Mr. Harry Begg
Southwold Talbot Street
County of Middlesex
St. Thomas
Upper Canada
Milltown of Towie 6th June 1837
Dear Brother & Sister
I am surprised that you have not wrote me before now, to say the least,
I always recon to get a letter once a year, but years have rolled on,
and only two short letters since you left Scotland has come to my hand,
although we are at a very great distance indeed from each other yet
the facility of communicating is left open, and there-ualy cannot exist
a more agreeable mode of sympathizing and encouraging each other in
difficulties or prosperity than to [large ink blot covers text] our
wants or wishes, assisting or contributing to each others present [blot]
difficulties, in a temporal manner, may be out of our power [at] present
but give vent to a friend even unburdens the mind and fits us for a
war of difficulties, I am only afraid of you health and the injury you
got before you left Scotland had prevented your own bodily exertions,
all other obstacles, your perseverance and industry, will ultimately
overcome, and should it please God to continue your health a few years
will place you beyond the reach of want and dependence, I sincerely
that my sister and young friends has had a stock of good health, such
of them as most depends upon you, James, may be said to have ceased
being a dependent, long, long, ago and indeed he, from all that I can
understand, has contributed mightily towards your comfort and assistance,
God grant that he may live long to be a credit to you and an honour
to the Name – I have so much today upon many things, since we parted
at Abdn but as a great deal of them would be uninteresting I shall not
confine myself chiefly to the local circumstances of the old country
and your favourite friends which you left behind, none has a greater
claim than Mr. Logan, James Robroy, James McGreggor & Honest MacPherson
all and every are unremitting about your welfare and although you may
not take time to write to each, you ought to at least devote a column
to each. Others, I may say, Mr. Beattie and his good wife and Frank
all which is particularly zealous about your welfare – Winter here,
at this date has hardly left us, I was at Badenyon upon Sunday last,
being the 4th June and the Tilcharn [Gilcharn] had wreath of snow in
some places 10 to 14 feet deep and if the weather continue as cold and
stormy will continue tenants of the Grampains [Grampians] all the year
round, vegetation has made little if any progress as yet grass to [for]
cattle, is scarcer this year, nor [than] it has been for 20 years past
and as for winter keep (kept) fully as scarce as it was in 1826
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mGrain has not come to be as dear as we have seen it.
[Charles seems to be transitioning from commas to periods in punctuation]
nor is it expected to do so. Oats p Tn 28 to 30f -- best Beer 32f to
35f p. Tn of 52tn p. Bushel, oats and Tn a fodder 45f – per Tn
Beer [Charles uses “bear” as the spelling] 40f to 42f Tn in
Murray Shire and Banf Do 50f to 60f per Tn the Glens or Highlands, no
feed (seed) and what meal they had bad – Towie Crowmar. & Kildy
downward a fair crop and in some instances and an average one but in
general light – I have sown a greater breadth of land this year
nor [than] I did last year but I have not got clear of half the beasts
that I intended to sell, consequently I will be miserable for grass,
[blotch] over in Canada with the whole bundle of my [blotch] circumstances
as I am with a grope of little children and unable to do anything to
assist me must have patience a little longer. [Perhaps he is talking
about reasons he cannot go to Canada at present.]
All your friends in Glenbucket are well, my Father has not been very
well this spring, but has got better, Old Matron B. Downie is quite
well, duce take her, -- your friend at Huntly is only midling in health
and these hard times is making maters worse. William the oldest boy
has gone abroad as clerk to an extensive company of merchants who has
an establishment abroad, but at present I cannot give it the right name
– your Father in Law is still alive and well, Alxe [not sure what
this is] is always with him and Mr. New [can’t read this] at Abernethy
is in good health and family, as I had a man lately from that quarter
-- -- All our field work is nearly finished, Sowing of Turnip is near
completed, and need we had, for our hay was all done, and nothing to
give the horses but corn and some grass – with little appearance
of a speedy relief – It may not be out of place to say that George
of Blackhillock is not likely to become a Canadian Farmer, There is,
as it always was, an unsettled combination of circumstances, constantly
haunting and gauding them on, that perhaps it may involve themselves
and others into very disagreeable consequences [ah, ha, secrets, scandals
perhaps], Altho, at present not to be acknowledged, but when the time
comes I will let you know all – I have only my own opinion for
saying so as yet, however I have seldom been wrong in conjecture especially
when past and present circumstances are taken into consideration –
I would indulge myself in giving you a more circumstantial account of
our local affairs, but as I have to write to my worthy [looks like worlh]
friend James, I must content myself with only a few more at present
– as I intend to write even in the end of [blotch] with a Mr John
Master [blotch] Bookeller Aberdeen who is going out to Toronto with
his wife and family and I may ad a large assortment of stationery ready
made cloths &c [means and etcetera] But, this is sent per our Neighbour
Walker at the head of my land who is going away upon Monday morning
to sail in the Circasian. Thomas Ritchie Commdr for New York –
Therefore I shall only add that all your old friends here is unchanged
and each and every one more anxious to hear of your welfare nor a nother
– my Father is anxious to convey his best wishes, my wife and Family
all join and as this leaves us all well I sincerely trust the same will
find you all so
Mean time I am
Dear Brother
Yours ever
Charles Begg
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