cam_JonathanBassett_B017_F009_001D

nothing about this contarey [country] for he is doing beter [better]
than i [I] am at presant [present] & prehaps it will be so
till ireturn [I return] if i [I] liv [live] no one can tell what his
luck will be in this contarey [country] he may do well and
he may not if he is sick he cant [can't] do eney thing [anything]
for his expenses is so grate [great] it will cost agood [a good]
edle [deal] of money if he haint sick atall [at all] to liv [live] heare [here]
Egnue & jon [Jon] & my self [myself] room to gether [together] yet & well hoping
to git [get] somthing [something] bi [by] & bi [by] but no one can tell the old
miners cant [can't] tell whare [where] to strike eney [any] beter [better]
then [than] a green horn [greenhorn] tell the folks i [I] think it is
beter [better] for them to stay whare [where] they are iwrite [I write]
gest [just] as i [I] think & find it i [I] ceap [keep] nothing back
[I write] gest [just] as i [I] feel & the truth to [too] & if eney [any]
one come heare [here] he will find it so no mestake [mistake]

We arived hear [here] the 26 of may [May] in good health
pade [paid] out three hundred & thurty [thirty] dollars a pease [apiece]
we was detaned [detained] at Newyork New York 15 dayes [days] on the ismas [isthmus]
two [to] panama [Panama] eight sundeys [Sundays] 15 days so youse [you see] that we
was detaned [detianed] on owr [our] way over a mounth [month] that cost
me more for we had th [to] pay over one expence [expense]
My helth [health] has ben [been] rather pore [poor] this somer [summer] & it
is rather pore [poor] now Johns [John's] health has ben [been] very good
the climet [climate] agrees with him beter [better] then [than] it doth
with me iam [I am] in hope that my health will be
beter [better] this winter rember [remember] me for ithink [I think] of
you all ofton [often] & wish i [I] cold [could] sea [see] you all tell mother
to be content & worey [worry] not for us for it will do no good

Yourns [Yours] with respect

Jonathan Bassett