| Title: | John James Murphy to Martin Murphy, ? 1864 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4039 |
| Collection | Argentina - Murphy |
| File | murphy/14 |
| Year | 1864 |
| Sender | Murphy, John James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | cattle breeder |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Uncalito, Argentina |
| Destination | Haysland, Co. Wexford, Ireland |
| Recipient | Murphy, Martin |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1192 |
| Genre | correspondence, emigration, work, local economy |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Uncalito My Dear Friends, I wrote you a long letter by the March packet and since then I have written to Dr Crean & Rev. James Roach P.P. Wexford as having received one from the latter gentleman soon than after my arrival to this country accompanying with a card as usual, which we cannot at present think of collecting on. Dear Friends, My previous letter contained a great deal about this country, and the prospects that is now before us. The people are flocking here from all parts, many without money, others with capital, of which there is a great field open here for investment. The investment of capital in land & sheep and the business is considered so safe now a days, that the foreigners with money and those that can get it even at high interest, are eating up all before them. This business would have been still carried on to a greater extent were it not for the last extremely bad season that prevailed through almost all parts of this country (I mean the drought, which still prevails in many parts of this) yet still delightful country, owing to this reason I’ve had to exert myself pretty well as I am not one that can look on in a pinch when I see every one doing their utmost, but we have been somewhat relieved these last fine days by a shower that gave the sheep water in the camps, and from the appearance of the weather I hope we are done with the seca. But the interest desired and obtained in this country are so remunerative that it make labours light and toil an interesting object. Just imagine my income for last year calculating increase at its average value, and wool for what it brought clear of all expenses on the establishment to be 1,280 £. Now just imagine for a moment how hard it would be for a man to turn his back or even dispose of a property so remunerative wherein all moneys men in the country are endeavouring to catch a half of it. It’s an old saying once a man lets his fortune out of his hands he is seldom permitted to take hold of it again. You may say that I have enough to live where I like by selling it off and come home, but first just consider that your positions are at home and how your holdings are a mere source of slavery. Secondly, if you could only consider the real state of both countries, you would naturally say what could be the object of making a choice of that country wherein I should be only a looker on at your toiling ill-fed and ill-paid industry. Of course this country has its own inconvenience and new comers frequently entertain strong feeling on their arrival. But in a year or two these notions vanish and people only then come to see the great preference this country is entitled to. Now if I think of going home next year as I promised and not to sell off my property here (which I consider would be a very foolish act) what must the consequence be. Why inevitably the case would be that I should soon return again [Marginal note]: Tell Dr Crean & Rev. J. Roach that we have no convenience of paying the postage of letters home. [continues main text] as experience teaches me that living at home leaves me too far distance from my business in this country, which from what I’ve already stated you could not imagine but that I should be a fool to do so. I am well aware that your desire that I should live amongst you are such as will lead you to think that I should under any circumstances I might remain at home and my desires in this respect are no less great but what to determine as is. Whether is this country or that we should choose to pass together the fine happy years that may be yet left us. In this country we live like fighting cocks, plenty of the best of mutton any way you choose to cook it, in every house, particularly those with a family, has plenty of fowl, eggs, milk, butter, catchup, daily of their own making, and brings from town each year a supply of all the other necessaries, even English sauce, pickles & CC, which is before us every day with plenty of all sorts of vegetables and potatoes, the latter two crops in the year. I seldom sit down to dinner that I do not think of you all, particularly of James, that has often times to stand up from his meals hungry, and not having food suitable to his taste, and has to accompany his men in that rough way which only few constitutions can bear, and not speaking at all of the thousand other difficulties that farmers has to put up with in having the deal with the class of servants that is now only to be found in Ireland. I wrote the foregoing over night and as I suggested the rain has come at last. It commenced about 12 o’clock and from that till 8 next morning it fell in torrents leaving all in a sea, so as we need fear no want of water this year again. All we require now is that the frost will keep away for at least a month or two so as the pasture will get ahead against the winter set in. I am about doing a good deal of work on the Estancia. Next summer I am making arrangements to have 150 thousand bricks made. I am intent on making all bricks houses on the estancia and also a large house at the Estancia. James’, Nick’s and Patt’s part of sheep leaving the establishment this year has relieved it. But I must either buy camp or sell sheep before this time twelve months. The farmers will be difficult for me to effect as every one is with their mouths open to catch the first hint of camp being for sale. Dear Friends, I am sorry I did not bring out a Gig with me. The service such an article was to me at home was nothing in comparison to what it would be to me here. Horse riding is very heavy here, particularly during the summer season. It’s often occasion not to delay doing some business that we have got to do as also from hearing Mass on Sundays, which otherwise we might had no proper means of proceeding. To get one made here would become very expensive, as a friend of mine paid 72£ for a wagon, a very common article. A gig that I would like to get it here, would no doubt cost about the same. I will see and arrange to get it out if you can only get it made and ship it to where you will be directed, and if I want to sell it hereafter I will make money on it. J. |
