New South Wales Emigrants
to Valparaiso, 1844

Extract from a letter from an English clergyman in Valparaiso 
to a merchant in Sydney,dated April 23 1844.

"There continues to be no direct conveyance to your port..
..We have had vast numbers of distressed emigrants from New South Wales 
arriving here for some time back,at least some hundreds of them;
merchants have or rather are doing well in consequence of the 
extraordinary number of buildings at present erecting; but during 
the winter I fear they may have to suffer,particularly if more come.  
The poor labourers have, however, been woefully deceived in their 
expectations, and are here for the most part without being able to 
obtain any employment sufficient for their maintenance; the common 
wages of the country being so very low, and their ordinary way of 
living such as Englishmen and their families cannot subsist on.  
Many of them in consequence have been reduced to the greatest distress 
and want, and been much  dependant on charity; for which purpose a fund 
has been raised and placed at the disposal of the Rev Mr Armstrong;
if you can communicate this information where it may be of service, to 
prevent others thus injuring themselves and overwhelming us here, you 
will do a kindness both to them and us. 
The Chilean Government are indeed talking of making  provision for such 
emigrants and employing them to form a  colony to the north; but they 
have been holding this out from the time the first of them arrived, 
and we cannot tell if anything will eventually be done for their good.
When we can send certain accounts of any good expectations, will be
time enough for any more to venture over to these parts...."


source: newspaper titled;  The Melbourne Weekly Courier
edition date:  Saturday, Sept 21, 1844