Joseph Russells Miramichi July 24^th 1849

I will continue my journal from my last letter
which was written on the Sunday 15^th 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

17^th 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

Joseph Russells Miramichi July 24th 1849

I will continue my journal from my last letter which was written on the Sunday 15th inst. I stated that next day I expected to be in St Johns, but I was disappointed. 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 overtook 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 reliaf to me as I could not ride myself. I reached the Stage Home at 1 oclock 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 again I started on my journey was already getting vary [illegible] & weary, but I found 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 have not before taken for 10 years. I could not eat & went to bed sick

17th I arose this morning but could Hardly stand 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 never walk there. the last 40 miles I came through was all burnt over by the late fires sweeping mills, Houses Lumber yards & evry thing before it. I saw some of the forest still on fire. St Johns is quite a large business place. the steemer was to