To James Walsh
Newtown [Cweat?]
Naas,
Co Kildare
from his
cousin
John Byrne
Herberton
North Queensland
December29th, 1900
My dear Jim
I got your letters and
paper through Julia about
three month since at the
time I got them I was away
outside civilisation where I
had to depend on a coach
for letters and also any I wanted
to Poast [post?] and I find out when
I came in here that two letters
I sent never got to their
destination. I wrote to you
at the same time and I fear yours
may have met with the same
fate, outside mail carriers
are anything but particular
here. I hope their [there?] is no necessity
to tell you that I was very sorry
for my poor Aunt Rose although
I am confident she is happier at
present than we are, your trouble
about [her?] not having the Priest
at the last is I know only natural
but we must believe God arranges
all those things independent of
our wish and he knows best.
I have no doubt that it will
surprise you a little when I tell
you that hundreds of
good Catholics die out here that
have not seen a Priest for six
or twelve months and still I
hope and firmely believe that
God will not deny them justice
and mercy, I hope that you will
have recovered your health long
before this your letter stated that
you had a bad turn do you
know that when I think of the
tough life I lead here, and still
live with thank God compartively
[comparatively?] little sickness
it sets me wondring [wondering?]
why people get sick at all at home
while I was down in Sydney I used
to get anything but good health I had
several times to get advice from Doctors
and I don't believe any of
them knew what was the matter
with me but one told me a
rough life suited me best and I
believe he was right. I was
glad to see by your letter
that the friendship of the
old country is with the Bores
[Boers?]in their struggle, about this
time twelve months the jingo
party, out here were clean mad
and any who dared to say a word
in favour of the Bors [Boers?] was
immedietly dubbed an Irish Fenian
and boycotted if it haden't been
so annoying it would have been
ammusing [amusing?] the [ranting?]
loyalty of some of the old country people
out here that ought to know better
if it were not for the
rant that was raised by those
people we would not have had
any contingents sent from the Colonies
the young Colonials are not by a
long way jingo but they like fight
and I am very had that they had got
a lot more than they reckoned for
when leaving here they looked on
the whole thing as a good outing
at the expence of the Government
if another War broke out I don't believe
a dozen of Colonials would volunteer
all the exitment [excitement?] is over now
and a considerable number of the war
mad people are honest enough to
admit that it was all a mistake.
As I write now preprations [preparations?] are
going on wholesale to celebrate
the Federation down in Sydney
from what I hear all hands
and the cook are to go on the spree for
a week up this way every little
township is having a sports and
fireworks of some sort, if it were
not for the drought which has caused
terrible losses this year their [there?]
would have been far more rejoicing
than their [there?] will be.
I see by the Papers that their [there?]
has been a good deal of exitment [excitement?]
at home over the elections. I wonder
some one does not shoot Healey he
must be a great little scroundrel
I never liked him since he turned
as he did on Parnell no one at home
has an idea how badly the people
out here thought of the treatment
he got and although great efforts
are being made now to form branches
of the U.I. [Inited Irishmen?] League
I am afraid it will be a failure,
if Davvit [Davitt?] Dillon or O'Brien
could come out it would go a long way as
any of those three are very popular out
here I hope some of them will see
their way to do so. I haven't had
a letter from Julia lately I have
been expecting one every mail the
last one I had said she and the
little one were very well. You
mentioned in your last letter
that Andy was being [Advertised?]
for by the Lord Chancellor, well
since I came in from outside I
made it my business to examine
a lot of back numbers of weekly
papers from the different colonies
and you may tell Kenny I have not
seen one word of it. I wrote [down?] to
my solicitor in Sydney to look
look (sic) up those I could not get
I have not time to get an answer
yet, now now (sic) my dear fellow
don't take this as a hint that
I blame you but if he has not
been adventised I thought it
best to let you know. I think
I will be here for the next
six months or so but if you
are writing to me which I hope
you will I (sic) will be safer to
send direct to Julia Hoping
you and all are well and wishing
all a happy new year I
remain as ever
John Byrne
