LONDON, Jan. 5, 1791.

My Dear Friend,

The time draws nigh when I must bid adieu to my native land, perhaps for ever! The thoughts of it damps my spirits more than you can imagine, but I am resolved to summon all the fortitude I can, being conscious of meriting the reproaches of my friends and relations, for having hastily married as I did, contrary to their wishes, and am determined rather than be an incumbrance on them, to accompany my husband even to the wilds of Africa, whither he is now bound, and meet such fate as awaits me, in preference to any possible comfort I could receive from them.

Mr Falconbridge is employed by the St George's Bay Company to carry out some relief for a number of unfortunate people, both blacks and whites, whom Government sent to the river Sierra Leone, a few years since, and who in consequence of having had some dispute with the natives, are scattered through the country, and are just now as I have been told, in the most deplorable condition.

He (Mr Falconbridge) is likewise to make some arrangements for collecting those poor creatures again, and forming a settlement which the company have in mind to establish, not only to serve them, but to be generally useful to the natives.

Mr Falconbridge, his brother Mr W. Falconbridge and myself, are to embark on board the Duke of Buccleuch, Captain McLean, a ship belonging to Messrs John and Alexander Anderson, of Philpot Lane; these gentlemen I understand, have a considerable factory at a place called Bance Island, some distance up the river Sierra Leone, to which island the ship is bound.

The company have either sent, or are to send out, a small cutter called the Lapwing, to meet Mr F—, on the coast, she carries the stores for relieving the people, &c.

This is all the information I can give you at present, respecting my intended voyage, but as it is an unusual enterprise for an English woman to visit the coast of Africa…