GrahamsTown

Nov 6th l828


Dear Mother,

    I received my Brothers letter dated May the 23rd and I was very
sorry to here of the loss which we have all sustained by the death
of my Father but I hope God will bless you and the whole of us and
be a Father to the Fatherless and husband to the Widow addording to
his promise. --- put our trust in him . I was glad to hear that --
where all in good health as this haves me at present. I received
another letter before that of my Brothers which I should have
answered long ago but we have been so much on command for the last
6 months that I have never had an opportunity till now. We left
Cape Town about 14 months ago. We are now in the Frontiers on the
interior norht of the Cape of Good Hope in which we are have a
great many Commands . It is only a few days since I've come home to
hour head quarters after been away nearly 4 months during which
time I never had a bed to sleep in all I had to cover me at night
was my great coat. Sometimes for many days together and could get
a bit of bread if we had given our pay for it. All we could get for
our rashons (rations) was sometimes we could be Caffer(kaffir) Corn
if we had any buttons which is the chiefest money amongst the
Caffers. This corn we boiled the same as we ---- in heat to burst
then fry it on a camp kettle . If we could get a bit of fat if not
perhaps we might  have a bit of sugar.

page 2

Grahams Town is about one hundre miles from Nlego Bay where we
landed when we came from Cape Twon. The extent of this Command is
about four hundred miles from this place. We had sometimes very
heavy marching and short of provisions so that I can assure you it
was very hard work. We went to a place called the Bash ---- where
we were ordered to remain till further orders. We had not been
there long before we were ordered to go further in about 3 hours
time and withgoing off in such a great hurry and the road been so
bad that we could not get waggons much further, we were obliged to
march without any rations at all north. We were then 3 days without
getting anything to eat but a little bit of flesh we got When we
met the people we were in persuit of they were a gang of people
that appear to have got their living entirely by plunder and they
had been several times amongst our Caffars near the English ---
rents and stole their cattle set fire to their --- termations (?)of
Colony to support and defend thir Caffers, it --- the poor solkiers
that must stand all the facturing fighting for them for they are
but cowards themselves these Caffers have got a kind of spear which
they call a assiginee which they throw same as a dart some of them
can throw them very well and a good distance. The people that we
are against are called fagarnies. They are not so tall nor so stout
as the Caffers but they are more valiant in standing up in their
own defence . They live --- a very deep valley and amongst rocks so
that it is very hard to get to them.
 
There is a man in this regiment of the fame of John Bozwell who
listed about 17 years ago and he as never let his friends know he
was in all this time. He  is from Copshaw holm . I should wish by -
- --- if ou can find any of friends out and let them know where he
is . He behaves very well to me. I may almost say that if I have
lost one Father I have found another.
<P>
   Remeber me to my cousin Francis and all the family , to my aunt
her sons, and daughter . I will write to my brother Francis the
first opportunity out. If you should write to him after you
received this be so good as remember me to him as he may get a
letter from you before he giets one from me. When you write to my
brother Charles tell hime to write as I have never had a letter
from him yet and I do not know where to write to him. I hope you
will not fail to send me an answer as soon as possible after you
receive this . Remember me to all inquiring friends. Give my love
to my brothers and sisters and except the same yourseff(yourself)
 your affectionate son
William Scott

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