Warrawang Nov 11th 1847 To Miss Jessie Murray Murray House Langholm Dumfries Shire Scotland My Dear Jessie, I received your letter dated 21st June (1847). Glad to hear that all our good friends at Langholm are well I received your kind present a purse the church in the house your Aunt was very pleased with hers she wishes you would send some more of them. I think you might have put something into the purse as a keepsake but at the same time I am much obliged to you for it I think it very handsome everybody that has seen it think so to the rest are all pleased with there presents (I don't know how we will get Williams and Johns to them as they have not got fairly settled as yet I had a letter from them not long ago mentioning that they had met with a Mr Cameron from the Highlands who was so kind as to give them a run for the sheep till they got them shorn and then they will look out for a run and then I will let you know there address they got all very well across without any accidents and very few deaths among the sheep. William did not go for two or three days after John he took a blackfellow with him they took three horses with them they lost two of them one old mare came home but the young one is still running in the bush about 100 miles from here. This we have heard of her but we can't get her Mr. Syme son of Mr Syme of Redkirk was with him when he lost the horses he was going up to Mr Cox station at the Castlereagh River William turned the blackfellow away he exchanged the one he had for another one and gave five pounds for the exchange he got on well after that) We are happy to hear that our good friends at home are all well and I hope you will long continue to enjoy good health it is a great blessing which we can enjoy in this world yours finds us all in good health for which I thank God we are all left alone now the sheep are all away from this and I have one flock over at the station containing about 600 and we have not a servant and we do all the work ourselves Matt carries the water and cuts it up I think I can't do better than give you an account how we got over the bush 24th fine day I went as far as Mr. Irving's with Mr. Brown I stoped at Mr. Littles all night they are all well Mr. I. and I rode into Bathurst next day I took allotment of land of 1000acres at 5 pounds per section of 640 acres we got home to Tea frosty night 26th fine day I left after breakfast got home to dinner I found Mr. Johnston and Mr. Geo. And John Campbell here they went away after dinner and Julia went with them to Sornbank (Lithgow) to spend a week or two Matt went down to Mr. B. for a map of the colony he came home about 10 I sent to home newspapers to Mr. V Maxwell you must understand that I am going to draw a Map I have pasted 4 large sheets of paper together for the purpose to put down all the places round about this part of the country for there are such a bad set about here so that when any land is put up I can refer to my map x Sunday 29th A fine day I read a chapter and sermon to the boys Jessie Minna Sybella Jas Geo Robert and Fred had a walk to the rocks Mamma and I had a walk around by the cross creek Matt and Hugh McPherson rode over to the station Jessie read a sermon in the afternoon and chapter and prayer at night 30th fine day the boys and I went up the road to see a dray man who was going down to Sydney I sent for some stores by him we set fire to the bush and came home frosty 31st fine day Matt was digging in the garden I put some shallots sent 30 bushels of wheat to the mill to get ground into flour James Geo Rob and Fred and I set fire to the bush at the back creek fine night very frosty Sept 1st Fine day Matt was digging in the garden James and George was digging potatoes and working their garden I was drawing a plan of Mr. Irvings map Mr Brown landed here from Wellington got dinner went home Jessie and Minna was working at the bower fine night very frosty Sunday 5th a fine day had been very hard frost during the night I read a chapter and sermon to the boys Jessie Minna Sybella … had a walk I had a … …… the flute Jessie reads as usual fine night frosty 6th A fine day Jessie and Minna were washing Mamma was helping them James and Geo was cleaning out the shed Matt went over to the station Loftus the man whom I engaged to plough my land came to plough Hugh McKay came and got some currant goosebry bushes and a few vines Matt brought three home papers two from my sister and the other from Willm Greive and a letter from E.H.M. to Julia frosty 7th a fine day Loftus began to plough Duncan and Hugh McPherson came by here with about 60 head of fat cattle for the Sydney market the shepherd was over here and left a wedder to kill I was making starch James Jas and George was working at the shed 8th Matt was digging about the rhubarb the man broke the plough I sent his blackfellow to the smiths to get it repaired Matt went away after dinner to Mr Campbells to go and see the steeple race at Bathurst tomorrow the Misses were working about the Bower James and George was digging potatoes for the Pigs I set fire to some logs in the creek it came to rain it will do a great deal of good wet night 10th a fine day after the rain James Geo and I dug a large hole in one of the plots in the garden and filled it up with sheep dung set it with melon seeds the boys and I was gathering potatoes behind the plough we took them up for the pig they got finished with ploughing the ground cold night frosty Sunday fine day I read a chapter in Hosea and sermon Jessie Mina Sybella and the boys had a walk Mamma and I had one round the head of the paddock James Robert F came to us one of the dogs found a snake James killed it we brought it home and burnt it a very cold night My dear Jessie I must ask you a question and you must answer it truly and honestly I want to know if you are engaged to any person to be marriaged for I want to give you advice how you should ask and also to let me know the name of your intended for you know it is your duty to tell me all about it how is Elizabeth I hope well she talks with anyone I hope your Mother has sent John to a school he will be far better away from Langholm where he will mix with young men like himself and will get better on with his education has he ever said what he would like to be how do you get on in town it will be every dull I suppose you would rather live in the country than in Langholm how is Jock Nicol getting on give our kind regards to him and Mrs N. When you write let me know what improvements are going on in Langholm if there are any new building and how Sandy Kinwick is getting on with his new mill you mention he and Dr Maxwell are at law about the Ewes mill I hope he will beat him I suppose by the time you receive this letter you will have a railroad from Langholm to Carlisle it will be a good thing for the Duke for him getting his coals to the latter place is Mr Maxwell Bromham making any improvements about his place and how is he getting on in the world I hope my friend Mac- and his good lady at Westwater are both well I see from the papers that the farmers got good prices for their lambs last season how is my old friend Mr Nichol Cansfield and the rest of the farmer in Wauchopedale getting on how is Mr Shaw I hope well how does he like to preach in the new church give my kind regards to him and his Brother at Ewes how is Mr Paterson Mr Scott Bush and the rest of the farmers in Ewes getting on tell Miss Paterson that I expect something very nice as a present when she and Sandy Campbell marries how is John Comnon has he got married or still leading a bachelor life how is James Fairbairn William Billholm getting on let me know how James Moffat Midkirk is getting on and if he is all better is James Murray still in Benthalle I suppose Mr and Mrs Bryce are getting into a large family Is John Rutherford and rest still about Westerhall I suppose there will be no change. The old servants will still be in there old palces Westerhall must be looking very pretty now since the plantation will be well up How is Mrs and Miss Borthwick lives at Kirktonhill now give our compliments to Mrs Graham and Willm. Is he still with Mrs Carlisle how is Mr Little getting on in his farm I suppose he has made a great deal of improvements about the place Is Sir Francis still in the body he must be looking very old like now how is the good people at Hopsrigg Give our king regards to them and to Mrs Borthwick and Miss B. at Westerdale. Your Aunt wishes you would send her the prayer book got up by the clergy of the Established church and also a pair of clogs to wear in winter I wish you would send me the music book published by Porteus I hope you will send some nice books for the boys to read I wish you would send me Meg Dods cookery book new edition and any other books you may think proper to send they will be received with great thankfulness finished this letter on 17th may 1848 James Murray Got two Dumfries newspapers from my sister on Saturday 29th '48