CAMPBELL, John (1)

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 3

Inverness

16^th June 1819

My Lord,

Intending with several of my neighbours to proceed as settlers to His Majesty's Colony in the Cape of Good Hope, I take the liberty of addressing your Lordship with reference to the terms held out to emigrants by the Government as contained in a printed letter sent from the Colonial Office in answer to queries on the subject.

The exact number of intending settlers is fourteen, who with their wives and children will make in all about seventy souls. These fourteen settlers, or fathers of families, are each of them ready to pay down to any person appointed to receive the same, Ten Pounds Sterling, being the pledge required by your Lordship, and on the conditions of repayment as specified in the letter.

They are willing to undertake the cultivation of whatever grant of land that may be allocated to them under the usual conditions and have already become all bound to that effect. “The Tonnage will be provided for the Settlers” and it is presumed at the expence of the Government?

With reference to the victualling, the enactment of the Act 43^rd of the King cap.56 seem all to relate to settlers proceeding to North America; for tho' the inductive clause of the act refers to “His Majesty's Colonies” without particularizing any, yet the special provisions point out those colonies for their object and no other. The writer is unaware of any other statute. And the parties may therefore perhaps store themselves without regarding the statute.

Your Lordship's letter bears that the expence of victualling the settlers will be defrayed by themselves. The Applicant is ignorant whether Government will procure the stores and make the emigrants pay for them or whether they will be allowed at the sight of Government to provide them in such a manner as they please, or whether Government will advance them stores on credit of their deposit of £10?

Providing your Lordship grants the terms the settlers will be ready to embark from any point in the parish of Strath, Isle of Skye, where they now reside, on the shortest notice. Some months ago the Chief Magistrate of Skye published that Government was resolved to give a free and victualled passage to every settler that would go to the Cape. Incited by this seemingly official intelligence about nine hundred people gave up their farms, sold of their stock and waited – and still wait for the fulfillment of these splendid prospects.

By this cruel or mischievous story the greater part of this body wander about without home or means to get one. Among them are the present applicants for your Lordship's favour. They have had the foresight of securing their £10 from the shipwreck of their effects, but unless they are timeously removed necessity will compel them to use even this money, and their misery will be then consummated. Trusting however that your Lordship will readily stretch forth your hand on their behalf, I for myself and them with all humility and respect remain my Lord

Your Lordship's most obt & most hbl sevt

John CAMPBELL

Kyleakin

Skye

By Lochalsh Nth

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 476

Kilmuir

Isle of Skye

1 Nov 1819

Sir,

In consequence of the encouragement offered by His Majesty's Government to persons wishing to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope, Mr. F.H. McKENZIE of Kyle Auken in this country and I jointly did ourselves the honour in Sept'r last thro' the medium of Colonel Sir Colin CAMPBELL to propose to your Lordship that we should, agreeable to the conditions stated in your Lordship's circular letter on the subject, procure a considerable number of settlers from this country to the new Colony at the Cape of Good Hope.

As Mr. McKENZIE and I are now perfectly unconnected in this concern I have on my own account procured fifty heads of families agreeable to a list & abstract herewith transmitted who are willing to accompany me as their leader to the intended settlement and who will be ready to embark how soon instructions for that purpose will be issued by your Lordship and as all men are in the immediate neighbourhood of the Bay and harbour of Portree it is to that port as the most convenient for embarkation we would request a transport to be sent.

I have the honour to be my Lord

Your Lordship's most obd't servt

Jno. CAMPBELL

PS Please address me by Portree

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 472

Kilmuir

Isle of Skye

1 Nov 1819

Sir,

In consequence of the encouragement offered by His Majesty's Government to persons wishing to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope. I took the liberty of writing you in September last mentioning that a Mr. McKENZIE of this country and I had procured a considerable number of settlers for the intended colony and soliciting your influence on our behalf. I now beg leave to trouble you with this and to inform you that Mr. McKENZIE and I are now perfectly unconnected in this concern, and that I have on my own account procured fifty five heads of families who have agreed & are willing to accompany me as their leader to the new settlement. My people are of the best description for forming an infant colony, being all loyal, many of them are already trained to arms and excellent workers – they would be a great acquisition to a new establishment and very different indeed from the disaffected rabble of great towns. By this day's post I transmitted a particular list of their names &c to Lord BATHURST and mentioned Portree as the most convenient place for embarkation, that they would be ready to embark how soon information for that purpose were issued by his Lordship & requesting a transport might be sent for them.

I must once again beg and earnestly intreat your friendship and good offices in strengthening my proposal & application of which I will retain a grateful sense till the last gasp. In giving a description myself to Earl BATHURST I mentioned my being appointed Lieut. in the Breadalbane Fencibles and since an officer in the Isle of Skye Volunteers & Local Militia till the conclusion of the war as also possessing a farm of considerable extent on Lord McDONALD's Estate. My whole dependence is entirely upon yourself and a disappointment will to me & my family be a terrible loss.

Sir, your most obed't and most humble servant

Jno. CAMPBELL

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 476/478

Name and description of the persons taking out settlers:

John CAMPBELL, Lieutenant in the late Breadalbane Regiment of Fencible Infantry in His Majesty's Commission dated 9^th Dec'r 1794. Since the reduction of said Corps served as an officer in the Isle of Skye Volunteers and Local Militia till the conclusion of the war and at the same time possessed a farm of a considerable extent upon Lord McDONALD's estate. Aged 48

Isabella McRAE 33 wife

Children:

Mary Jessy 12

Madalena 11

Alexandra 9

John Farquhar 8

Isabella 5

Colin Nicol 3

James Charles 1