I have not heard from you since I last wrote. We have an epidemic of fevers here, typhoid in the highlands, congestive remittent below. One of our clerks has died, and several of us have been threatened, but by timely care & quinine & brandy have escaped any severe attack. I was the last & kept my bed yesterday, am living on port wine today.

We are nearly thro’ with the turmoil & labor of packing, which is very great where so great a change is to be made. We have to determine what it is worth while to take home at all; then to divide the whole to go into three lots & pack accordingly for the voyage round the Horn, “slow” isthmus & “immediate” isthmus.

We have made no change in our plans, except that Mrs Olmsted (for the present) refuses to go by Nicaragua on acct of the danger of the embarkation on the East side, & the difficulty of taking care of the [444]children & baggage in the half dozen breaks of transit, & I may have to wait till Steamer of 18th for Panama.

I recvd on the 26th H. Potter’s telegram of 22d which if not satisfactory, justifies me I think, in leaving & which perhaps will make a difference of two or three thousand dollars to me.

We shall want to get a house and go to housekeeping as soon as possible after our arrival, and I shall be glad if you can nominate some houses for Mary to look at. I shall prefer to be near you, if you find yourself conveniently situated for the business; otherwise, nearer the park, and I think Cook’s house on 78th St would suit us. I suppose I shall need a riding horse at once, wherever we are, & you can judge what we can afford on the salary.

I shall bring work enough to keep Miller busy for fully a month after arrival I think. I only work out the park plan crudely here, so as to have your help on it. The profit of it I intend to share with you—also to put O.&V. to the engraved Cemetery plan if you approve. This latter also to be finished in N. York.

Do you remember Cleavland Architect? a simple young man? He has been in S.F. some years & is going to return this winter to N.Y. He seems to have a regard for you. He has offered me several small jobs which I have not time to take up, but have given him some advice.