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<source><g=m><o=i><age=36><status=4><abode=07><p=vic><r=prw><tt=pc><3-203>
Chewton January 14th 1860 
Dear Sir 
In reply to your very kind and welcome letter of the 10th November I now in haste write these few lines. I received your letter the day before yesterday and I did not wish to write until I had a personal interview with Mr John Jeffery which I had last night as I with Robert my son set off after my days work to where he lived and of course he read the letter which I think did in place of pulling his ears. [217] The distance was only three miles which is not counted much in this place and the reason why I was so anxious to see him I knew that he was going to leave his Situation at the latter end of this week and going to a place which is a good distance from us. So when you receive this you need not write any more to my care as his letters will not come by this route as I suppose you have seen by the map of Victoria. So his will go by Ballarat. But as he told me that he was for writing to you by this mail he will likely give you all the particulars himself but I wanted him to have Mr Huttons Address which he was very glad to see as he never had got it and he promised to write to him immediately and to forward the other letters also. He has promised to give us a call on Sunday before he goes away if he can and he was over here a few days ago but I was not at home I was at work. You will likely get his address by his own letters but it is care of Messers Cheyney Brothers Merchants Creswick Victoria. 
Now Sir as I know that you will have some personal discourse with the Revd David Jeffery I feel very much satisfied with this last interview with their son and I am proud of his conduct as far as I have had acquaintance with him. And I have bee[n] giving him a great caution and fatherly advice which take great effect as I said to him Remember now I speak plain but I say it to your face and let me see that you will be an honour to your parents to yourself and to the country you came from as I glory in every one from the North of Ireland acting like a man. He is now getting a good advance on his wages with a prospect of getting more by and by but this you will hear of by himself. 
As for Robert Byers I am very proud of his conduct also. You will hear before you see this that he is fell into a situation and I am very happy to say that he has pleased his Master and turned out beyond our expectation and I am very glad on account of My very worthy friend Mr Baker the teacher of all my children who for our Sake recomended him to his uncle E. S. Parker Esq. I believe he is done fore as long as he is in Australia for if he does not want him himself he will find him a better Situation. I have two letters from him Since he went there and I have been writing to him wishing him a happy new year trusting that in this new year 1860 that he will be in the enjoyment of that happiness which the world cannot give nor take away. I am very glad to hear that he has joined the Total Abstinance Society since he went he is amongst the right sort. And I will write to him next week as soon as I get this away by this mail which I believe closes tomorrow and I intend to pull his ears with my pen for his neglect in not writing but he told me that he was going to write by the last mail. I know that you will have his address before you get this but still will state it here. It is in care of E. S. Parker Esq Mount Franklin Franklinford Victoria. [218] Mount Franklin is his estate and franklinford is his township and Post Office. 
As for Thomas Brooks he is still in good health and in con[stant?] employ. I do not know what he is at at this time. He was to be up here at Christmas both him and William Patton as they both live down towards Melbourne about 12 Miles distant from us but they did not come as the Weather was very warm at that time and it is still very sultry yet and will be for the next Two Months. You know and understand about Geography and you know what it will be like in 33 south where we are fixed in Summer. You know what it is with you in Summer in I believe 5 north so you see it will be a good deal warmer with us. The flys is the only great annoyance that we have. They are very troublesome to the eyes this time of the year but we have nine months of a Splendid clime. 
I Sometimes think that I will write you a long letter full of my ignorant information and than I think that a long letter full of my ignorant information concerning our climit our Birds our plants our trees etc might be little thought of by those who are farther advanced in learning and more refined in manners. But still any question that you would ask of me I would answer it to the best of my skill in my ignorant way. 
As for John Reagen he is still in good health. He is working for wages at present which I think is the best in the long run. I do not know the reason that he does not write unless it is because he had not that good fortune that he expected but that would not keep me from it. I think his Father said in his letter that they heard that he was separated from John McMillans people. I do not know that ever I wrote to that effect further than saying that he with his mates was gone to a new rush at a distance. He was up here at christmas with us and I still hold him in great estimation and I hope that he will do well yet. Mr Hutton does live in New South Wales but Albury is on the banks of the Murray River that divides it from Victoria. He is a great deal nearer to Melbourne than Sydney the capital of New South Wales. 
Our Thomas and Alexander is a great deal farther away than that at this time. Nathaniel is arrived home with us again. He has been mostly in South America but he is little more settled than when he went away and thinks of being off again. 
We are glad to hear of you and your parents and Brother (but I am told yesterday that he is married) being in good health and that your are recovered from your Sickness and hope that the next you send that you will let us hear of your own Marriage as I have heard a little of it. 
I have nothing new to send but what you will get in these papers that I Send by this mail. You will see in the mail Second page a descriptions of our Chewton gardens which is only a gunshot from us. You will also see our great procession which we had in Castlemaine at the laying of the foundation Stone of our Benovelent Asylum. [219] You will see also an account of the Chewton Wesleyan Sunday School Scholars and Band of Hope of Which my whole family formed a part. They appeared like the others with Banners flying and with Rosettes on their Breasts and Ribbons flying. They altogether made a grand show. We do read with astonishment of the wreck of the Steam Ship Royal Charter but than I do not wonder at it for such things has been is and will be. But we do not know what fine ship may be the next or what other precious Souls may be the next Victims but we ought to remember that in the midst of life we are in death. 
We are all as a family in our usual good health Praise the Lord and hopes that it will find you all in the same enjoyment. Give my kind love to all those that may inquire of me and expect the same for yourself. So I must conclude your very thankful friend 
John McCance 
My Mother sends her best respects to your Mother and to her Sister Eliza and all her old neighbours and enquiring friends 
Robert McCance [in hand of John McCance] 
Dear Sir as I had made some mistakes in writing of this letter I caused Robert to Copy it and in doeing so he missed a line which is - and than I think that a long letter full of my ignorant information concerning our climit our Birds our plants our trees &c might be 
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