From The Nasby Papers (Indianapolis: C.O. Perrine & Co.,1864).

Brest, Kanada West, August 20, 1862.

After more advenchers than wood fill a book, I am here in Kanada, safe under the protectin tail uv the British Lion, where no draftin orfiser kin molest nor make me afraid. Halleloogy!

I never shood hev taken this step, or ruther, the succeshun uv steps that brot me here, hed a good, sound, constooshnel doctor bin appinted Medical Eggsaminer, fer I hev twict ez menny diseases ez wood hev eggsemptid me, but I wuz afeerd the Eggsaminer woodent see em, ez he aint much uv a physician anyhow, besides, he votes the Union tickit, and hez, uv coarse, prejudisis. The Commissioner is a bluddy Ablishnist, and besides I owe him a store bill wich hez stood about 8 years. I protest agin all sich appintments.

I left in company with 5 other invalids, wun nite a little after the "witchin hour uv 12 M.," ez Shakspeer hez it, and any wun beholdin our faces wood hev bin satisfide that sum "church-yard yawned" jest previously. We traveld all nite, "sustaned and soothed by an unfaltrin trust" in a bottle which I, with my usual 4site, took along, together with 2 and 1 third yards uv bolony sassige, wich I alluz use ez a thirst-provoker. We met no interrupshen till we got within 5 miles uv Toledo, (wich we did by 5 P. M., uv the next day, wich permit me to remark, was good travelin fer sich debillytatid cusses,) when we wuz stopt by a pickit gard uv the "Anti-draftin Invalid League,"who remarkt, "Who goze there?" "A invalid," sez I. "A Peece invalid," sez he. "Ther aint no other kind." sez I, whereupon sez he, "yoor a man uv sence," a fact uv wich I hed bin long aware. I presentid my liqwid consiliater, when he informd me that Toledo wuz closely watcht, that escape by steemer was impossible, and that a small bote was our only chance. He took us to the lake shore, furnisht us a bote, and jest as the golden sun wuz a sinkin behind the golden horizon I bid my nativ land adoo.

I need not dwell upon the perils uv that terrible passage. Suffice it 2 say that, fer invalids, we rowed well, and finally landed at the little village uv Brest, wher we now air.

200 Peece men are here, and I must acknowledge that we are not treeted with that distinguished consideration usually accordid political eggsiles. Fer instance at the tavern where I board, the parler is partikelerly plesent, and I wuz a settin into it. In trips a girl, purty enuff fer a man whose taste was not vishiatid 2 eat. "Shel I shet down this window, sir?" sez she. "Why shet it down, jentle maid?" retorts I, lookin sweet onto her. "Because," replide she, "I thot, perhaps, the DRAFT was too much fer ye." A few slavish Kanajens who set there, laft. The landlord required a month's pay in advance, and a further deposit uv 25 cents per eggsile, as sekoority fer the pewter spoons, wich we hev at table. To cap the climacks, last nite a big nigger was put into eech uv our rooms, and we were forced to sleep with em, or okkepy the floor, wich I did. The cussid nigger laft all nite, in a manner trooly aggravatin to hear.

Petroleum V. Nasby.

P. S.  –  Tell my wife to send sich money as she earns to me, as livin is high, and ther aint no tick. The township kin support her and the children.