2-032 (Original)

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According to promise but not as to time I write to you but I have so little to say that is so much that I cannot find words to express it so it will amount to the same thing in the end and you will have a short letter about nothing. In the first place I was to tell you how I like the place, I do not like it at all the country I must say is beautiful no person can find fault with it but then it is a new colony and there is a great deal for a settler to encounter particularly a female, next the people, they are either very high or very low the upper class are all military or naval men such as Cols Majors and Capns. that you have no chance with them and the lower class are convicts. There is such a party spirit amongst them that if you are at all noticed you must be either one side or other so that it makes you quite uncomfortable, as for us we know very few. We know the gentleman who transacts business for Sam his Son and Daughter and a Mr & Mrs Aidey he is a banker and she is a very clever woman - but these are all that I am on visiting terms with so you see our circle is not very extensive and now that we have left Hobart Town for the bush I dont expect to see them often either oh! how often do I wish for some of my friends to be nigh me but it is all in vain. I suppose you have heard of Georges marriage poor fellow he has done for himself forever I have only seen him at a distance since our arrival if she had been any kind of woman that I could have been on terms with how comfortable it wd have been for me but it seems as if I was to be disappointed in everything - it seems she was well known on the Commercial Road as Betty Duff god knows how true it is but this I know that she is one of the greatest drinkers and one of the worst tempered women I have ever met with. [156] What think you of Sams turning farmer and me making Butter and Cheese but alas! I am sorry to say that we have not a cow or hen yet on our farm - so much for my beginning we are about five miles from town across the river the greatest want of these farms is the want of water we have to draw every drop we use from what they call a Lagoon a mile off and every thing we want we have to send to town for Eggs are 2/3 per dozn and fowls 5/ and all these kind of things in proportion as for milk we seldom see it now - firing is the only thing we have cheap and that we have for the cutting. I wish you would take a trip over here and see us.. . T[here] are a great many respectable families here from Ireland. . . and now dear Robert how is my own boy I trust you have an eye as you promised and that you make him go over his lessons often. I hope he will be all could wish Jane and Martha often talk of you they are all quite well but not gone to school yet. They send you a kiss I hope my dear Father is in good health I am sure this is a country he would like if he saw it your father I know would - Dear Robert may I depend on your writing to me soon you know that letters are the only comfort I have now and I trust you will add to it if you should happen to be in London when the ship arrives that this goes by I wish you would see the Captain he will be able to tell you all about us as he is the Capn we came out with and he could give you all the information about George as they wd be anxious at home to know of him his name is Elder of the ship Pyramus - Sam joins with me in affectionate remembrances and believe me to remain dr Robert your ever affectionate Cousin and Friend.
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