The following letter is by far the longest written by David to Annie. I think it sounds like he is missing her and the children a great deal. I think that maybe Annie is getting a little tired of having the plans for her to join him taking rather too long. In this letter he makes reference to him drinking to excess while in Charters Towers which may have contributed to his hasty departure.
Kalgoorlie 13 December 1896.
My Dear Wifie
Your long letter dated 21 Nov is duly to hand and dear Annie I must thank you for it I had almost thought that something had happened. Dearest Annie you must not feel miserable but look cheerfully ahead to our next meeting which with any sort of luck wont be long and my dear what ever you do take care of yourself and wean that little Jack. He must be as strong as a lion and you must eat plenty of nourishing food. Brandy is only a stimulant and it will make you worse in the end.
A Letter from home.
I am supposed to have a sixth in the Black Jack auriferous and claims. In fact I started the whole thing and did all the work in connection with it but I suppose they wont bother now that I am away and they are registered. However, when I heard from Smith, I expect they will tell me all about what they propose doing with it. However don’t bother just now and when I get full particulars I will write you full instructions and you can be guided by circumstances and sell or hold or keep a paid up interest in it or a contributing one as it is most satisfactory perhaps if you were to take a 1/10th fully paid up share it would be a fair thing provided they put up a plant on the ground and treated the stuff out there but if they treat the stuff tin the plant at the Enterprise I’m entitled to 1/6th of the profits obtained there from: however that can be arranged afterwards.
Bayley’s Reward Underlay Shaft
I only sent back the rifle and little portmanteau by J Gates nothing in the portmanteau so you need not trouble much about them. The rifle though you might, should opportunities offer, sell as it is not likely to be of any use to me. It is worth at least £3.0.0 the cost price of one in London steel lined being £6.0.0.
Willy Smith need not have worried himself about folks seeing me away as I’m sure that I did not want them to do so, you, little little sweetheart were there and was that not sufficient? I note all you write re the garden and am glad you can manage nicely. I wish I could start one here but the only attempt that I have seen in Coolgardie consists of one solitary pumpkin very expensive, tended with water at 4d per gallon but I’m afraid that it will be a failure. It cost a shilling a vine fancy what a garden would cost. I’m also glad you can manage with the fowls it will be nice for you to have your own poultry and will give you something to look at and think over after the babies. That man if he is any good ought to make his wages not of surplus eggs and vegetables. I would like to hear the cock crowing in the morning again, there are none here in fact we have neither fowls, ducks, goats or dogs about this place. The country is very poor & waterless, fowls are 17/- goats 3/10/- no cattle or sheep bread 9/- beef & mutton 10d lb. potatoes 4d lb tomatoes two shillings to onions 5d, lemons 14/6 per, apricots 3/- and a very small cabbage 8d per lb. I’m batching myself as the hotels all charge £4.4.0 per week. I’m camped about as far away as you are from the town with a general store not far away, my days supplies are 1/- worth beef or mutton, 8d worth bread 2 tab spuds and rice an onion and tea boiled or coffee although I don’t bother much with the latter. I have to boil all the water or notwithstanding the condensing its bad. I have had to buy a tent & fly blankets billies, frying pan, plates etc for camp, but its better than pubs. Water or rather the lack of it is our curse 4d per gallon means 5/- per week whether you wash or not, one gets very economical about water and its never finally thrown away. The dust is simply something to be remembered. I’ve seen all sorts of dusty places but this beats creation you simply swim in it going to the town and near the Railway Station the air is as thick as pea soup. Every one is dirty red and it does not matter whether you wash or not, by the way they only charge 4/6 to wash a suit of white or Khaki. I’m doing my own, not very well you know, but near enough.
Coolgardie Prospectors Camp
Dearest you were very kind in posting your pictures in my bag. I appreciate it very much sweetheart but it is fading all the time with the sun I think I must get it out and look at you now sweetheart mine not that I’m likely to forget you but it seems that you are nearer. This climate is first rate cold if anything in fact I have to put on all the clothes I’ve got to keep warm and have two pairs of blankets, folks here are on at least some of them say it is hot and get the thermometer to register 100 degrees or so in the shade but I have felt nothing warm yet. I’m quite shocked with Madge cutting her hair I suppose you had to trim up the rest of it. I am glad they are keeping well and dearest I hope that you will do likewise. I know just how miserable and lonely you must be but little sweetheart you must brighten up and you have the babies you know and if you could dodge around and take a lot of interest in the garden and things and look at the bright side of everything I’m sure dear that you will feel better soon. I don’t know yet my sweetheart when you can come, its such an awful place here for dust and filth and the winter they tell me is frightfully cold but during the next month I will most likely be able to settle the question. The mines here and Coolgardie I have hung up until the 16th January next as we have no machinery, so I will have a month to look around and see a lot of government work is coming out at Menzies which is about 100 miles from here and I’m going to have a shot for it if I get it I will have to shift camp there and make other arrangements here. The job is a big one, a reservoir and worth about £27000. I’m leaving a big margin for profit so if it comes off there will be something in it, failing that I am just busy fixing up a timber syndicate here for the mine timber supply. This article is very costly and I’m sure I can land it here for 20% less than now and make a big profit. I start at the last first thing tomorrow.
Tell little Davie that I’m glad to hear that he is a good little boy and that he is helping you and looking after everything and then when I see him again we will have a great time, and dear little Madge must not cut hair any more or she will have to be sent to the barbers for good. And Silla and Jack, oh dear I would like them with me now but you know not without you. There are a great many folks scattered about here who were on the Towers at different times among them I saw Billingham surveyor once of Townsville now of Coolgardie his wife and her sister you remember although I did not until she told me – a girl called Lena Bristowe who lived with us on the hill a long time ago. Billingham seems to have done fairly well here and Lena Bristowe or Miss Bristowe asked me to kindly remember her to the kindest mistress she ever had. Claude Newcombe is running a camp some 20 or 30 miles from here. I also saw young Maitland yesterday here he is inspecting water site for the Government and looks fair.
Looking back dearest Annie from the calm uneventful camp life I am sadly afraid that I drank too much and caused you a lot of worry but I have scarcely touched anything since I left and I hope that I will not do so again, it cost me too much on the Towers.
I don’t exactly mean money sweetheart: but some how I never seemed to be out of trouble there and knowing so many people did not mend matters.I must conclude now my dear or I wont catch the first mail train which is just about leaving and we must catch everyone that leaves or we never know what steamers are going. So with best love and kisses for yourself dear little sweetheart and Davie & Madge and Silla & Jack, believe ever your loving husband. D Missingham.
PS: Should any one want to know what sort of a place this is for wages with a view to coming here I would not advise them to come if they are in work up especially married folks but young single energetic fellows would improve with the roughing or die.
PPS: Again sweetheart goodbye for a wee and I’ll write again as soon as possible. Don’t forget me darling because I want you again and I want you to be happier in the future that is when we meet again when we wont part any more until the grand finale. DM
Post Card From Coolgardie
Moya Sharp
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