| Description | Letter to James Gordon, London, from Robert Bisset, Madeira, apologising for late reply, noting his distaste for London, social life dull since James’ departure, ‘Staple is gone to Jamaica and Ferguson is returned home … Grave James Denyer is about taking to himself a Rib and who should that be but the lovely Miss Hetty, she is putting up her daily & fervent prayers to heaven that a 60 or 70 Gunship may come in and bring a parson to join their hands. Dr Hill left us in August last … since you left us I have had a fine boy … and Debsey tells me in 2 months Time she’ll give me another …’ reassured by arrival of new Portuguese administrator, ‘Our former Controller … having lost his wife or rather his Cross, has already supplyed himself out of the Incarnation Nunery by marrying a young girl of 15 years … she had been put in there very young and for want of money had not professed’, 20 March 1762 |