[Thomas Waters to his brother John]
[from a transcript] XIX and XX
Gipsey. Port of New York
27th Sept. 1846
My Dear Brother John
Hoping with all my heart that you are quite well from your severe illness which I only knew of yesterday when I received your letters, very acceptable I assure you. Health above all things and well I know it is the greatest blessing that can be bestowed upon us, and fortunately I have very good at present never better, which I think is partly owing to plenty of open air, exercise and salt water duckings. How would you like one hundred acres of wild land, and a nice little cottage with a quiet but hard working farmer’s life and good health to boot. John Harris in his very entertaining letter, mentioned to me his prepossession for agricultural pursuits, and wishes me to tell him all I know about the price of land, climate etc in New Brunswick; but I have never been there only in Nova Scotia, however I will tell what I know of the latter place. Good land, wild from what I can learn, cannot be bought for less than fifteen shillings per acre, though at times by chance you may get it cheaper. The climate on the sea coast is remarkable healthy, but the land is generally stony, in back they are liable to fevers etc. as far as I can learn all that will grow in England will thrive here, it is the greatest country for wild berries that I ever saw, the barrens are covered with different sorts. Fruit trees such as apples, pears, cherries etc are very scarce, though I see them thrive where planted. I suppose you are aware that Nova Scotia is sustained principally by its fisheries, in fact agriculture is neglected and the people have to get their flour, pork, butter etc from the United States. I think it would be a splendid place to start farming on a large scale, as you could always find a market, and if on the sea coast, plenty of manure, sea weed, eel grass, thrown up in heaps by the sea, and which I see those that do farm use to advantage, when you chose you might catch enough cod fish to last the winter and wild geese, ducks, hares, moose, deer, and furr’d animals to trap in the winter season, which for two or three months is very severe. There are no Friends here that I know of, which perhaps you would not like but if two or three of your Society would come together, I think in a few years with £100 you would have a good farm, house , cattle, and that in your pocket again. This winter if nothing had befallen me I should have owned a hundred acres of land on the sea coast, none of the best to be sure being rather encumber’d with stones, but I could have picked thirty or forty good ones out of it, and the rest would do for pasture and wood, £30 would have bought it, £20 of which I had in my chest and about £15 coming to me, but that’s gone and my clothes with it, but no odds, I have good health, spirits and constitution and dont care much for a rubbing. I have had steady employment since I arrived in New York last year; not six days and then one day’s rest, but every day as they came, and I assure you I am called remarkably steady for a seafaring person. I have no place that I consider safe out here where I can put my money so I generally carry it with me. Remember if you should come to this country there are many difficulties and hardships to encounter, which you are unused to, but if there is any part of the land that I could be comfortable on, it is here in Nova Scotia. I would gladly stop with you a year or so to help all in my power if you liked, less than £150 would hardly do to start with, make up your mind and the same with Ben for two would be better than one. But I do not know what my Father and Mother will say to my outward bound advice, but they must look over it, of course their advice before mine. A life among strangers makes me doubly feel the value of parents and brothers and sisters, still more so when in danger of losing one.
I remain
With Brother’s affection
Thomas Waters
P.S. My direction until the latter end of November will he at Capt J. Thorhurn, Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia and I expect it will be a long time before I see New York again; then I will write again but if not direct to the old place Capt. Gelston
I have not received any letter from you though I see you have sent one for me per ship but it I suppose is lost, please send the next by steamer as it is better to pay two shillings and get one letter than to send twenty four letters at one penny each and get none.
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