[Thomas Waters to his parents]
[original letter: envelope missing]
“B. J.” [Bethiah Jewett] Hobsons bay Melbourne
Dear Father and Mother Dec 7 1856
I have only received one letter as yet from England and that was from Ben dated Aug. 30 – So I expect (knowing you will not forget me) there are several from you, Eliz Mary Uncle etc on the way here and I hope they will arrive before I leave port. I expect to sail for Calleo [Callao] about the 20th Dec. This is certainly a gold country and the best country for a sailor that ever I was to, that is for those sailors who like me can turn their hand to cooking, stevedoring, mining etc and can put up with any sort of sleeping accomodation or I should say no accomodation at all, but at the same time it is the most miserable country to live ashore in that ever I was in. it is now here early summer and everything is dried up and the dust and hot winds are intolerable so that any man who stays here ought to get well paid if only for the misery he must suffer in living ashore. it certainly is not a country that I would recommend except to seafaring folks and they can take a trip to sea during the hot summer or muddy winter. The chief supports of life are not dear but those little things which add so much to comfort such as eggs, milk etc are enormously dear and the country and city is infested with the very worst kind of murderers and robbers, indeed the newspapers are all fill’d with their exploits. Nova Scotia after all for a quiet industrious man offers the greatest inducement to settlers of any country I know of, for there any one who is willing to work three days out of a week cannot starve, indeed I think any country is better than a gold digging country.
Ben in his letter to me states that his business is improving but says he hardly thinks yet that it pays expenses tho’ his loss if any is not more than £1 per month, he says the difficulty is getting a connection and avoiding bad debts: but if he gets a good connection he has no guarrantee that the next grocer that comes may not take the connection from him as he must previously have done from some other grocer and thus keeping his income allways low. My idea of a small grocery business in England is very poor for it seems to me that any man or woman with a small capital can set up to as much advantage as those who have served their prenticeship to the trade, consequently as soon as there is any profit to be made numbers rush in and glut the village. now and then of course there will be places like Birkenhead where one or two first comers make their fortune by the extra rapid increase of the lower population and by the convenience of their stand, and the knowledge of these few prizes hides the fact of the very numerous failures. I believe Mr Bake never served an apprenticeship or Aunt Butterworth’s sister.
I had no idea that Ben was 29 years old last July till he told me. I am thinking it must require all the patience he can muster to face his slow improving business, there is one thing in his favour, he says he has good health and no care or anxiety so he is far better off than me for my health is not very good and I am full of care and anxiety on account of my wife and children tho’ should I die they will have enough to keep them comfortable, that is if they are prudent.
I am glad to hear that Cousin Ed. has gone in a screw boat [ship powered by steam] for there is no doubt that those kind of vessels will come greatly into use and there will be a demand for those who are used to them, besides the danger is very much less and the voyages shorter, consequently the comfort is much greater and the captains are well paid so I think Ed’s prospect is much better than if he had stay’d with me, tho he told me positively that he would never try the sea again, but he told me that on his passage to and from America so I did not put much faith in what he said as he is too young to know his own mind. I am very sorry for his Mother for I know it must very much hurt her feelings him taking to such a low life as a sailors. Ben told me in his last letter that Ed. was going to sea otherwise as I have received no letter from Uncle or Mary I should not have known if he had arrived home safe or not. I shall write to you from Calleo but I think this will be the last letter to you from here as news is scarce. I have not been to the diggings for my time is occupied with business and it would take me three days to go, see, and return. I hope Mary had a safe return to Rochdale from Glasgow. I was very busy and not in the best of humours for it was just my busiest time and I was anxious to get every thing ready about the ship for sea and upon Sunday I was glad to lay down on my sofa tho’ I used not to turn out till noon – brain work is more tiring than hand work. If my ship was a packet ship or a regular trader I should not have much to do in port, merely attend to the ship, but having a transient ship I have to be Captain at sea and agent ashore, look out for a good freight or charter and count up all the chances, which is not a very easy job.
Dec 23. The river Yarra Yarra has very beautiful scenery along its banks I went up in a boat some miles last Saturday. This letter was written to send by last mail but I missed it and wrote you another with perhaps some of this same news in it, if so please excuse. I intend sailing Xmas day in the morning and hope this may be my last Xmas upon salt water or away from home. I did certainly expect to get one letter from Surbiton but had it not been for Ben’s kindness I should almost have fancied that I was forgotten but perhaps some letters are on the road for me but “better late than never” dont answer with letters for when they arrive here I will be some where else hoping you all a Merry Xmas and happy new year I remain
Your affectionate son
Thomas
Twaddle Tweedle Twidle Twodle Twum Twum Twum
poor John’s Xmas rhyme which I believe i have repeated
every Xmas since I left home a boy. rather nonsencicle
but it brings happy days to mind