John H. W. Pettit letters to his family in England, illustrated with sketches by the writer, 1852-1868 - Page 41
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with a few pots { etc formed the furniture - a pot with filled with grease with a wick in it gave us, with the blazing fire, a good light.
While at home I was led to believe though it was not cold, or damp, & one might be not without fear of taking cold - don't know what it may be in some parts of this Cont'nt [continent] but if I laid out one night I should not expect to move next morng. [morning] it is frequently bitterly cold, & always a very heavy dew =
We gave these setters some music, Songs, & plenty of dancing -. We could have all the Milk, Brandy & we could stow away & one of the 'Chaps' made us a pot of tea for use on our journey up - some of them very strongly advised me to stop at Kyneton { a place about 9 miles dist.} for the Races which were to come, after the Monday & Friday following. Stats [stating?]as an inducement that one of the Public Ho [houses] were in want of a [?] that there was but one in the place & I could they were certain obtain at least £30 to £ [? ]for my and creditable piece of work too - work - under other circumstances I
should have { I believe} & tried it = Robt [Robert] & myself drank the good health of all our Friends at home, wishg [wishing] all a merry Xmas and happy New Year - but it was not beverage I never did drink a person's health
before in MILK - all relations and Friends at home are all & often thought of. We rather miss our home events [?].
It was no joke to get your Xmas dinner in the Blk Forest off [?] rancid butter did just think of you all then but had to walk on quick as we had a hard days work before us must finish my long letter love to all goodbye.
We started at Sunrise again next morn Robert and I Made Kyneton in the forenoon - it is a street or two formed of Wood houses - Butchers & Bakers the principal shops - There is one, I may say very large Stone built Hotel its a credible piece of work too - about 5 mile from Kyneton we halted to get a bit of dinner. It was at a tent situated in the middle of a large plain where they cooked a beef steak pie or 2 every day about dinner time at 3/6 per head includg [including] a cup of coffee - this compared with all other places had but was most reasonable - We did make a dinner there - towards evening we reached a gully { a small valley between two steep high hills} into which we turned, intending to camp there for the night, we halted there for about an hour, but being anxious to get on our way but by dint of much persuasion prevailed upon the carter to go on for a few miles further - on we went again along ranges if hills [?]mountains no road in many parts laid over lofty extensive hills covered in many parts by which is commonly termed the bush { We stopped at last at a place called Saw-pit Valley near a Public Ho [house] the name of Columbine Diggings - it being very late, and quite dark we could not fix our tent - Some of us went foraging for water while others made a large fire & boiled coffee etc etc Spreading our oil cloth in front of the fire we laid down throwing a coat or two over us we passed the night as best we could laying our heads on a small tin for a pillow - fortunately it was a fine night, had it