Revised Jun 4 2021
[Copy.]
"H. M. S. Blonde, Callao,
"Jan 2nd, 1836
"SIR,—I had the honour to receive, on the 28th ult., your letter of the 3rd October, 1835, enclosing copies of letters from the Secretary of the Admiralty and Mr. Hay, with other documents relative to the Pitcairn islanders, and desiring me to go or send a vessel there, to investigate the conduct of Mr. Hill, and to undeceive the people as to his authority, &c. In reply, I beg to inform you, that I have always felt a very strong interest for that most exemplary and Christian Society, and that nothing but the revolutionary state of Peru, since February last, and a foreign war since June, which has put the persons and property of His Majesty's subjects, in common with other foreign merchants, to great hazard, together with the loss of the Challenger, has prevented my going or sending; but in consequence of various letters which I received, as far back as Dec. 1834, I wrote at various times to the victims of Mr. Hill's tyranny and oppression, and to Mr. Pritchard at Tahiti, informing them of my firm conviction that he had no right to assume any authority on the island, much less to use corporal punishment or to send any of the inhabitants away. I will, however, take the earliest opportunity of going, or sending a vessel, there, and hope to hear that the letters I wrote produced the effect I wished, of releasing the inhabitants from Mr. Hill's tyranny and oppression, and of restoring to the island those whom he bad driven away.
"I have the honour to be, Sir,
"Your obedient Servant,
"(Signed) FRANCIS MASON, &c. &c. &c.
"Commander."