Dear Brother Horace, As I have not written to you for some time, and have received several letters from you in the interium, I suppose it is about time to "spread myself' for the purpose and here I am....I have heard from town (San Francisco) but once this month, and I will tell you, I am getting awful tired of this loneliness, it is almost as bad as the state prison, but I am in hopes that government will make some arrangements to have a vessel visit us regularly. I am trying hard for it and have written one or two "official" letters on the subject. Things at this island have always been in an unsettled state, and the enclosed extract will partially explain to you the causes. Before I came here this Egg Co. (see the history of the Farallons and the egg wars in Volume 5, #1) use to have things all their own way, as the former light keeper was a very ignorant man, and besides was a stock holder in the company and as long as he received his dividend, that was all he cared for, and government knew nothing of the actual state of affairs, but since I have been here "things have taken a turn," and they have ascertained that I am not so easily bluffed as was Mr. Wines. They have always claimed that the island was their property and that they had exclusive rights to the eggs. Whereas I believe it is . . . the property of the U.S. and that the light keepers have a right to the eggs...I think it will now be settled and the Egg Co. driven off the Island.
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