Short way into the voyage, surgeon receives a letter from one of the convicts: 'He then mentions the influence which the perusal since he came on board of some treatise on the "barren fig tree" had produced upon his mind - the insight it had given him into his character, and then alludes to some of the great and precious promises of the gospel; especially to those contained in Matt xi the chapter we had read in our usual course the proceeding evening. He makes also grateful reference to the first chapter of the prophecies of Isaiah.'