"One night while our vessel was lying in the canal, I was visited
by an evil dream, but dreams are empty and meaningless, and I hope
that no more of my disagreeable fancies will be realized than that
you at home, may experience a little anxiety and solicitude
concerning the welfare of the absent one.

"The Spring of the year is always the most severe season, for
winter consumes the harvest of the preceding summer.

"Well, we have many mouths to feed--God protect our children.--When
they are older they will work for us. It was my intention to send
you a small sum of money in this letter; but I was obliged to wait
until Jon Jonson, who is here at present with his sloop, shall
commence his homeward voyage, for I can place no dependence upon
young Rask to whom I am obliged to entrust this letter, as he might
be tempted on his way to the post office to enter a beer-house, and
there lose the money. I am forced to send Rask to the office, as I
am obliged to remain on the vessel until it is unloaded.

"I will tell you in advance that I shall not be able to send you a
large amount of money; but instead of that, I shall forward you
when Jonson returns, a quantity of foreign goods which I have been
fortunate enough to purchase and to place on board his sloop
without paying the duty, which you know is heavy. It consists of
sugar, coffee, tobacco, cotton yarn, and a package of silks.

"You, my dear wife, must select the best, a silk shawl which you
will find in the package. Nanna may have the next best shawl, and
you may give Carl the blue handkerchief which is at the bottom of
the parcel. I have not forgotten father. I shall send him a small