New York October 24 1815
My Dear Father and Mother,
Yesterday afternoon I landed at this place
after rather a tedious voyage. We have been sixty five days on board
and except during the first three weeks never enjoyed two days fine
weather at one time. The season has been remarkably tempestuous
but our vessel proving a very good one has brought us all safe to land
and without sustaining any acrious damage herself - I find
myself extremely well in health at present and I am willing to fancy
looking better than when you last saw me. I assure you when
a person {^^is} once on ship board and {?fairly} off from the land, it is an
excellent place for teaching him to pick his bones clean, and the
air helps to purify a languid countenance better than all the
specifies in London. At present I have only seen M^r E Morewood
for a few minutes but he has kindly asked me to dine with him
to day and I shall not forget to remember his Derbyshire friends
to him - M^rs M I believe is not quite well but no ways seriously
indisposed.
My present quarters are at an Inn, the Washington Hall,
where I may possibly remain some time, as the City is so full
of strangers that there is not a single decent bed to be found unoc-
-cupied at a Boarding House. Three of my fellow passengers are with
me - we sleep in a large room that would contain one hundred
beds, but the accommodations are temporary and only put up to
answer the amazing demand caused by the town being so full of

foreigners - however I hope soon to better myself in this respect.
The living at this house is superb and might suit an Alderman more
his taste as various as the utmost gratification could render it.
My acquaintances with the place being yet so short prevents me
saying much to you on that head. Appearances generally are
very pleasant, tho' the town itself strikes me as being considerably
inferior to Liverpool.
By and by I shall have the pleasure of addressing you more
particularly. I feel glad to have got so far in my undertaking, and
trust the result of it will satisfy myself and answer the expectations
of my friends. - Since the Peace business has been lively but people are
now beginning to calm a little after the first bust of freedom again.
You must please to remember me affectionately to all the
family and my kind respects to Miss Morewood and my uncle
John. And being yet in possession of my luggage the two small
parcels delivered to my by Miss M- are not handed to their respective
addresses, but I hope will be in a day or two.
The weather here is fine tho' cool in the mornings and
evenings - By now some of the early arrivals from England I shall
expect letters from Longsdon and that may bring gratifying accounts
of the welfare and harmony of the family, in the strongest wish of
your truly Affectionate Son
W^m Longsdon

Red^d Dec^mb 7^th 1815

M^r Longsdon
Longstone near Bakewell
Derbyshire
England

New York Oct^br 24
To the John Tobin
at Liverpool