25 July 1864 Glenorchy My dear Donald I send Boby down with the white donkey. I could not send him any sooner owing to the weather. I will not trouble you with a long letter this time as I hope to see you up here before long after the Council is over. I am pleased to find that you have not opposition with any one but Colenso and he is nobody. I send you down with Boby 1/2 dozen Alippa pines and 1/2 dozen upright sypress to plant in the corners of the padock so that they may be growing there to a good size when Douglas comes back. I hope you will have them put in with care. They do not want to be put in the ground to deep. I have planted out a good many with this fine weather. I am glade to say that Catherine is much better. I hope you are all well down there. I would have liked Kate to have stoped longer but she was very anxious to get down while the Council was sitting. I am very much trouble with dreams for the last 10 days. I think we are to get news of some of our relations having parted this life, of care and trouble. It is likely my wife's father & mother. I had several dreams about you & Douglas but I think them good and I saw myself one night in the drain at the back of the house all covered over with filth and dirt and nearly choking but I got out of it all corect and went to speak with you. I fear something is to come over me. I wish you would see what the book says about it. I have not been at the lower station since I came up but once but intend to go as far tommorrow. The grass is coming very well and we will soon have plenty of feed. Easdail, I believe, is to work repairing the fences. He was here for tools. When he come up one of the sheepherd, the German was quite outregieous [outrageous] down there for some time back, however he is discharged now and it is well. The boy I brought up with me John sent him up here to me as he said the German was spoiling him. He may be of a good deal of use after he learns to milk and look after cattle. Mr Bobby says he wants to leave when his year is out on the 19th of August. Some one has been coaxing glenorchy July 25/64 My dear Donald [crossed out] him away offering him more wages and the other one will not stop under £20 a year. However if Boby goes I will have to get some one and I will learn him all I can. In the meantime I would sooner gave Boby £25 a year if he would remain but I do not like to coax any one. Old Archy wanted to go to work with Nelson and Nelson had no place for him and he is staying down there. I do wish he was settled with for he is not doing any good higing [hanging] about in the way he is. He will only be souring poor Alexr in every way he can. He says he would not have anything to do with a place you or I had anything to do with, you in particular. That is what people get by their good intentions at times to such fellows as that. If ever their was a snecking scoundrel he is and I certainly pity him on account of his father & mother who were very descent people and very kind in there way altho they were at one time well payed for it. I certainly respected both his brothers for their willingness to do all they could both to our aunt & father's remains to the island if it would be allowed at the time, but I do not see that such conduct as this fellow carryed on with poor Alexr in trying to take advantage of him can be passed over and made fools of for doing so. What has he done for £100 a year for life or £150 for 14 years as he gaves out he was promised by Alexr. If he had quitely worked about your place no doubt but he would have a good situation but to think he was to do as he pleased was quite out of place. I went down today and found things very unsatisfactory down there. Alex was there ... and Campbell since Saturday night and not very well and John said if I had not come down to get them away he was going to send in his resignation as he could not get on with the public while they were ther. However they went up home and I told him to get on and do his best till you would come up which I hope will be as soon as you can after the Council is over as I consider it is time you were paying us a visit now he has taken old Archy on again I was told to sheepheard. It would be well he was settled with before employing him again. I hear that the Ragoon is in and I hope if there is any young lad among the passengers that could be got cheap, say from fi[f]teen to twenty pounds, that you could send up to me as Boby is going to leave. I would like you to do so as I do not think the other boy will answer well as he appears to have learned lasey habits and expects more than he is worth. For I supose that you will require Twigg yourself. At all events he will not likely care for the work I have for him now but I dare say he is a very good kind of a lad. Drope me a few lines by Boby and please to say what oppinion you have of my dream. I wish you would send Kate up with Alexr for a time till we would get the docking over. I am going down with the cart someday this week with potatoes and will send you what money John has got per mail. Your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean