Letter #36 to sons in
Australia
145 Great Eastern Road, Glasgow
10th.Dec'r. 1858
10th.Dec'r. 1858
Safe & Sound
My Dear Sons,
We got safely into Queenstown on Saturday the 20th.November, 121 days. I
and several others left there. I got to Cork, to Dublin, to Belfast and to
Glasgow on Thursday the 25th.
We had no severe weather all the way. We sailed from Melbourne with a
fine breeze and got clear of land in fine style. But the wind turned right
ahead and we were long in getting around Cape Horn. But those that been round
before said they had never seen the weather more moderate. No frozen sails and
only one slight fall of snow. We had a fine breeze from 40 South, then a few
calm days, but we got north in little more than 90 days. But the wind was right
out the Channel and we sailed south and north for a month, but could not get
east. At last the want of water and provisions made the captain put into the
Cove of Cork. We got a small supply of provisions from 2 vessels at sea.
We had about 100 passengers there, 22 in steerage. Experienced hands got
their passages under the advertised prices, £18 & 20 for £20 & 25. We
had lucky& unlucky diggers, lucky storekeepers and a miscellaneous addition
& old lags to boot, the provisions were abundant for 80 or 90 days and
though the biscuits were grumbled at, I was better off than in the 'Euphrates'
to the last, so I felt somewhat contented. On the second day of our voyage an
under-steward was dragged overboard by a bucket of water he was drawing. One
passenger died; he was sick when he came on board. And a passenger had his
shoulder dislocated. A heavy sea came over the ship and dashed him against the
bulwarks. I see the 'Agincout’ has got safely to London, I met with no accident
and kept in good health and notwithstanding prophetic discouragements, I cooked
& washed & dried with the best.
I found Auntie and family all well. Sandy's master failed and the
cap-making failed. After going 4 months idle Sandy got into a grocer's shop at
6/- per week. Annie is learning the power looms.
On Friday the 26th. I delivered D. Tweedie's letters and parcel and J. Leckie's
letter. Mr. Veitch is weak but cheerful; he was dressed. Mrs. Veitch is in her
usual health. They had many enquiries about Australia and their daughters &
they are writing per mail.
On Friday evening I went to Busby and delivered Mrs .Crosse's (??) letter and parcel. Her father is still at the fireside and her
mother is somewhat active yet. They have a lodger. Ingles &. Wakefield are still flourishing and
getting up 4 more machines viz cylinders. The block printers were tolerably
employed during the commercial pressure. There are 4 pentagraph machines at the
work and more engravers. Mr. Dow left for bad health. Mr. Galbraith is back.
Mr. Thompson is off. Hugh Glen is foreman cutter. The tables are out the
Glasgow shop. Mr. Crum has built a house near the bridge on what was Wallace's ground. The cutting of the road a Cr urns is finished and there is a new road to the field, it runs through
the gardens and about the Henlinn house. Altogether the village shows signs of
improvement. Mrs. Hunter left the store with a competency. Mr. Duncan, the
baker, has it. Mr. Hugh McLechtie has a ready money grocer's shop, but he is
still with Crum. Mr. McLoued, the late Bella Wilson's husband, has married her
youngest sister. They were proclaimed in Carmunnock, but no clergyman would
marry them. They are off to America to get married there. D. Alexander looks
better and Alpine looks manly and his wife looks well and healthy; they have 3
children. All nonsense about Mr. William getting married. John Nimmo is still
at the work, as usual. Thomas Gentleman is dead. Bauldy Galbraith and his wife
are both very poorly. David Paul is still with Mr. Glen, it was all nonsense
about him being back to Busby. Robert. McFarlane, that lived bat & ben with
us lately at Busby left of his own acord and turned hawker of tea. John McCubbin
has a shop in Crown Street. Young John has got married, but he is rather hard
up in the Golden Land.
I went to Leven on Monday
the 29th. I saw D. Maxwell and family; all well. I told him I had a few
sovereigns (14) and that I ought to pay him, but I would wait to see what
turned up for myself. There are no changes in D M's family since we left. Mrs. Humphreys
looks better. Marjory Wilson also seems improving. James Wilson is doing well;
he is an engineer at Dalmonach. But Joseph
Wilson has shown decided symptoms of insanity; he was a few weeks in the
Asylum. He is now living with a farmer. He is quiet, but does nothing and takes
no interest in anything. Wm. Moody had a fever; he is better and at his work,
but he does not look well yet. Deliechep (?) is going again. 2 of the McAlnes
are the Company. There were no other failures on Leven and the works have been
fairly employed. James Dick is still in Oswald Street. He does little business,
crowing a youth of labour with an age of ease.
There is a good deal of print cutting going on at
present for the spring styles. A great, number of wrights were idle and many
are idle yet. Mr. Simpson kept throng. Ralph McArthur is still with him.
Fortunately for himself, his parents would not give him money to take him to Australia.
His brother, William, got married lately.
Your letter of the 10th.Sept. was in Camlachie
before me. It was pleasing to see the state of affairs were even seeming to
mend with my young men. Next intelligence may be more cheering still; Alex'r in
the Custom House, monster nuggets in the O.G.P., Jack's hole turning out its
thousands and all sweet sunshine, food and dress for all. William had a poor
share of good things in Australia, but he will be a little more comfortable now
for some time; and I trust you will all continue in love and unity. I have
taken no steps yet to get employment as it would scarcely do to be going out in
a warm shop till I get a little accustomed to the climate. But from what I hear
of the state of trade and printing, I have no fear of no getting on
comfortably. I think you may rest contented on that score. There are stirring
events in the papers at present. I send you a post.
There was a distant relation of my mother's, a
James Robertson, in the steerage. He had been out 12 years. His father was a
captain in the army. He was a bank clerk by profession and he had been sometime
agent for a bank with £500 a year. He went to Australia as a bank clerk. When
he got a little money he started business. A drunken partner ruined him. Made
money as clerk again and started business; got a tee-total partner. He was a
fanatic gambler and ruined the concern. Made money as clerk again, started
business. His partner went out one day and collected some heavy accounts and
was never heard off. He thinks he had been waylaid. Made money as clerk again,
started a dairy. His partner was cowfeeder, but he did not attend to cows and
he found fault, with him. When Mr. R was away his partner took away the best
cows and sold them and disappeared. He says he thinks there is something in the
air in these accursed colonies that makes men dishonest. He says he scarcely
ever found an honest dealer; that with an honest partner he could have made
money at every business he tried. When he went to buy he took a dray with him
Barrels of flour, chests of tea, all were opened and weighed before him; got
them on his dray and went home with them. My wife and friends were writing to
me all the time to come home, but like a self-willed jackass, I would not go
home without money. But health failed; he had been long sick. His friends sent
out plenty of money to take him decently home. The money was sent to a
minister; he was cheated again. A steerage passage was taken for him. A
pretence made that all the money could not be got. He thinks this is just a
picture of Australia. Other men in business were defrauded. He, several times
as a professional man, had been employed to examine bankrupt's books, one
cheating the other in them all. Take my word for it, he would add, you will never
find me in these damned colonies again. The day we sailed, an acquaintance in
Melbourne offered him £1500 a year, food and bed, to go up to the diggings and
keep a store for him. He said he would easily get £150 a year in London to
begin with.
Auntie, Annie & Sandy have their compliments to
you. Auntie got her fifty pounds and they get £12 a year, so they are not
amiss. James McIntyre had died of dropsy, it appeared, a few days after he
sailed, but the physicians in Melbourne had not suspected dropsy. They had told
him they thought the voyage would cure him.
I think I will try a table at Barrowfield. If that
does not suit, I will try and get into a seewing warehouse in Glasgow. They pay
printers about 15/- & 16/- per week; that will do. Give my best wishes to
all my friends. I have a grateful remembrance of their kindness. I hope John
King and Cunningham Gray have got a job to their mind.
And I hope whatever betide to hear of you all doing
doing justly and loving mercy. I posted the letter from Mr. Mains to her
brother.
I am Your Affectionate
Father,
Alex'r Dick.
Names
& Notes on Letter #36
Mary Russell, Sandy &
Annie
D.Tweedie
J. Leckie
Mr.& Mrs. Vietch
Mrs .Cross
Mr. Dow
Mr. Galbraith
Mr. Thompson
Hugh Glen
Mr. Crum
Mrs. Hunter
Mr. Duncan
Mr. Hugh
Mr. Lechtie
Mr. McLoued
Bella Wilson
D. Alexander
Alpine
Mr. William
John Nimmo
Thomas Gentleman
Bauldy Galbraith
David Paul
Mr.Glen
Rob't McFarlane
John McCubbin
D. Maxwell
John McCubbin Jnr
Mrs. Humphreys
Marjory Wilson
James Wilson
Joseph Wilson
Wm. Moody
McAlnes
James Dick
Mr. Simpson
Ralph McArthur
William McArthur
James Robertson
Jas. Mcintyre
John King
Cunningham Gray
Mr. Mains
- transcription and
Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989
Scans of the original letter (click
on the thumbnail below for a larger image):
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
" Musings Aboard the Agincourt"
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