Joseph Russells Miramichi I will continue my journal from my last letter which was written on the Sunday 15th inst. I stated that next day I exp[e]cted to be in St Johns, but I was disappo[i]nted. on Monday morning I took my carpet bag on my sholder walked 7 miles to the Stage road & waited 3 Hours for the Stage when it came along it was loaded down & would not take me Had left 5 other passengers back. Here I was on foot 42 miles from St Johns with my carpet bag in Hand & no conveyance for 3 days I did not stop long to meditate or complain of my situation but swung my carpet bag over my shoulder & started on my way which lay mostly through those dens burnt forest with but few inhabitants it was twelve miles to the next Stage Home After traveling 5 miles I o[v]ertook an Irishman for company on the same road the ownly benefit from his company might have been in case of an attack from Bears & wolves which inhabited the forest that I had to go through. I got a man that came along with a waggon to carry my Bag 5 miles to the Stage Home which was a great rele^i^af to me as I could not ride myself. I reached the Stage Home at 1 oclo[c]k making 19 miles walk. I Here got a chance to send my carpet Bag by a couple of Ladies to the next Stage Home 16 mils farther where I would Have to walk & stop at night if I went any further while I was taking dinner I lost the Irishman so I was left alone aga[i]n I started on my journey was already getting very bat[te]red & weary, but I fo[u]nd my last 16 miles was all I could possibly get through arived at dusk evry cord & sinew in my body was sore from Head to foot for I had walked about 35 miles & carried the carpet bag some 15 miles ^such^ a walk I ha[v]e not before taken for 10 years. I could not eat & went to bed sick 17th I arose this morning but could Hardly sta[n]d on my feet got some breakfast & started for St Johns 16 mils further after walking 1/2 a mile I got a ride to St Johns with a gentleman merchant, & it was a great blessing to me for I felt I could ne[v]er walk there. the last 40 miles I came through was all burnt over by the late fires sweeping mills, Hous[e]s Lumber yards & evry thing before it. I saw some of the forest still on fire. St Johns is quite a large bus[i]ness place. the steemer was to