cams_HDCooke_b15_F003_001_001

[top right] Valparaiso Nov 29^th '48

My dear H. C.

The Ship "Crusader" of Boston, which arrived to
day, brought yours and Jay's brief letters of Aug 17^th The Steamer sails
tomorrow morning, and although I have several letters to write this evening
I can not deny myself the pleasure of sending you a few harty words
of greeting. I returned about a week ago from California, and in three
days more I shall again be on my way to this new land of promise,
My time is so much occupied that I have not had an opportunity of
writing to any of my friends in the U.S. as yet. I must doso [do so] tonight.
Your letter contained unwelcome news, since it informed us that you
were not so well when you wrote. By your last communication
written from Jay's, informing us of your improvement under his magnetic
auspices, we had begun to hope that you would soon walk,
— a sprightly, well man — But I beg of you, do not Even yet, be
discouraged. Poor Sarah's case, though of a difficult nature, yet
found a remedy at last, and she is now as gay and as active
and healthy as any lady in Valparaiso. I shall yet hope and
expect to hear of your entire recovery. There is little of interest
occurring in this busy bustling commercial city. And as for
myself, I have equally little to say. The last two years I have
divided between a sleepy existence at sea, and a hurried
and busy changes of shore life, at intervals. Whether I am now
any thing like my former-self in those happy days when your
society added pleasure to that derived from books, I know
not — Indeed I am sometimes tempted to think that I have
undergone some strange transformation of character, so much
are my mode of life, my pursuits, and my present objects of ambition,
changed. This is an unwelcome belief, but it will sometimes
force itself upon me. My great hope is, that in another year
I may be able to cast off the slough, and again become a
recognised [recognized] member of a nobler fraternity than that of mere
calculating, grasping money=seekers. At present I am playing
my part in this unnatural strife for th wealth, with a tolerable