Letter
#10 to son Alex in Australia
Busby 1st.April, 1854
My Dear Son,
Your six pages came safely to hand and give us great pleasure. It is a great matter you have kept in
good health. I would have anticipated Clerk & Porter to an auctioneer to be
a better job than it is. The plain unvarnished truth brings us to our sense.
You would see by former letters it did not require the six pages to make us
pause. Our eyes have been gradually opening as my letters have told you. I had
a strong desire and almost a fixed resolution to leave for Australia this
month. But long before this the idea was waneing. I fancied William and John
would do well as apprentice wrights or bricklayers and I thought if nothing
else suitable turned there was the diggings for me. I was thinking Mr .Wilson's
statement of the diggings too favourable. But I see published a letter from
Bendigo of Dec'r 1st. giving the same account as Mr. Wilson. It is
no doubt true as to a corner of Bendigo. But we wont be in a hurry as you will see.
Cutting is rather slack and Jack is fixed to go to Cathcart on Monday
and commence as apprentice wright, wages three shillings per week but no
engagement. So before Jack can handle the axe we will all have time for mature
reflection. William says he wont gang to work for 3/- per week, he'll rather
gang to the diggings. I would have thought that after putting up half of a
large wooden house you might have crept into the wright trade. William jobs at
home a little. I wrote in my last that our housekeeper Anne Cairns was to leave
Liverpool in the 'Admiral Boxer' about the 12th. March. There was however no room
for her in the 'Admiral' and she leaves in the 'Hilton' on the 4th.April. She
has a few newspapers and a silk neckcloth with your
initials sewed on it for you. I have sent a newspaper every week this year save
a few weeks just now that Ann
carries. She has a number of older ones likewise. She will likely leave all
with Mr. Allan. I have not a word of news about our locality or among your old
acquaintance to write to you.
War is now declared. France, England & Turkey against Russia and
trade is getting flat in consequence. Maggy McPherson gets married on Friday to
a mechanic named Horner and one of her sisters died yesterday. Peter Robertson is to wait until John is ready to go to
Australia and he thinks they will be ready for the road by this time next year. What turn
events make take we cannot say but it is likely there may be another breaking
up and that John may go before William and me. John Leckie's acquaintances are far from satisfied of
the few glimpses they have had of him since he set foot in Australia. Can he
not set himself, dray and all, down before them and give us Mrs. Leckie and
here fireside also. The Overland mail has come quickly and brought news to the
end of January. The crisis you fear sometimes seems far distant, good trade,
good and new diggings, a severe storm in Geelong and a church blown down are the heads of our intelligence. We
had a visit from Joe Docherty on
Sabbath. He is to write you by this mail and he has acquaintances wrights in
Australia that he is to request to give you a better job than you have had. l
am anxious you should get out of the poor Navy line. Though you have made a little money it must have been earned with a little more discomfort than you were accustomed
to. But perseverance does wonders sometimes and I hope your perseverance will
by & by place you in a more comfortable situation. Some of our shawl shops
about Paisley are stopt. The masters have got into the Gazette. Young of
Kilmarnock is also down. Busby is doing a great deal of work, blocks and
machines quite busy. But I fear that a great many works in England are doing
nothing. The great and old firm of Thompson of Primrose is down and their
effects sold off.
There is a British fleet in the Black Sea and the French and English
governments are sending troops every day, 70,000 French and 25,000 British.
Charlie Napier is Admiral of the Fleet away to the Baltic Sea. He is to have 44
vessels mounting 2,000 guns and manned by 22,000 seamen, so there will soon be
dreadful work. But you perhaps do not know what all this is about. Russia wants
to get Turkey, at least the greater part of it. And the Emperor of Russia had
made secret overtures to the British government on the subject, offering Egypt
to the British and keeping the lion's share to himself. The British declined to
make arrangements or agreements of any sort about Turkey, preferring that
Turkey should remain as it is, an independant Kingdom. Russia pretended to give
up all intention of meddling with Turkey. But under pretence of mediating for better
treatment to the Christian subjects of the Sultan invaded the Turkish provinces
of Moldavia and Wallachia. All cause of complaint with the Sultan has been
removed, but Russia refuses to withdraw his troops from the two provinces.
Russia is looked upon as a freebooter, getting too
powerful for his neighbours and disposed to rob right on. And France and
England have taken upon themselves the task of chastising and bridleing the
ruffian. I hope however that you will get newspapers that will give you a full
and particular account of what is past and what follows.
My Dear Brother, I am going
to be a Wright
tomorrow with Alex'r Peddie in Cathcart at 3/-
per week. How would that wage do in the land of gold? Peter Robertson thinks that by this time next year
I will be ready to set off for the gold making colony, when he intends to set
out with me. When we get out we must keep together and form a civilized society
for you appear to be greatly in want of something of that sort. I have a great
desire to see you and hope that we may
spend many happy days together. Your Affectionate Brother, John Dick.
Bathea Semple is back to Busby and wishes to be remembered to you. John Shaw was to leave
Australia in the beginning of January, but I have not heard of his arrival yet.
I hope we will hear of you getting into a better job than you have had by &
by and I trust you do not neglect to whet your intellect and to cultivate a
knowledge both literary and spiritual matters.
I am, Your Affectionate Father,
Alex'r Dick
The bits of gold were not in your letter. I did not expect they would,
as you were in Geelong and they in Melbourne.
If there is anything you wish sent, down with it.
Names & Notes on Letter #10
Mr. Wilson
Anne Cairns
'Hilton'
Mr. Allan
Maggy McPherson (Horner)
Peter Robertson
John Leckie
Joe Docherty
Young of Kilmarnock
Thompson of Primrose
Charlie Napier
Alex'r Peddie
Bathea Semple
John Shaw
- transcription
and Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989
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