all escaped the effects of the cold winter. We have just received the news of the death of Lord Beaconfield "May God raise up someone in his place". We are having some very fine weather now and I have taken advantage of it to get our garden in order. I sent last mail 3 gems? Marias Jims and myself. I now enclose Willy’s George’s and Chris’.

I see by the papers that you have some very distressing shipwrecks. We have just heard of the loss in New Zealand of a steamer called the ‘Tararua heading to this port and out of 140 only 20 have escaped. Chris says you are not to forget the paper Blanket? as it will be a curiosity. Annie has had the measles but is quite recovered. She was down for a few days at Easter.

You must excuse the hasty scribble as I shall write next mail when I receive yours. So with love from children and Chris to Grandma, Aunts, Uncles and kind remembrances to Joe and Sophy.

I remain,

Ever your affect son,

J. C. Parkinson