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5 Feb 58 Peter Hong Kong Father ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Hong Kong

Feb 5. 1858

My dear Father

I have been trying everything I can, both at Shanghai & here but it seems no use. I have quite come to the conclusion it is exceedingly ridiculous to come out as I have done & everybody says so too.

I am staying with Jardine’s here who are particularly kind but say it is hopeless to expect anything. Their Canton establishment is broken up & they have now of course far too many hands & everyone is the same, but in addition to that, it is the same old story that when they are about to lose any one, they always previously write home for some one to fill his place. I don’t know what to do. There appears no chance of this vessel going home & all this time I don’t know how much longer is wasted.

The best thing I could do is to come home overland, I think. But then of course I can’t do that upon my own responsibility, so I must go on if nothing turns up here & take my chance. I am heartily sick of moving about in this manner and then I am hard up for everything. At Shanghai I had not so much as a boot to wear that was not split & no warm clothes altho’ it was the depth of winter. But I don’t want to draw upon you again. I was obliged to do it at Calcutta altho’ I was much annoyed at it, and I dare say you were astonished. But what little remains shall go as far as I can make it.

I received a letter from you, sent direct from Calcutta, yesterday, in which you exhort me to do all sorts of wonders & also tell me I can get any money from Dundas. If I had received that 5 months ago, it would have been of use. I did get the money from Dundas certainly but it was my own idea.

Apropos of the Dog, if not too late, I wish you would give it to Mr Sawer, or rather I wish he would accept it, for I am sure they would take care of it. Perhaps I might take the liberty of asking Miss Sawer.* The little Dog is the great one, but remember I set great value on that Dog.

I don’t know anything about any one. Somebody says that John has gone to India, but I have not heard so from you. Somebody else says there is no such name as Laurie in the 34th now. I wonder whether that is so.

I had a letter from Mary a short time since. The first. It appears by her own description she made a most lengthy tour by rail all thro’ Italy & every where else, without stopping at all. She covered one side of a sheet of paper with the words ‘we went first to -----, then to -----’ & so on about 50 names of places following & then she ‘believed herself my affectionate sister’ & finished without a description of any of them.

The only remark I think which must have slipped in unconsciously was that I should have liked the paintings at Florence, but as she said nothing more about them, of course I was not able to form a conclusion as to whether I should or not. I wish you would exhort her to more fraternal feelings or tell Mr Riley to. It is really too much of a joke to get a letter – a thing which one considers such a treat out here – & then derive such benefit from it.

Suppose I was to write home now for the first time & tell you that I went first to Dartmouth, then to the Cape of Good Hope & then to the Mauritius. After that I went to P't de Galle in Ceylon & from there to Madras. Then on to Calcutta where I stayed a short time and afterwards went on to Shanghai in China eventually down to Hong Kong where I am staying now – and immediately finish. What would you think of me.

Your affect Son

Peter G Laurie

My Mother’s letters contain all my news. I enclose a letter to Mr Lindsay for you to read & forward if you think proper. Also, I send a paper, the China Mail, in which you will see my advertisement. I have not had time yet to get an answer. I wonder if I shall. If I do not, I think that will be pretty convincing. Instead of sending the paper, I will cut out the advertisement as I am afraid the postage would be heavy.

* Miss Sawer – The Sawers were family friends and Lylie Sawer seems to have attracted Peter’s romantic notions. ‘Rambles’ includes:

Lylie

A name I know, I love it so.

I prize it, oh so highly!

What name is there that can compare

with the sweet name of Lylie?

A rose, indeed, if called a weed

would smell as sweet, said drily,

Old Will Shakespeare – I think it clear

he knew not the name of Lylie

And while I sit and think of it,

I see her look so slyly;

'In my mind’s eye,' oh! I would die

for the sweet name of Lylie