Gallery Samples Stories of our Ancestors | Page 21

Grahamstown. 29/08/1889
Dear brother Anderson
I hope you are now well and will always be so. Also your wife and children.
I am glad to say that we are well and healthy. The times are much better now New gold mines
are opened up and there is plenty of work for everyone, but it is very far from where I liveabout 800 miles. It costs eight pounds to get there and I think I will go later as it is too cold now.
In the Transvaal there are rich gold mines, but higher up in the land of Natives, it is even better.
But the black people are disobedient and want no white people with them. (!)
The winter will soon be over – summer comes nearer every day. We have winter here when you
have summer at home. It is so hot here around Christmas time that we can’t work all the day,
but in this town where I live it is very healthy, however, we need rain. The earth is very dry and
nothing can grow.
My dear brother, I hope you will forgive me for not answering your letter sooner. I will try and
answer every letter I get from you at home and any news from old Sweden.
I must also tell you, my best friend, that brother Johan is dead. He drowned in the North Sea,
nine years ago, going from Germany to England. The boat, and all her men – 21 altogether,
have a grave in the Deep. It is a hard loss when your brother has such an accident.
My friend, I often wish to see you and all those I left at home but it seems we are apart for all
time – always. I am enclosing a letter to my mother in the same envelope with yours, and hope
this finds everyone well.
Please give greetings to your wife and children from me. Now I am ending.
Yours respectfully
C.G. Anderson
Upper Hill Street
GRAHAMSTOWN

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