| Title: | Patt Murphy to Martin Murphy, 3 August 1879 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4154 |
| Collection | Argentina - Murphy |
| File | murphy/129 |
| Year | 1879 |
| Sender | Murphy, Patrick |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | cattle breeder |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Estancia Caldera, Rojas, 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 | 737 |
| Genre | decease, cattle business, education of his son |
| Note | |
| Transcript | La Caldera, Rojas Dear Brother Martin, Yours of May 7th to hand through William. I have been a long time expecting a letter from you. I wrote you last in September and since that and for some time previous I did not receive a scratch from you. We heard ye were all well, on one occasion through Johnny. I have had a letter from B. John of June the 1st conveying chiefly the sad intelligence which you anticipated in yours of the death of poor little Kitty. For him & Ellen we all jointly sympathise. It's consoling to learn ye are all in good health at present, with the prospect of no other members of the family being attacked by that dread disease. In return I am thanks to God happy to inform you we all here enjoy the same blessing. If you received my last I told you a good deal about last year being so unpropicious to sheep farmers in general, consequently a repetition of it here would be I consider useless. As I expect you had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Brett, who at the time was stationed in the center of the most infested districts, therefore had a much better opportunity of knowing and also explaining the losses that nearly all experienced, and many reduced, I am sorry to say, to begging. This year I am grieved to say many people have fared much worse (with many exceptions). The former are chiefly the occupants of the inside partidos, say a radius of 30 or 35 leagues from Buenos Ayres. I believe in all directions, you will scarcely at present time or three months since see a flock of sheep or a head of horned cattle. By saying inside partidos or parishes you will naturally come to the conclusion that we are amongst they favoured ones, which I am happy to answer in the affirmative, thanks to God for all his favours. Up to the present year could not be more favourable a reasonable increase (but not extraordinary) in the flocks up to the present. But most of them have commenced again, or as we call it, the second lambing. But at the present time we cannot form an idea of what the result may be, as the next two months are allowed for same. The account of the European Markets as regards wool & sheep skins are to the present very encouraging. But grease very flat. Our sheep are in a condition to day that I rarely saw surpassed in this country, for my experience (of I may say 25 years). Yet buyers are very scarce. In fact the few of trades I have heard of are chiefly made to supply the markets, at prices ranging from 53 to 60 dollars each. The supply is on account of the bad camps limited consequently is very doubtful if the graserias work this season. But I will know that in a few days, as I heard on yesterday of Mr. Brett having arrived. I am glad to hear of Johnny's photographs, but am at a loss to decide what to make of him being so long absent. I consider it rather a different question to answer. But I think his tutors for the years past should be the best judges in that respect, and I would be far from denying him the gratification of embracing any respectable profession that would suit him. As to learning music, unless he is possessed of an ear and good taste for same, I consider perfectly useless. Also, I would much sooner hear of him learning Spanish than French (but perhaps the former is not taught at St. Peter's), as I believe should he embrace a profession. This country would prove the best to operate in at present and for years hence. You will perhaps think it very strange what I am going to tell you now, that I never knew exactly my own age. Therefore, you would confer a great favor by making inquiries if you think or know of any one there who could enlighten you on the subject. You would likely know by referring to the records of christenings, which are preserved I suppose in every church. All join in kind love to all, and I remain your dear Brother, Patt I write Brother John same post to Haysland. |
