File 4: Hassall family, correspondence, volume 4, pp. 1343-1673, 1818-1895

1394

he sets the Brisbane clergy against him, his opposition is the greatest barrier to his appointment. I said this was [indecipherable] I believed he wanted Mr. King to be Bishop all he said was Mr. King's views would soon create disturbance please ask your Papa which side he takes & [indecipehrable] of what I said was correct. I remember it was your Papa first put it into my heart but perhaps he has changed his mind since then. The Bishops of Sydney & Bathurst were going to Melbourne in June to help arrange matters because some new difficulty has sprung up about the position of the Metropolitan.

A Mr. Hale from Scotland (a friend of Tom Hopes) who is on his way to [indecipherable] came here today, we [indecipherable] him to the Gardens, Marion [indecipehrable] & myself, he admired them (so so!) very much.

When is your [indecipherable] going to write to me. I am awfully tired of waiting for a letter. Hope deferred Etc., you know.

Kiss Arthur for me I am afraid he has forgotten

his old Auntie by this time.

I find the Steamer has sailed today so I do not know when you will get this letter. Spenser says there would be one this week, he & Marion are sitting over the fire chattering. Fred is at [indecipherable] staying a few days, he is going to [indecipherable] soon.

Much love to all & [indecipherable] for all little (G [indecipherable] says).

Your loving old Auntie

1397

Cannot spare paper to write too much. Like bush. Harden sends love.

One Mile & Half from Blk Horse on Bandon Run, May 29th 75

Dear Charley

As I have not written to you yet I think it is time I did so now. I received your letter together with Father's Mothers & Katies on Sunday last. It was rather a strange place to get letters where I got them. I was riding along in the bush abt. ten miles from any house with the cattle and just thinking at the time that it would be a long time before I heard from home again when up came Merriman who had been to Gayndah and gave me the letters. I was very glad to get them and spent a very comfortable half hour reading them.

1399

It is just a week today since we started with the cattle. We have a mob of about 730. The work is very slow but still one has to be always on the look out. The cattle have to be watched all night so as there is six of us we have three watches viz. from 6 to 10 second 10 to 2 and thirdly 2 to 6 every night. We change watches always.

I must tell you of a night we had last Thursday, it had been raining all day and of course we were all wet through. Harden & myself had middle watch so after tea at six oclock turned in. The night was dark as pitch one could hardly see his hand before him. The ground was so wet that the cattle would not camp at seven oclock. One of the men came and wanted another hand so Mick got up and went out. About ten minutes after the same person came to the tent and said all must get up & go out. We did so and to our disgust all the cattle were gone off the camp. I went to get a horse and tumbled into a gutter. The horse had a bell so found my way to him and you may imagine the darkness when I had to strike matches to see where his head was. I caught him and all of us started after the cattle. I never had such a dark ride, had to keep my hand in