note: transcription publicly contributed - please contact us with comments, errors or omisions

Halifax, June 15 1848
Gentlemen
In reply to some statements made by John Nesbitt, a hired servant on Sable Island I beg leave to say, that his report about my cursing and abusing people is uttlerly false, that he never heard me curse or abuse any man since he has been on the Island, until he forced some rough words from me on the second of May last, by calling me a damnd lyar, and telling me he did not care a damn for me, or my master, that at the launching of the Lady Echo, he was not there at any period of the service which was three or four days, except on the morning of making the last move for the water, he came on the beach, I told him I was glad he was come that I wanted his help; he stood for some time inactive whilst every other man was exerting himself to the utmost and I had to be all aboard the vessel giving directions when I noticed him idle and not assisting. I told him not to stand idle a = amongst the men, that if he could not make himself useful he had better go off the Island, he said he had no tool to work with and went away and left us -