7 February 1846 Taranaki New Plymouth My dear brother Several years have now rolled over our heads without seeing each other or even interchanging thoughts by letter, but at present I can assure you they all appear to me as a day or an hour from being at present [crossed out] under the joyous anticipation that you are either at Hobart Town or Sydney as Captain the barque 'Ramilies' with troops for the former port bound afterwards to New Zealand where they are much needed with