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9 Jan 58 Julius on board 'Nubia' Mother Hyde Park Place ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Nubia, off Aden. 9th Janr'y 1858

My dear Mother

I told you I would write from Aden & as it is just possible – that is to say, I have found room to sit down – here goes.

I left a letter at ‘Shepheards Hotel’ for you & the next morning off we came from Cairo at 5.a.m. by train across the desert as far as the railway has yet been completed, which is about 30 miles from Suez. The remainder we accomplished by means of a desert van which I must describe to you.

The vehicle itself is made to contain 6 people. You sit facing each other, three each side. Only two wheels which are very high. There are four animals – two steady old mules harnessed to the shafts & in front, a couple of fleet Arabs.

The driver is an Arab & there is also to each van, an extra man who runs along side, or sits on the shaft & hits away with a thick leather strap at the mules who of course are not so fond of going apace as the Arabs.

There were about 13 of these vans containing a portion of the passengers of the Indus & Vectis (the Marseilles passengers by the same mail as ourselves) & the shouting & yelling of the drivers was considerable. Every now & then a rein would break down or the harness go. Indeed it was a wonder that it held together at all I should have thought.

We had rather a heavy ‘Sir’ in our van, the consequence was once in a very bad part of the desert we stuck fast & had to get out & walk. After about 4 hours of this van travelling we got to Suez & there, there were no orders for us. So off we started for the Nubia which was lying about 4 miles off.

I got into a ferry boat with a lot of ladies & babies & it was well for them that I did so for two drunken men got in & when we were about half way they found they had left their papers & luggage behind them & they tried to turn the boat & go back, but of course that was not to be thought of. After an immense deal of trouble with them we managed to get them onto another boat that passed us.

Well then a calm came on & we were almost 2½ hours before we got to the ship. We found it of course crowded but some of the Nubia passengers turned out & made way for the ladies.

We have had no berths at all. They have given us a cork mattress & a blanket apiece & we make ourselves comfortable where we can. I sleep on the deck. The only drawback is that you are turned out at 4½ a.m. for the deck to be washed. We do not know what is to be done with us now but the Passengers of the Nubia are beginning to show their teeth & say that we inconvenience them very much. Their idea is that we were to go on board the Alma at Aden & be towed on by the Nubia but we are having rough weather & the Officers of the ship say that they have no hawser strong enough to tow us. However I shall go on if I have no place to sleep at all.

Now there is just standing room. By the merest chance, I have now got a place to sit. You must excuse this if I do not go on. I will write again.

With love to all

I remain yr &c.

J D Laurie