Letter from Johnston Keys Nova Scotia to William Keys in Coolness near Irvinestown, County Fermanagh
[Address on letter]
From Johnston Keys Pt 34th Rest afoot No 105
To William Keys
Coolenefs near
Irvinestown
County
Fermanagh
Ireland
Lieut Col. [?]
34th Regiment
[Page 1]
Halifax Novbr [November?] 18th 1831
Dear Brother Received your letter from the
Bearer Mrs Kelly which gives me the
greatest pleasure to hear of your health
and welfare as well as that of your progress is in
learning. I hope this letter will find you my
father and mother, sisters and brothers all
in good health as it leaves me at present
thanks be to god for all his mercies to me
Dear father there are many people at home
that think if the [they?] could get to America that the [they?]
would want for nothing the [they?] suppose the [they?] could
live comfortable or perhaps like gentlemen
but depend on it the [they?] are far mistaken Dear
father I have had an opportunity of travalling [travelling?]
some hundreds of miles through this province
as I was sent by the Governor as a soule [soul?]
of discretion in search of [?] I travelled
the whole of the province of novascotia [Nova Scotia?] I also
lay in the island of Cape Breton for 12 months
so I consider that I have more knowledge
and know much more about America than people
who have been it for a number of years
I can compare the parts [parts?] of America that
that I have been through to nothing [nothing?] but a
wilderness full of trees and stones and wild beasts
in my travels I was once [?] from the bears and the only
way we had to save ourselves from the beasts was by climbing
in to the top of a tree the inhabitants are living
thinly [?] through country dear father on
the 2nd July a few hours before we embarked
for Halifax my cousin Richard Keys and another
[Page 2]
of the part deserted and I have never
heard anything since Dear Brother
you mention about your uncle Royal and Edward
Fletcher coming to America last spring but I have
had any account from them I saw an account in
the papers here about avessel [a vessel?] being lost coming
from Ireland in the spring of the year there was 300
passengers on Bord [board?] out of all there was only 30 saved
one of the survivers [survivors?] names was Mary Keys, Dear
Brother you say my father complains of me not writing country
But believe me I have several times before
I left Ireland but never received a letter from any
of you before this which Mrs Kelly delivered to me
Dear father please to write to me as soon as you learn
this [letter?] and let me know all particulars u have
nothing more particular to mention provisions sales
as follows beef and mutton are from 3 1/2 to 4 D
per lb Bread 3D per lb potatoes 1 shilling per
bushel or 3D per stone tobacco 10D per lb [Rum?]
1s -:8d per gallon dear father there is scarcely
a day passes but there are some accidents happening
from drink some going mad some people smother
there [?] [Page torn] as the drink I drank very freely
my self after I came to the country
but seeing so many accidents happen from drink
I have quit it all together if I am spared
for 4 years more I can have my discharge
and 6 months pay if I like to leave the
service Sergeant [Fletcher?] and families
all well Give my love to all my Brothers
and Sisters and to all enquireing [enquiring?] friends.
[Page 3]
Nomore [No more?] at present Remains your
Affectionate Son Johnston Keys
Till Death
Directions
To Johnston Keys [?]
[?]
Nova Scotia
Elsewhere
