| Title: | John James Murphy to Martin Murphy, 20 October 1867 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4079 |
| Collection | Argentina - Murphy |
| File | murphy/54 |
| Year | 1867 |
| 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 | 633 |
| Genre | weather, shearing season, horse races, newspapers, politics |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Flor del Uncalito My dear friends, Your letter by French packet I duly received containing an acknowledgement of the £80 I sent you. It was for brother James as may be seen from the account I afterwards sent him, and am glad you received it so opportunely. Dear brother Martin, Were it not for the heavy rain of last night I should scarcely have time to write this month, as we are tooth and nail at the shearing. I am almost finished and when done, brother William commences with the same set of shearers, about 25 hands and as many more children and an equal number of days which keep the place somewhat like the a lunatic asylum in a large city. The season has been very dry to now, and rain has been badly wanted in most places. But the weather has now changed and we may be favoured with plenty of rain before the summer's drought set in, that is what we look for at this season. Our English races passed off on the 25th last month. There were about two thousand foreigners and all the respectable natives of the surrounding partidos. Partido, or parish, is a district of country occupying a space of extending ten or twelve leagues in diameter each way, say a space of 100 square leagues. We whiped all before us. I won the Cup and brother Wm. won the Plate with one of my horses. Wexford won all that was seen for our namesake Murphy from Cara won the saddle, which so much enraged the Ballinacarryas (Westmeath people), that they collected in a ruffianly mob and so much disturbed the peace that the races had to be broken up. I could have won some hundreds of pounds had I been a gambler, mine being a young horse untried and his antagonist a celebrated racer. Peter Cormack rode. The mob headed by the owner of beaten horses (I mean the horse that pushed mine as there were only one out of the six that run done any thing) got so ruffianly excited that they insulted the people of all nationality. Even the Clergy did not escape their blagardeism and I am glad to say that there were not a single individual of any other county mixed in fray. Our clergyman of both parishes has on these last two Sundays told them what they are and the disgrace they have been to all Irishmen in this country. I will send you a paper with the report of the races. When I have an opportunity of sending it hope that it may reach you safe. I have sent you papers by every English mail post paid, but I am surprised to find they do not reach you. There must be a service loose some place. I will send no more until I go to Bs. As. to make enquiries about where the flaw is. The Paraguay War still continues with as little sign of a finish, as it had eighteen months ago. The Paraguayans has defended themselves gallantly against the Allies, and has up to now kept them at a regular stand still. I expect to be in Bs. As. about three weeks time as I expect to load my wool very soon. All friends are well. The wool is very clean this year with the exception of some bur that remained in the wool from the want of rain through the winter to wash it out. This will be the greatest fault in wool this year. You will excuse my hurried letter. I don't know if you be able make out all my scribble. In this my love to all and I remain your dear brother, John J. Murphy |
