Description Forbes letter

Transcribed by:
Seonaid McDonald, Archivist, Isle of Lewis, Scotland [with family connections to Kiltarlity area]

Mr James Forbes McLennans Mountn
West River Pictou North America
New Glasgow

Glacknahair Decr 30th 1847

Dear Brother,
I received your letter of the 4th November by which I am glad to hear of your being in good health as this leaves me at present thanks be to the bestower.
Your sister and husband are still at Corcharby1 and are doing well and they enjoy the present benefit of good health and they have seven of a family viz six girls and one boy the youngest You can tell Angus and William Cameron of Knocknashalvak2 that their Brother Duncan Departed this life on the 23rd Decr 1847 and that Isabella their sister lives at Culchailach3 where she has a house of her own and Ewen Alex[ande]r's son is married and he has left this country and lives south the way of Forfar Shire and I William Cameron Duncan’s son would be oblid[g]ed to you if you would in your first letter to your brother send me my uncle's address either Angus or William
As you wanted to know about your uncle's family there is only Two of them in their own Country Roderick keeps a school at Dornie and Donald is generally at sea about their own coast and their sister is married and lives near them their mother died last harvest and Duncan's wife died also, he and Charles live about Edinburgh and John lives about four miles east side of Beauly
As you wished to know about your age I cannot be positive but when Duncan Cameron died he was about 61 years old and I was 3 quarters younger than him so then by my best calculation you will be about 55 years for I can find no persons which would be sure of your age
We had a very fine summer and an abundant harvest and was all safely housed the wheat a good crop but the Oats and Barley crop was beyond an average there are several complaints as to the potatoe crop but they are far forward of what the were last year The old Boll of meal sells for about 20/ oats from 21 to 22/ per Quarter Barley from 25 to 27/ per Quarter wheat from 50 to 56/ per Quarter Potatoes 5£ [?] per stone milk cows from 6 £ to 14 £ Horses 20 £ and upwards Cross wedders from 20 to 23/ Cheviot do from 30/ to 32/ Ewes from 10/ to 16/ Lambs from 8/ to 12/
There is at present a Great panic prevailing among the most of the highest classes for failures I never mind to see the like Even landed proprietors are reported to be selling their lands by the way they are snared in one another's interest and the high rents with what they loan from me is almost impossible to bear and God knows how can it be got for them
I wrote to you several times but never received no answers since your brother William’s death although I sent you paid and unpaid but I am much oblidged to you for this last letter to let me know of your welfare. We all join in sending you our Best respects hoping this may find you all in good health Alex[ande]r John & Duncan[?] Forbes Mr Ja[me]s Forbes

1 Possibly Corricharby? See the Placenames study: https://arts.standrews.ac.uk/beauly/pdfs/SURVY1.pdf

2 See Knocknashalavaig in the Placenames study: https://arts.standrews.ac.uk/beauly/pdfs/SURVY1.pdf

3 See Cùil na Caillich/ Culchailleach in this study: https://arts.standrews.ac.uk/beauly/pdfs/SURVY1.pdf