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14 Dec 55 Peter on board 'Alipore' Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Bouzouklere Bay, Bosphorus

14 December 1855

My dear Mother

This is very slow work – notwithstanding that we have had fair wind nearly all the way, we are here at anchor in the Bosphorus. We left Balaclava on Sunday the ninth and arrived at the entrance to the Bosphorus on Wednesday where, a foul wind setting in, we were obliged to cast anchor in deep water.

The next day the wind was fair but it was terribly foggy & the Captain thought this a capital excuse to detain the ship (as her pay goes on just the same) – tho’ he was afterwards sorry for it, when he found all the other vessels had gone and a man of war passed with the Admiral flag flying.

The consequence was that this morning he endeavoured to heave up the anchor but, a terrible sea running in, it defied all attempts.

Carrying away stops and running out as fast as he could get it in owing to the torrents of rain and the wind, the men would not half work and the ship was already in a fix when the ship gave a terrible lurch then rose again and snap went the chain. We lost our anchor and 30 fathoms of cable. We were now in a terrible fix. To leeward lay enormous rocks and shoals and it was only by the greatest exertion that we could save the ship.

The men for once roused themselves when they saw their lives at stake and we just managed to clear the danger. Nothing was ready as we had not contemplated getting under way for some time & even if prepared you have no idea what a deal of management a ship (and especially a large ship like this) requires.

Before we could heave in the remainder of the cable, we had with a little management, drifted down as far as this place from where I date my letter, which is between three and four miles from the entrance to the Bosphorus. Every one was in an awful state of excitement and I must say I had strong ideas of preoccupying one of the seats in the boats tho’ I gave up the idea to assist in hauling up one of the sails which saved the ship and every one in it.

We cast anchor here – it is a pretty little place and steamers run from here to Constantinople every day I believe. Unless we are particularly wanted we shall not stop at the latter place at all which is a nuisance as I had intended to purchase some mementoes for you all, which idea I am now obliged to give up.

It is a horrid nuisance being detained in this manner & it is all fudge. If the Captain had liked we could & should have been nearly at Malta by this time, but the ship’s pay goes on as long as she is out and he therefore keeps short sail on her and detains her in every possible way where he has an excuse.

I never saw or heard anything of John since I last told you. I wrote to him three times requesting him to come down or at least to send one word if he could not, as some one comes down from his Regt. to the store every day but neither could I get, and we are therefore going to polish off his turkey on Christmas day for him.

I have nothing fresh but hope all is going on well. I am sorry that we are hanging back so as we might, if these winds will only keep on, have made a beautiful passage of it in less than six weeks but all this humbugging is nothing more than a dodge and for Mr Lindsay’s sake I hope it may pay, tho’ I must say it is very annoying. I suppose in 3 months time we may hope to meet again.

Love to all from

Your ever affect son

Peter Laurie

I am afraid it will be too late to wish you all a merry Christmas but not a happy new year. PL