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14 Mar 61 Julius Fyzabad Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Fyzabad

14 – 3 – 61

My dear Mother

In my last letter I remember being led away by appearances. I indulged in a bit of a growl at not having received any letters from home by the last Mail.

Now the same day on which I despatched my letter, in came one from you, which somehow or other had been delayed by the Post office people in this country so that I really had no cause for my growl.

Next Sunday, I propose setting out for the District to indulge myself in company with some more of us with a little more ‘Pig sticking’ (you must get rather tired of the mention of so much of it I should imagine). We are going and to stay about five & thirty miles from this on the ‘Goowlee’ river, with a civilian of the name of Ross, brother to the crack Rifle shot of England. He promises us no end of sport; says the Boars are tremendous and very vicious.

My stable is not improving much. I have still the Mare & my Horse lame, but ‘Colopus’ starts tomorrow to be in readiness for Monday morning at day break, and ‘Marksman’, although a bit lame, will have to bear his share in carrying me occasionally.

A party starts for Lucknow to be present at the Races. I should like much to go but not having any money to spare think I had better stay away. Sampson takes up all the Fyzabad ‘Cracks’ in his charge. He is a very fair ‘Jock’ & will doubtless improve the occasion.

It has been rather cooler again until today. The returning heat has given me the slightest possible touch of fever.

My great enjoyment here daily is the bath which, in common with everything else in the Station, we have built since we came & I have no doubt on this account appreciate it more highly as we know what Fyzabad was without its bath.

How is the Company business progressing? I hope the chance may not be allowed to slip away. One is in such ignorance out here of the direction affairs are taking, that you must not mind my constant recurrence to the same topic. I know I ought to be perfectly satisfied, with my Father & John on the look out for anything which may turn up in my favour. I ought not to be uneasy or overanxious on the subject but still I must own I shall be excessively pleased when something definite is arranged & settled. I wonder we have heard nothing of or from Steuart. I suppose though matrimony has driven the thoughts of everything else out of his head.

Holroyd our new Captain is trying to get home. I do not know whether his promotion will affect his chance. I think it will. He does not appear to. If he succeeds I must get him to call on you. He is a very nice fellow indeed, small & very young looking; inclined to be a little cock sparrow but a thorough little gentleman in everything he does. His people live at Colchester.

Talking of any place in that part of England puts me in mind of Marshalls. You have, I think given it up for good have not you. I feel as if I should enjoy a ramble about the grounds there amazingly.

I always forget Helen, having seen so little of her (no pun intended really) before leaving England; that is now over three years ago. I forget unfortunately exactly how many inches I used, at her time of life, to grow in a fixed No. of months, but I expect the difference between what she was as I knew her and what she is now would surprise even me, although as a rule I cannot say that very small children interest me. You must tell me if she comes up to what your ideas of a daughter led you to expect – or do you find her, on the other hand, as bad a bargain as your sons.

I am sorry to hear that my Father still suffers so much from those horrid pains. I so hope they are getting better? He seems to be able to go about pretty well, but I dislike hearing of so much opium being required to be taken.

I am glad to see by your letter that you are able to get John with you so constantly. What a relief it must be to both my Father & you to have your eldest son always handy to fall back on and to know that he is near you in England.

When does Pennington* intend returning? He is like all the rest; once away from us & clear of us, it is very difficult to get any people who have gone home to return.

So this letter will reach you I suppose about the end of the April showers when, as the nursery rhymes used to lead us to suppose, there will be some prospect of the summer Flowers appearing. I wonder whether all you who live at home in ease appreciate them as much as I should if I got a chance just now, instead of an Indian Summer.

Hoping you are all well, with love to Helen & all

I remain,

your affect. son

J D Laurie

* Pennington – Assistant surgeon to 34th Regiment