Wallingford, Decr. 6th, /65. My dear McLean, You will have heard of our loss of our little one last week - poor wee thing she was taken from us very, very suddenly - My poor wife feels this bereavement sadly - I wrote you a long letter by last weeks post - a good deal of it was written under a misconception - You wrote me you had written Col.Muloch for so many of his men etc. - You said nothing about the 70th being about to leave, or that the men were to be discharged men - I simply thought you had gone crazy to think of getting Troops to open the 70 mile Bush and wrote I suppose pretty much accordingly - However I understand now pretty well what your proposal is. I still think the men not very suitable for the work, but perhaps as they are to hand without any expense it is as well to take them- They never make good permanent settlers these discharged soldiers - at least when they do is the exception - as soon as the men are started at the work I should recommend letting them cut the Bush line by the chain by contract. The men wd. like it better probably - they could earn more money and we should have a chance of getting something for ours - Who are you going to employ to lay out the line - whoever it is ought to be started if the work is to be taken in hand this season - Featherstone also ought to be communicated with to begin his end simultaneously with us.