He
Says The Pleura Is Badly Bruised, And That There Is Some Inflammation,
But That If I Keep Quiet, And
Do not catch cold, I shall soon be right.
I assure you it does not affect my appetite, which is
A good one - very
different from home - needing substantial carrion, and no put off of
slop or shadows. I am, too, as hard as a horn, and believe I could
travel for a week without any great personal grief. I went to New
Brunswick and Nova Scotia to see the Governments of the two Provinces,
and I had favourable interviews at Frederickton and Halifax, at the
latter place seeing Lord Mulgrave, who was very polite, and invited me
to stay, and, if possible, also to come again. I go to Quebec on
special summons, to see the Government on Tuesday.
"I am growing anxious to know what Government will do: and I do hope I
shall be able to get them to propose something before I leave. Until
they declare themselves, I cannot arrange to leave for home; cannot
complete my plans, or do anything, in fact. It is annoying - but the
negociation is serious, and I must have patience. I know, from painful
experience, how, when the nerves and brain are excitable from over
tension and exertion, and anxiety and constant worry and wear, little
matters are magnified. But already I feel myself so much stronger in
nerve and courage that I look now complacently upon much which in the
last two years would have cut me to the quick.
"I have worked very hard here, and done much in a little time."
"QUEBEC,
"Septr. 26, 1861.
"I am glad to tell, and you will be glad to learn, that I have to-day
got my business with the Government into a good shape, and I shall have
an official and, to a fair extent, favourable, answer to my
application, on Saturday next. This will enable me, I hope, to come
home sooner than otherwise - and I shall, at all events, be in the
position of having, to a fair extent, succeeded. The Government agree
to leave the amount they have to pay for postal service to arbitration,
and to consider the question of capitalizing the amount as soon as
Parliament meets, and on certain conditions, which I shall have to take
home and consult my principals about. This will necessitate coming out
next year. My side is better, but the plaster Dr. Campbell gave me has
blistered me, with little hard pustules, over a piece of my side as big
as a pancake; and I have suffered three days and nights of downright
misery. To-day, however, I am almost all right, and go to dine with the
Governor-General and Lady Head on Saturday. On that day the
deputations, got together owing to my visit to Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick, come here to meet the Canadian Government about the Halifax
and Quebec Railway. If this succeeds I shall have not been idle.
"I send some trees which I got on the Madawasca river, and which please
plant at once. Also a box containing samples of Canadian woods, which
keep till I come. They are very beautiful. I think we must give them to
Mr. Glyn."
End of Canada and the States, by Edward William Watkin
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