Letter written to Thomas Benbow Phillips by Michael D Jones at Bodiwan, Y Bala dated 12 March 1867

Michael D Jones suggested that maybe Thomas Benbow Phillips had read about the last phase of the Welsh Colony in the Buenos Ayres Standard. Apparently the wheat crop had failed due to severe drought, and some of the Colonists had thought of moving to Patagones because the drought was not as severe there. However the cattle were doing well, and milk, butter and cheese were plentiful. Horses, pigs and fowls were also multiplying. 200 Indians had bartered quillangoes, ostrich feathers, dogs, horses and goats for bread, flour, matti, tea, coffee and tobacco. It was thought the profit to the Colonists was about £1,000. Evan Ellis Jones from Australia and Mr W Hughes from Wisconsin in the USA (who was worth about £3,000) had travelled to the Colony with sheep. Another rich emigrant, a Mr D Williams from New York had experience as a settler in a new country and was travelling to the Colony with farming utensils. He would be taking a mill with him. Michael D Jones thought that Mr Lewis Jones had been unfairly treated and that it was his lack of experience that had affected his decisions. A ship was on its way to the Colony and he hoped that the Indian trade could be extended. Michael D Jones suggested that Thomas Benbow Phillips should take shoes, matti, flour, tobacco and saddles for the Indians.