550 THE AMERICAN LOYALISTS. 1784 him a decisive answer, which, whatever my private opinion mav be, I think would be improper till I hear from jou. Tou will therefore do me a particular pleasure, if to the great trouble joa dedd^asto ^*^® already taken in pushing forward this business for me, you settlement would be SO obliging as to tell me if the Ministry have come to a Sonth^ftiea. <iecided resolution to reject the plan, or if there be any chance of its being entered on in the spring season. I shall go next Thursday, for a few days, to Lord Conyers, Ben> ham Place, Berks, where your letter to me, under Lord Cork's cover, will safely reach me. My company, to be sure, is not politically orthodox ; but when I assure you that I am not contaminated by their heresies, you will excuse the direction. I shall always be CJorrespond- extremely cautious of obtruding on your time, and, were you to enoe about g^^ y^^^ ^ ^ist of the fiftieth part of the letters I am perplexed with about the South Seas, I know you would pardon this inBJ:ance. I am, &C., Evan Nepean, Esq. James M. Matra. [Enclosare.] Dear sir, Southampton, October 12, 1784. I should have answered yours of the 31st of August sooner, but waited in expectation of another letter from you, which would have contained something decisive in regard to New South Wales. My brother will deliver this to you ; he wishes much to have this business determined one way or the other, in order that, if the plan of making a settlement in the southern hemisphere should be given up, he may think of some other way of rendering him- self usefull, as he has an active mind and does not chuse to remain idle. The season for a voyage to that country will soon be elapsed, and unless the equipment is ^eedily sett afoot, another year will be lost and my prospect of procuring settlers from the Loyalists in Loyalists in Nova Scotia rendered less favorable ; for by next year I should °^ ' suppose, most of them who have gone there will have procured some kind of habitation for themselves, and will not chuse to quit them for an uncertain settlement in New South Wales ; and oiuiMbetter ^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^ hsLve among the emigrants some of the better sort, sort and should not chuse to have this colony composed of persons who would not get their living anywhere else. I find that the Treasury Board have met, and therefore hope that now the Ministers have returned to town, some final deter- mination will be had on this business, and flatter myself that a measure which appears to meet with general approbation will not be abandoned. J. M. Matns Esq. Jambs Be Lahget. Digitized by Google
