to come here and see for yourself before you would come to any conclusion you alter your idias and arrange better for your own interest and mine. The best of my days will soon be gone and I must try something to lay in some sort of store for old age. My poor wife is willing to do her part but she plainly sees that the only field we thought of gaining something by is likely to be sent up against us and perhaps allowed to go to less deserving parties. I could have got Condie's sheep on thirds and himself to look after them if I wished and Captain Carlyon said if I wanted sheep he would gave me a thousand but when I have a brother with plenty of sheep I do not want to have any thing to do with stranger if he at all allows me a chance to do for myself. I cannot understand how blind some people are to facts and at times to their own interest. Alex tells me that you are speaking of going home soon with Douglas. If so I hope and trust you will come down here at shearing time and enter into no arrangements before you come. I did not want to make you any proposals for rent till I saw you but I find from what Alex says that I must look after myself. I am not going to say any more at preasant but will act the philosopher for a short time. We are all well here but Alex who came home on the 30th ult very poorly. The fact is this Donald I ought not have told so much truth about the affairs of the station in my letters for dirty water has been hove over all that I have acted. Whatever I am to have I must have it on my own repsonsibility for I am able enough to act for myself and take care of any little I may make after paying you rent. I hope you are not disapointed in my oppinion of Condie. I wrote you that I strongly advised Alex to take him with him. My reason was that he was a very nice and proper honest man and one I know would tell you all the truth in a straight forward manner. You have been made believe that I cannot get on with men. How is it that I have done more work the last 5 or 6 months with half the number of men than formerly employed than was done before which the place shows for itself. I can always get on with men I hire myself but not with other people's servants as they consider themselves, think over that. I will write you again when I will send you the October diary. Your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean