Rev A Brandram
10 Earl Street
Blackfriars
London
Kingston, Jamaica 18th April 1827
My dear Sir,
I have the pleasure of informing you of my safe arrival in this island. We cast anchor yesterday in Port Royal Harbour after a voyage from a Falmouth of 52 days. In my note to you on the eve of the sailing I stated to you how favourable for us the wind and the weather were. On the day after our sailing the wind turned against us and continued so for three weeks, at the end of which time we found ourselves no further advanced than the Bay of Biscay. On the 22nd day of our voyage the wind became favourable and remained generally so for that week, and thus brought us into the Trades which wafted us on our way very pleasantly until our arrival in this place. I need not trouble you with many words as to how I fared during the voyage. You know I am a bad sailor, and that length of time makes no improvement on me as to the state of my health at sea. The first half of the voyage I passed my days and my nights in bed, laid up through sea sickness. During the other half of the voyage I enjoyed pretty good health and passed my days comfortable on deck.
I came up from Port Royal to Kingston yesterday to make inquiry as to the Bible cause here, and to salute a few Christian friends whom my last visit to this island two years ago[1] made my acquaintance with. I have great pleasure in saying to you that the Redeemer's cause here does not stand still, but goes forward. The little leaven which has been cast into the mass is working its way as it did in the woman's mass and is gradually leavening all around. Before the whole however is leavened, years must pass I am afraid or more leaven must be added. Some of the leaven you have got and you should send some to this place as soon as you can. I mean to say send here without delay 400 English New Testaments.
Many slaves and free people of colour are hungry and thirsty for them. Let 300 of these be the common school edition, and let the other 100 be assorted so as to contain specimens of all your editions. There is still a supply of Bibles on hand, there being more difficulty in disposing of the Bibles from the price being greater. Please send these New Testaments to the Rev. William Knibb, Kingston apprising him by Packet of the vessel they are sent by, for otherwise they may be weeks or months without their arrival being known
I have received from Mr. Knibb 48 dollars on account of sales, and which you will please charge to me. Mr. Tinson has received Mr. Jackson's letter of December last, and will write you in a month. Much good has been effected of late by the Bibles and Testaments you formerly sent here.
The two letters enclosed please forward by post, paying the Liverpool one and sending another to the person for whom it is for, £2:12:0 which place to my account.
We sail tomorrow at daylight for Veracruz and expect to be 10 days or a fortnight in getting there. I shall seize the earliest opportunity of writing you from that quarter, and in the meantime trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ, and counting on your prayers, I remain Most Truly Yours,
James Thomson.
[1] Note (BM) -- i.e. on his return visit to England from Colombia in 1825.