I see George Philips started on the 11th with 520 fats, and that they are an extra good lot. I see you say there are in them 200 prime fat bullocks. Yes, he is a great old skite. I am glad you got them off, but I wish you’d been able to send them by Pat Kennedy or someone who could handle them well, as the road is in a deplorable state from Birdsville to Hergett.
I got quite a shock to see you say there are 15000 cattle – I thought there were about 9000.
I note what you say about going away at the end of the year. You are quite welcome to this leave. I’m very sorry indeed to hear you have anything the matter with you, because I must say you’ve been more than satisfactory and the place has been managed cheaply, and well, by you, and I’m obliged for what you have done, and I will arrange to give you a bonus. At any rate, at the end of the year I will give you 100 pounds, and pay your wages for three months until we know if you’ll be able to come back again. I would like to be fair to a man who has served me well. I hope you’ll be able to come back for a year or two, or perhaps I could give you a place more inside somewhere.
I am pleased to have word from you and to see all you say. There’s been some mistake, partly through my fault, and Monkira is under offer. I expect people will be coming out there to look at it but do not give them too good an account of the place as I do not want to sell it. Tell them that there are 750 bullocks there that are sold but have not been moved because of the bad season and if necessary, you can give a few of them a shoot down on the Bluff. I am leaving it in your hands to do what you think best, but you will understand that I do not want to sell and I hope they will turn it down.
Can you let me know something about the horses?
