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6 Jun 60 Peter Hong Kong Father 5. Hyde Park Place West ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Hong Kong. 6 June 1860

My dear Father

There is a talk of the mail being postponed in consequence of the non arrival of the inward one but I hope it will not be the case. I have become more lively within the last few days in consequence of a hint let drop by Percival (commonly called ‘P’), who never can keep a secret, that some promotion was likely to be at hand shortly for me.

If this is the case, of course that is all right. Promotion is the thing & I cannot naturally expect to jump to the top of the tree at once. The branches must each be surmounted in turn. I know of a berth likely to become vacant some months hence & if that is the one, I shall be very lucky. I hardly dare think it is, & yet I cannot help fancying that it is.

It is no good however laying myself open to disappointment & the whole thing like many others may end in smoke. I am happy to say that one thing is certain however & that is that we have all been presented with a bonus & think mine, which was larger in proportion than any of the others, amounted to $500 – about £125. My bonus was larger in proportion but then they pay me a salary which is disgracefully low & which it is quite impossible to live upon as people live here.

I am preparing however for the grand Coup which will come off two months hence & in order to be in good and independent trim am drawing in my horns. I have sold my horse & am living as quietly & economically as I can.

The fact of their giving me a larger bonus than any of the others shows there are they are well contented with me & I therefore think there is no fear about our coming to terms but I am determined to be very independent about it as they treat us very badly & I wish to let them see that I am quite independent in the matter.

One of their great dodges is to encourage extravagance so as to get a hold upon their miserable victims & it is for this reason I have resolved to retrench. I am afraid there is a slight deficit in my account but I daresay I can make it square now, or I have no doubt, should I not be able to, that you will assist me in the matter.

My butterflies & beetles increase daily. I am out fair & foul weather & never return without some prizes. This morning I started at 5½ A.M. & caught some beauties. At about 7 however I grieve to say that I went knee deep into a bed of liquid manure which sent me to a brook to cleanse myself to the best of my power. Suddenly I missed one of my shoes. I blamed the dogs, but they didn’t appear to know anything about it. I blamed some Chinese standing near but they only laughed. I blamed myself for my stupidity & thought I surely deserved the consequences & I ended by blaming the brook which had a very strong current & in which I was not very far from wrong. I walked barefooted for nearly 300 yards by its side before I could find my shoe which had artfully concealed itself under a large stone & I thanked my lucky stars that I did find it & that I hadn’t to walk barefooted home.

Poor Dora, my favourite dog I am afraid is dying. She was looking seedy & dispirited so I sent her for a trip in one of our steamers up the coast, but she has just come on shore in a frightful state notwithstanding the constant assurance I used to receive that she was ‘quite jolly’.

The ‘Chevy Chase’* is regularly smashed up & had probably to return to England to have her machinery repaired. She struck on a rock near Foochow & some days afterwards the machinery started. The hole in her hull can be repaired here, but the machinery can’t.

I am having my photograph taken in entomological costume shortly by Dr Murray the Colonial Surgeon & will send it home to you.

I remain

Your affect. Son

Peter G. Laurie

* Chevy Chase – Originally the name of a celebrated British border ballad, which is probably based on some actual encounter which took place in the region of the Cheviot Hills between its heroes, Percy and Douglas – although the incidents mentioned in it are not historical