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28 Jun 58 Julius Azimgurh Mother Hyde Park Place ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Azimgurh. 28th June /58

My dear Mother

I received yr. letter (May 16th) by the last mail, by which I am very sorry to hear that you have been in such trouble about Helen & at the same time glad to hear that she has so far recovered as to be out of all danger.

Franky too. What can have induced him to come home with the Hooping Cough. Poor little fellow. I suppose he is also a good deal pulled down.

However I hope you are all in good health at home now.

Things are going on quietly enough here. Every now & then we hear of rebels being within 20 miles & as they do not come near this, we don’t interfere with them. They are in a bad way; no guns, baggage. But of course without them, they can run much faster than we can & it is only a waste of trouble & time attempting to catch them. So things will go on much the same until the hot weather is over & the next campaign we shall turn them out of this part of the country before going up to Oude.

The Order for Gorruckpore* is knocked on the head. We are to remain here which was indeed good news. There are none but 4 Subs. at work, so that we have to do everything – look after Companies, piquets, Court Martials &c. There are only two Capts. here & one at Jaunpore.

I sold a poney & the buggy (Lucknow loot) for £15 the other day & on the strength of the Batta bought a very nice gray mare (rather small but strong) for £25. I have now some amusement, when I can get out, in breaking in my new purchase.

The rainy season has commenced & it comes down in very good showers here, but it has the effect of cooling the air which is a great benefit.

I can now get on sufficiently in Hindustanee to make all my servants understand anything I want to say & if there were any teachers here I think I could soon learn the language. It is a very easy one.

It is a curious thing the way people go ill here. I think every one has been more or less bad since we have been in this place. Fever is the prevailing complaint. It pulls one down & in this climate it takes a long time to pick up strength again.

I manage to keep something like my former self, although I could not walk 10 miles to save my life. A very fine country, India? I suppose one may just as well spend some four years here as anywhere else. I do not half dislike the sort of life, but I do not like to see every one getting ill & going home. However I am all right for the present & no chance of seeing me for some years to come.

Give my love to all, not forgetting Mary who I hope is keeping well.

Believe me, yr. affect. Son

J D Laurie

* Gorruckpore – Now Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh