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Dear Sir,
His Excellency the Lt. Gov has made arrangements to have all the Blacks who are in health removed from Melville Island to Preston without delay and requests that you will give the (illegible) orders to Mr. Chamberlain to have lots of land assigned to them: and to have the (usual?) allowance of provisions given to them. Will you have the goodness to direct the men who will deliver this, what they are to do.
Most respectfully,
Henry H Cogswell,
Thursday morning

Hon Collins