1934 October
From LJT to Annette
P&O.S.N.Co.
S.S.Naldera
Marseilles
Oct. 5th 1934
My darling Annette
I had all the intentions in the world of writing to you before I left London – but people turned up to see us at all sorts of odd minutes and I had no time. I even bought post-cards and stamps in the hotel five minutes before leaving, but the train was so joggly and so full that I still could not write. The Channel was more joggly still. It was the roughest crossing I have ever had, but luckily my mind was distracted and obsorbed by talking busily with Dr. Tomb, whom I had not seen for something like fourteen years and who used to be one of our greatest friends. When we were almost at Calais, I had to retire suddenly – but was quickly sick and then felt alright again – Poor Dad felt pretty rotten all the way across, but luckily did not lose his new false teeth, as one poor man on board did. It was a tremendous pleasure seeing Dr. Tomb again and I only wish he were on this boat. He is working in Egypt now and is crossing to Alexandria by a French boat. We seemed to pick up our friendship just where it left off and none of us felt that the others had altered at all.
Dad and I had a busy day packing and doing last jobs on Tuesday and were rather cumbered by the Aunts farewell visit, for they arrived at 2.45 and did not leave till 6.15 and of course we could not do anything much while they were there. We went up to London on Wednesday afternoon – had tea at a tea-shop, then went to the 6 o’clock performance of “The House of Rothschild” and had a late dinner afterwards and so back to the hotel and to bed – Dad was a bit tired, but I think it was better for him to go out.
The journey has been very like other journeys except that all the trains were very full – We did not drive across Paris, but went round from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon by the little Ceinture railway, which crawls through the environs of Paris at the rate of a snail. Its a glorious day here, with the real bright southern sunshine.
Good-bye – God bless you – and best love, my darling
from Mum
P.S. Your letter just arrived. Many thanks – It will be lovely to find another waiting for us at Bombay –
From HPV to Annette
P&O.S.N.Co.
At Marseilles
S.S Naldera
Oct 5th 1934
My dear Annette.
A Black Cat has just stalked past me: the sky is blue: the sun is shining – “and I am dancing with my ribbon” so to speak. In other words, I am reconciled to things and perceive that the voyage is starting under good omens.
It was not a good week that ended my leave in England. The poisoning on Wednesday evening left me out of sorts; the dentist hurt a good deal; I developed indigestion and face ache after the Haileybury excursion (you are right in supposing a chill, picked up on the journey home), and I could gladly have put my head in a bag. This prevented farewell visits to Uncle roy and from three Aunts, Leonard and Margaret, Mrs Lewin, Miss and Miss Barbara (who has grown attractive looking though not beautiful in any way) from being successes. But luckily I felt much better yesterday for the cross-France journey. Sick in the channel? yes: in spite of a prophylactic drug: the sea was rough – the roughest cross-Channel trip I’ve had. But I did not lose my new false teeth overboard as the unfortunate Capt Pyke did: we knew him in Calcutta and met him on the boat: he lost new teeth which had cost him £15:15:0 Mine will be twice that or more. Invention, a sieve for the seasick false-toothers: or a nose net.
On this trip across France I proved comparatively fluent in my French. Continue your studies! To Maryvonne convey my respectful homage: mention also a devoted heart: to Paulette my compliments if you address her. Good luck. Stretch your neck, cavort and prance on all suitable occasions and remember the much good advice which I have scattered before you: particularly as to cheerfulness and avoidance of acrimony in debate. Finally, much love
Your’s ever
Dad.
From LJT to Annette
P&O.S.N.Co.
S.S.Naldera
Oct 8th 1934
My darling Annette
Our arrival in Malta was early – 7.a.m. – but not too early for me to be up and dressed, ready to snatch an hour’s walk ashore before the ship sailed again at 8.30. I took the seventeen-year old daughter of a friend of mine and we enjoyed ourselves very much. It was coold and not too glarey – Early Sunday morning is rather a nice time to see Malta, for all the people are swarming out to early mass, the women, young and old, wearing that strange black hood and cloak, which acts as umbrella or sunshade and cloak all in-one – Do you remember what it looks like
The milkman, with their herds of brown and white goats are about in all the narrow streets, milking their goats before their customer’s front doors – while the rest of the troup wait patiently. The girl, Audrey, was pleased with it all – and we were glad that we were some of the very few people who had thought it worth while getting up early and going ashore.
The board-ship habits of idling away ones time in talk and deck games has got hold upon me and I spent an almost entirely idle day yesterday – reading, sleeping, playing games and talking all day, except for half an hour when I attended morning service. I suppose it is quite a good rest and refreshment for one when one has been very busy. Dad is getting distinctly better, I think. He has been playing deck-games the last two days and stayed up talking, quite of his own free will, till 11.30 last night. He has also started doing exercises when he gets up in the morning – which is a thing he has not done for months.
Its getting quite hot already and we are all sitting on deck in cotton frocks to-day and some of the men have gone into their suits. The sunshine of the Mediterranean has a particularly lovely quality, I think – It is brilliant, without having the glare and fierceness of the tropical sun. We are due in Port Said to-morrow about 6 o’clock I believe – I wish we were to get in a little earlier so that we could get a walk by daylight. This ship is batting along at a good pace, so perhaps we shall.
I have just heard an amusing story, which may entertain you. I rather think I told you that there is a stout gentleman with long hair on board, who looks like a musician – He is sharing a cabin with a friend of mine and told him the following tale. He stayed a night in a hotel at Marseilles before joining this ship. When the valet de chamber brought his breakfast he bowed politely and said “Bonjour Madame” - !!
There’s plenty of time for writing letters on board ship, but nothing much to write about except on ones first voyage, when everything is new and to someone who has never been a voyage. I expect you remember coming home well enough not to want board-ship life described to you.
If I think of anything more I want to say before we reach Port Said to-morrow I shall add it in a post-cript – Meanwhile my best love to you, darling
Mum
P.S. We have to send you our birthday wishes by this mail, as letters posted at Aden will be too late – I hope the parcels from Dad and myself will reach you on the right day – No doubt the contents will be a great surprise to you!
Mum
From HPV to Annette
P&O.S.N.Co.
Near Port Said.
S.S.Naldera.
Oct 9th 1934
My dear Annette.
We know that really we are near Port Said because on the horizon there have appeared a lighthouse and many palms. There is no reason now to doubt our arrival, according to programme, at 5 o’clock this evening. It is now 2.45: the post box closes at 4. I am very drowsy after my lunch – besides, it is hot, - but I shall stave off sleep till I have finished my letters.
Apart from sitting in a deckchair for many hours each day and sleeping in my bunk for many hours each night, I have been very busy, or have felt so. It would be hard to say why or over what. In my memories of the doings, there bulk large Hornibrook’s belly waggling and haggling: twice a day of late: but even so the actual time taken by them cannot really be great. In the background are the taking of the Liver Mucks and the conduct of my teeth. Probably this last is of some importance: half an hour at a time goes over it. I have just being having a happy time fidding around and discovering that a bit of broken jaw was coming away both from the top and the bottom: small matter for cheer maybe: but once it is out, it is out: and that’s that. However I am getting on “fine” and am much more energetic than I was last week, though I have not ventured on deck tennis.
There are some nice people on board and so far as I know no one actively dislikeable. Nothing amusing in the bare back and leg line though pyjamas are not rare upon the deck. The ship is so full that people bestow themselves carefully in corners to avoid the crush and so there is less crush than on less crowded vessels. Quite a lot of people known to me. A Forest man who was at school with me and lived below me at Oxford: another man who was at Oxford with me – last seen 23 years, almost, ago: he recognised me but I failed to put a name to him. Many people from Bengal known to us of old or with friends in common. Everybody seems to get to know everybody else (in reason) much more quickly than in an Australia bound boat.
After calculation and reference to almanacs I deduse that this is my last chance of sending you birthday wishes. Unless your Aunt has forgotten you will receive, with my love undoubtedly, the two Kiplings which you mentioned. It is a quaint thing that when books are so many in the world every person in a house wishes to duplicate the books owned by others and thus available at any moment: but there is no harm and if need be you could all read them simultaneously, aloud perhaps.
My best birthday wish is that you should exercise 1100 and take part in agile games: also I repeat the conventional many happy returns which is the ultimate object of the initial wish. I hope that you enjoy your birthday in due course.
Much love: many blessings
Ever your’s
Daddie
From LJT to Annette
P&O.S.N.Co.
S.S.Naldera
Red Sea
Oct. 13th .1934.
My darling Annette
Did you see anything in the papers about this boat sticking on a sand-bank in one of the Bitter Lakes, near the southern end of the Canal? It was a curious and rather interesting experience, though I don’t fancy the French pilot or the Captain of the ship thought so. I thought it was worth writing a detailed account of it, but could not face making four copies by hand, or going into the hot baggage room to find the typewriter or sit down in the cabin to use it when I had found it, so I have sent the account to Auntie and asked her to send it on to Richard and tell him to send it to you. If you get the chance will you take it across and read it to Rosemary – or at any rate let her have it.
We stopped for the fog about 5.30 am. – tried to move on about 9.30 – when the fog had thinned a little, but ran on to a sand-bank, instead of keeping to the Channel. A tug from Suez failed to move us and we had to wait till evening before a more powerful one arrived from Port Said – and to-gether the two of them managed to get us afloat again.
The Red Sea is treating us well, and though the air is hot and damp, a strong head wind is keeping us reasonably cool. We are due in Aden about 8 o’clock to-morrow morning and I hope to go and have a bathe at that nice place where we bathed on the way home –
Dad, who was looking so much better, has fallen back a bit owing to neuralgia in his face, due I suppose to sitting in a draught when his jaw is still very sensitive from having the teeth pulled out. The doctor gave him some “dope” which has done him a certain amount of good, but he is not quite rid of the pain yet. This has finally decided us against the visit to Agra which we had talked of, and we are going straight to Calcutta.
This is a nice ship and I am enjoying the voyage. We have so many friends on board and I have met a lot of interesting people from other parts of India and an extra-ordinary large fat man, whom at first we took to be a musician. (He plays the piano beautifully) but who turns out to be an author. He would be rather good looking if he were not so fat – and I have a suspicion that he powders his face. His nails are polished and manicured like a woman’s – but in spite of these oddities, I have had some interesting talks with him –
I don’t think I shall start another page – You will get my account of the ship’s adventure soon – Best love, my darling (LJ crossed out) Mum Absent mind!!!
P&O. S.N.Co.
S.S. Naldera
Port Said was looking quite attractive in the clear evening light when we approached it about 5.30 on Tuesday evening. For the first time for eleven years or so we are travelling on a coal burning ship instead of an oil boat. I had almost forgotten what coaling ship in an Eastern Port looks and sounds like. Four great lighters loaded with coal and carrying a crowd of wierd black figures in filthy tattered robes, pushed off from the shore. These creatures, looking like the souls of the damned in some old picture, began holding out the skirts of their clothing or their baskets and shouting for alms as soon as they were within throwing range of the ship and they got quite a lot of small coins, arguing bitterly and sometimes coming to blows over the ownership of a penny that had fallen between two of them – Once alongside they had to get to work, and gathering a couple of friends, we went ashore to get a good walk. We walked along the breakwater and watched the sunset colours dying over the sea and the stars coming out, but were driven back to land by the appaling smell of bad fish coming from the double row of little fishing boats, tied up inside the break-water. We then turned our steps along the sea front and must have walked at least a mile before we turned – On our way back we dropped into the big Casino Palace Hotel for a drink on its wide verandah looking over the sea. It is near enough to Europe to do its best to look as Eastern as possible and does not, like its confreres further East, aim at getting the European touch. We dropped into the famous shop, Simon Artz to buy some chocolate, and were much amused by an Arab standing on the pavement outside holding big bunches of roses for sale, and crooning over and over in the melting voice of a poet, “lovely – lovely – beau-ti-ful – wonderful – wonderful” –
We returned to the ship in time for dinner at 8 o’clock and did not go ashore again, though the boat did not leave till 10 o’clock.
About 5.30 the following morning, after sleeping splendidly, I woke with the feeling that something had happened and found that the engines had stopped and we were still. Knowing that we could not be at Suez so early, and wondering why the ship’s bell was ringing loudly every few minutes, I got up and looked out of the Port hole and to my amazement I saw that we were in a thick fog – so thick that looking down I could scarcely see the water. We were in the last of the Bitter Lakes. So It remained till past 9 o’clock, when it began to clear and the ship began to move, but, to our astonishment she suddenly stopped and the engines began to reverse like mad, without receiving any response from the ship – and it gradually dawned upon us that we had missed the narrow channel and were fast on a sand bank. We had stopped at a spot where the deep channel through the Lake, marked by a line of red buoys on the left and black ones on the right, curves left to enter the next section of the canal. Our French canal pilot mistook his buoy in the fog and took us straight on and in a moment this great ship was fast on the sand. As if to mock us, the fog began rolling away almost at once and we could see the clearly marked channel close beside us but, for the moment, quite unobtainable. The blue Lake shimmered all round us and further off the yellow rolling sands of the desert. Rumours began flying round at once – “would the Captain be held responsible”? “some officer had said that it would probably take two days to take us off.” “The Chief Engineer had said that he had not seen a fog in the Canal for thirty years.” Someone else had said that fogs were not uncommon at this time of year – and so on and so on and so on. Almost as soon as the fog cleared a couple of little boats put out from a small encampment on the shore and spent a happy hour searching round amongst the rubbish thrown over from the ship and fishing up lumps of sodden bread, old tins and all sorts of treasures.
After about a couple of hours a tug arrived from Suez, followed by a motor boat bearing a reporter, of all things! I gather he was given short shift on board, for of all things the Captain least desired publicity. After various manoeuvres the tug was roped on to our stern. It was a powerful looking creature named “Hercule” and was said to be 5,000 horse power which is 1/3 the horse-power of this great ship. Our own engines were set going and at the given signal the engines wacked up to their utmost, the whole ship trembling with the effort, while the tug took the strain, pulling like mad – The water churned all round us, turning the brilliant blue of the lake to a deep chrome colour as the sand was churned up – but, alas! the ship did not move an inch – and after a while the struggle was abandoned. Various boats began passing up and down the channel, while we looked sadly on. More rumours flew round, never ceasing all day. One member of our table brought what we presumed to be fairly reliable information gleaned from the Chief Engineer. He said that we had wirelessed for another and more powerful tug to come from Port Said, but that it could not arrive till late evening and that if that failed to move us, we should have to put a lot of cargo and coal off into lighters and would probably be delayed a couple of days.
By good fortune, it was a most beautiful day – There was a steady cool breeze blowing from the north and there was no discomfort attached to our enforced hold up. A pilot boar arrived – took off the man who had run us ashore and deposited another – I expect the poor fellow who made the mistake is in for a thin time. After lunch three very large purpoises played round the ship for a long while, and then, bored with the fact that we were not moveing, made off across the Lake. An areoplane arrived and circled over us. Ships passed up and down the canal and we could do nothing but wait. Some of the girls asked the doctor if he would ask the captain, whether he would not launch some of the ships boats and land as many of the passengers who wanted to bathe, on the sandy shores of the Lake. The doctor said he was damned if he would – that the last man he wanted to meet that day, was the Captain! so that little plan fell through.
We were being followed by the Carthage – another big P.&O. Which is on her way to Australia and we knew she was due to pass us about 6.30. pm. Presently we saw her lights coming – our own engines started going again, and we heard that the “Hercule” was going to have another shot at pulling us off at the moment she passed, hoping that her wash would just give us the extra push needed to move us. It was a pretty sight to see her coming and as she drew near a series of cheers whistles and catcalls rent the stillness of the desert evening, while once more the Naldera and the Hercule trembled with the efforts they were making to get us afloat. As the Carthage passed close alongside us, a voice made its-self heard through the cheering – “Dont you know how to steer?” We did not stir and as the lights of the Carthage faded away, our engines stopped again and we all trooped down to change for dinner – As we came on deck again afterwards, word went round that the Orient boat “Orontes” was coming and that another effort was to be made in her wash. The same thing went on and again there was no success, but quite soon after the Orontes had passed, we saw a small boat with a search light coming and word went round that it was the other tug. She swept past us, with two lighters on either side and our disappointment was somewhat mitigated when we were told that she was going down as far as the station whose lights we could see twinkling where the canal flowed out of the lake. She was to drop the lighters there and come back to do her best to pull us off – and then go back for the lighters if she was not successful. It was not long before she was back and getting into position beside “Hercule” – Her name was “Titan” and she was said to be 8,000 horse-power. It was interesting watching everything in the glare of the searchlights. It seemed incredible that the two steel cables attached from the ship to the tugs, could stand the strain of pulling a huge ship like this from its position of being stuck several feet deep in sand. Everyone crowded to the railings to watch this final effort. It was thrilling. As soon as the cables were satisfactorily fixed, our own engines began to work. Presently our hooter blew one blast – The tugs answered. Their engines and the ships engines began working like mad. The cables were pulled taut – The tugs pulled first to the right and then to the left. For a few seconds it seemed that we were not going to move. I had taken a line on two red lights some where on the shore, and suddenly I saw that we were moving – At that moment a great cheer and clapping of hands when up from the ship – and looking down at the water, I saw that a buoy which had been stationary some way behind us, was apparantly rushing to-wards us at great speed, and realized that the speed was our own. We were soon in the channel again and chugging happily down the canal. I did not wake when we passed Suez during the night, but woke in the morning, to find the most glorious cool breeze blowing, and the water in the swimming bath still pleasantly fresh. It remained delightfully cool all day and last night, and though its warmed up a bit and feels more like the Red Sea to-day, its not at all bad.
The Chief Engineer says that his engines are none the worse for their terrific efforts and that the Captain does not think the soft sand we were on has damaged the ship in any way, so that we shall not have to wait at Aden for divers to go down and investigate.
We shall only be a few hours late in Bombay, as they are cutting down the time in Aden and wacking the boat along at a good speed. I cant help feeling the engines must be glad to be running the right way again.
From HPV to Annette
Near Aden
P&O.S.N.Co.
S.S. Naldera
Oct 13th
My dear Annette
I have nix to put in this letter. Two swallows came on board: but I have used them in Rosemary’s letter. The ship’s cat sits below deck chairs and I much tell you of my intention to enter it in the dog-race - but it smells so and that I would be an indiscretion even to refer to the beast. So too I cannot tell you that a lady came and sat down near us in the lounge today whose friends had definitely not told her. My days have been blank except for
holding my face
(2) cleaning and washing my teeth
(3) repeating the above in quick, slow and medium time.
Teeth like greens are a shickly thing to handle on an empty stomach. Is that a quotation? If so, from what author and from what person
Much love
Daddie
From LJT to Annette
P&O.S.N.Co.
S.S.Naldera
The Indian Ocean
Oct.17th. 1934
My darling Annette
To-morrow we reach Bombay, having made such good timing that we have picked up almost all the time we lost sitting on the sand-bank in the Suez Canal. The voyage has been a singularly pleasant and interesting one for me, though I fear it has not been so good for Dad, as for five days he had the wretched neuralgia. It was such a relief to find that it had gone when he woke yesterday morning – He has been a different person since –
There has been a lot of what “’Ee-‘aw” (How does he spell his name?) would call “gaiety and what-not” since we left Aden. There was a fancy-dress dance for the grown-ups the night before last, which was a great success. The children had their turn yesterday and a very good fancy-dress party. Last night there were “races” – consisting of cutting up the middle of long bits of tape, with curved nail scissors – There were all the appropriate accompaniments of a tote and bookies and so on and a good deal of laughter and excitement.
Nature has provided a few diversions too. The largest shoal of dolphins I have ever seen followed the ship for some way, a couple of days ago. There must have been a hundred or more and it was such fun to see them leaping and diving. Flying fish are with us all the while and now and again a few porpoises follow us for a mile or two. There was a whale blowing one afternoon, but though I was reading on deck I did not see it.
The weather is perfect – neither hot nor cold and the water in the swimming bath is fresh without being chilly. We reached Aden at 8.30 in the morning and several parties went along to the bathing place. Ours was the first to arrive and the bathe was one of the most perfect I have ever had. You remember the Bay? In the early morning in the bright sun, with the gaunt rocky hills rising up behind it, it looked so attractive. The water was like a clear pale aquamarine and there were shoals of pretty little stripy fish swimming about here and there.
I have met some most interesting people on this voyage – revived old friendships and made new ones. Luckily the three new friends I like best all belong to Calcutta so we shall meet again.
Best love, darling
Mum
From HPV to Annette
P&O.S.N.Co.
Near Bombay
S.S. Naldera
Oct 18th
My dear Annette.
You may consider me as one hibernating for these last few days: the continued neuralagia broke my spirit and I wandered about holding on to my face and wondering what sin in a previous life had justified such happenings. The pain moved into two teeth finally and then disappeared leaving a slightly swollen face and a horrid suspicion that a new abscess is developing. One can stick, or accept, anything when it actually happens and it is useless to dread what is coming: but I have failed to resist depression at the thought that my visits to the dentist may have to start again and that my recovery has been once more delayed.
I have played a few games of deck quoits with some amusement: they would have been more if we had not enjoyed fresh breezes which I shunned lest the neuralgia be increased by them. I have talked to a Panjab I.C.S. man who is doing there the work which I am trying in Bengal – an interesting man but with beautiful thoughts and beliefs in the possibility of sudden conversions: to an M.P who wishes to learn about India in 3 months and whose mind is already a confusion: to a German-Hungarian whose looks combine E. Phillip Oppenheim, Sax Rohmer Michael Arlen and P.G.Wodehouse as he says and who believes in Astrology: and various people from Calcutta: and to a few from other provinces. Conclusion: I shall be delighted when the voyage ends.
Goodbye.
Much love
Daddie
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
Oct 24th 1934
My dear Annette
Behold me also one of the world’s workers once more. I resumed today. Not much done but it is something to have started. My health has improved since leaving the ship. It was undoubtedly a comfort to be rid of the incessant vibration and to be able to dodge draughts. The journey across India was quite comfortable. It is the first time that I have been through the Central Provinces when the country was not burnt up: it is the end of the rainy season and probably there had been recently a storm: everything was fresh, green and jolly: and my heart expanded at the sight. As we passed Asansol where we spent nearly two years during the war we gazed out earnestly and spied ancient landmarks. Farther on I peered round for signs of the canal about which I have written so much and compiled so many figures. And near Calcutta I composed daydreams about possible drainage projects and a general cleaning up of jungle. Calcutta, strange to say, has changed a little during our absence. Traffic lights installed in Chowringhee: advertisements on lamp posts near them: new buildings at Tollygunge club – new furniture too. But for the most part it is difficult to believe that we have been away at all.
I no longer find it painful to get my false teeth in (though it is not a pleasant operation even now): and my jaws feel more as if they were natural to me. Emboldened I tried chewing comfortably (or carelessly) today: and started two teeth off again – the two which were hurting on board ship. But that is nothing. I am leaving my false teeth out for a bit.
Have I any news? probably not. Anyhow I shall stop.
Much love
Daddie.
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
Oct.25th. 1934
My darling Annette,
Here I am, writing the familiar address, in the familiar room, and feeling that the last three months have been some sort of a dream. The type-writer feels a little strange after not useing it since I left India, so I am “trying it on the dog”, that is to say I am writing to you children first, before embarking on the family letter or any more formal ones-
It was very, very nice to find your letter waiting for me at Bombay. It seemed to make a sort of link. Auntie very cleverly wrote by Air Mail the following week, and her letter came on Monday so we seemed to get quite fresh news of you. I do hope that Gavin being laid up with a bad knee, wont dish him for the scholarship.
We had a good journey across India, - - - but I shall be putting all that sort of thing into the family letter. By the way, as it will be the first I have written you must forgive a brief sketch of the voyage, about which you have already heard in more detail in your private letters.
The servants enquired after you in great detail, and were amused to hear that you are almost as big as I am. The bearer further enquired whether you were still “ghusa”, which means angry or bad-tempered. When I said that you had never been ghusa, and certainly not now, he firmly said “yes” you used to be ghusa like the Sahib! - - - so put that in your pipe and smoke it Miss!
Dad, I am thankful to say, seems really better and much more cheerful. I hope he wont find his work too exhausting.
Dr Richter was enquiring after your German yesterday, so I told him that you had given up science in order to have more time for languages.
I am awfully glad that I had that quick look round St Monica’s. There have been so many alterations and improvements, that I had only heard about, but now I have seen them, I can visualize you amongst them so much more easily and truly. I am also very glad to have seen and had a few words with Peggy Christie. I thought she was a charming looking girl, and I am sorry we did not have time to see more of her.
The weather is heavenly here now. I wish you could have a spot of it. We have to pay heavily for our few good months, but I must say, when they come they are very good.
I hope the term is going along smoothly and well.
Best love, my darling
From
Mum
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Rd
Calcutta
Oct 31st 1934
My darling Annette
We did not get a letter from you last week. I wonder whether writing another so soon after the Air Mail one was more than you could bear – Rosemary said there was not much to say and filled up a good bit of the paper with a very large signature and a quantity of hugs and kisses, but it was very nice to get it all the same.
I got rushed over mail letters last Thursday, so I thought I would get on a little bit with them this evening. The difficulty about writing your personal letters before I write the family one, is that I feel tempted to tell you things that will later go into that. Most of that letter this week will be taken up with my doings with the Hungarian Ludwig von Wohl. He is another added to the list who offer a welcome to you and for me if and when we go to Germany. I wonder whether any of these offers of friendship and hospitality will ever come to anything. They are quite genuine when they are made, but after a year or two one might think twice about following them up. Richter is different – He is a real friend of the family and he has just heard that he is to stay in Calcutta for another year and not go on home leave next year – so there is a chance that he might be in Germany the following year – when I have an idea it might be a good thing for you to go there for a while.
I’ve just been enjoying a book about rather inconsequent travel in the interior of Brazil – It is by Peter Fleming and is called “Brazialian Adventure” I’m now after a book called “Argentine Tango”. For some odd reason I like reading about South America – but the more I read about it, the more unpleasant a country it appears to be.
My Guides seemed pleased to see me yesterday – and I was pleased to see them again and very much cheered by their greeting – Poor kids! Very few of them have been up to the Hills at all.
I have just heard that a man I know out here – Dennis Mullock, is going to marry another old St. Monican, so there will really be quite a little colony of us out here.
Best love, my darling
from
Mum