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[Page 133]
118 [in pencil]
17
mentioned anything concerning my having any charge of the Sheep, as I shall not take any steps whatever in that way till I hear from you; and if Mr Jones says any thing to me concerning it, I shall tell him so, and also what I have written you. If he says nothing of it, it is not my part to broach that subject. On my coming out here, unacquainted as I was with the state of your affairs here, I knew not how I should find them; but as they are,—which you will see by the foregoing pages,—no one could be surprised by my having objections to taking anything to do with the Flocks as they are at present; yet, as I before mentioned, I could not do as I would like in the way of improving your concerns if they are kept as they are, and I would not feel justified to myself or you in having any thing whatever to do with them as they exist. You cannot be surprised at this, after what I have told you in the preceding sheets. I may here mention the sales of a considerable number of sheep, which of course you have heard of in a substantial manner, I may, however, preface it with the remark, that Mr Jones never said anything to me about the sales, or indeed anything of the Sheep, unless the number of them. I heard all about the sales from the Overseer, who did not know, for some time, who or what I was, and therefore I had a better opportunity of seeing and hearing any thing that concerned the Sheep. Since about the beginning of 1834, there have been (I was told by the Overseer) between 1500 and 2000 rams and whethers sold—chiefly, I believe, whethers. The current price of rams is three,four and five pounds according to quality. This ought to have brought a large sum, and of course you know all about it; as I know that Jones would render every account of such a thing as that, where he could not be deceived by the Overseer, as he is in the management of the Sheep.
"It is a good and approved plan the rearing of Rams for sale; as it pays very well indeed, but I was a good deal surprised at receiving a letter from Mr Jones saying that a person was coming up to select 200 young Ewes out of the Joint Flocks. The selling of ewes is a plan that is reprobated by every one, unless the seller has as many sheep as he wishes to keep—for the price that you get for your Ewes is nothing compared to what young ewes will bring in increase. Old worn-out ewes may be sold by every one, as they are of little use, and may not live a season longer; and young beginners, with little capital, often buy them as being cheap—(I never would do so)—but selling such young ewes as those the person buying at Cocrabil was to have his pick of, is wilfully keeping back the flocks, and is a very bad plan. The Sheep in the 'Joint Concern' are, as you may know by importing them, of the first caste and quality, but I think they have been crossed injudiciously, and are bred to much in and in, i.e. from blood nearly related, such as thoughtlessly and stupidly putting