Barra & Ronna about 80 miles to the
west ward of Stromness June 4/45

Loving wife,

This day the Steam Boats, H.M.Rattler & Brazier is to take there Departure from us, and I have taken the opportunity of Droping you a few Lines, acquainting you that I am still Enjoying Good helth thankes bee to God for it, Hopes it will find you ^&^ my Dear Little young ones the Same, I have nothing strang to say as I wrote you yesterday by the Pilot, but I know you will bee Glade when you Receive it, it will bee some time before you can Expect Another—

So I bid you Good biy, Take care of yourself For Gods sake, you will Receive the Half pay Quite Regulare when at comes due but it will bee some time yet, piaible at the Custom House I sent you the mans adress that took my Likeness & I send it is this, in case my last bee Miscarried Mr. Beards Prodcess of Photography At N^o 85 king William Str City London. —

we have two Doctors, the 2^d is from Fife Shire a fine young ^man^ him & I is Quite chief his berth is next my one he never wase at sea before and he is very fond of my old yarens— [our] 3^d Lieut is from About Berwick hase a num[X]^[1] of Friends about Aberdeen a very fine young man His Name is Mr Fairam, on the whole I thin[X]^[2] I will bee Happy, the 1^st Lieut cales me his Joly Old Hero he is a Good Seaman & so is Captn Fitx James, he is a fine man he is ne[X]^[3] To Sir John Franklin, may God bee with you a[X]^[4]

Remains
your Loving Husband
James Reid

PS beesure and write aunty at Liverpool I would have wrote her but I have no adress To her, I have inclosed a few Lines to William,

J.R.

[1] “number”
[2] “think”
[3] “next”
[4] “all”

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