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17 Jul 61 Julius Fyzabad Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Fyzabad
17-7-61
My dear Mother
Our mails are most perplexing here. I imagine the arrangement the PO people carry out is to send off our letters to England the day before the English Mail arrives here, so that now although there is an English Mail due between this & tomorrow night, still write & post I must, before its arrival.
So the individual who thus pours out on indifferent Indian note paper the feelings he experiences is, to his own knowledge (and perhaps to the world at large) but a simple Lieutenant and Acting Adjutant, and the space of time to be traversed previous to his being able to sign himself a Captain is to him at present an unknown quantity.
Your remark about ‘the Cup – Many a Slip – and the lip’ often recalls itself to my memory. I hate writing while in a state of uncertainty about anything. Now I am afflicted by two other matters, food for doubt & uncertainty.
1st, the Box which I really think, after about 10 letters, is now on its way between this & Lucknow – but I will not believe is all right it until I see it, as during last week I had occasion to go into Lucknow on business of an urgent nature and the road reminded me much of a cross between a good English Duck pond & a Scotch Moor without any heather on it.
First you are up to your horses’ girths in a soft sort of mud resembling a quick-sand & then out of that into, for India, a most refreshing slush.
The Bridges are also worthy of mention as they are, to say the least, in most cases still standing notwithstanding that the road leading up to & from is generally carried away by – or rather absorbed into – the surrounding water for a few feet on each side.
If you have an active horse he jumps cleverly on to the Bridge & then off again without bestowing any thoughts on the gap looking down about 20 feet (and into which a more awkward animal might possibly put his hoof) and you go on your way rejoicing.
But if you ride, as I had to, a native Indian tattoo picked up in a native Bazaar at or after 9 o’clock at night when it is, at this season of the year, quite dark, (my horses had got somehow wrong – two Stages were together, so one ten mile Stage I was without a mount) then indeed do you really fully appreciate all the different features of the case & the advantages of a comfortable horse when you get home.
Well, I began by talking about the box which I really am beginning to expect & the arrival of which shall be notified to you. My object in going to Lucknow was to be examined for the PH,* the honour of which degree I have really worked hard to gain.
They will keep me two months in suspense & then most probably spin me – at least this is their custom with most people. The examination papers have to go down to the great language-wala in Calcutta & last time, out of twenty candidates at the Lucknow Board, collected from all parts of the Country, but four passed – so that I am not very keenly expectant.
I get on of course very well with the Adjutant’s work (I think now a days I could turn my hand to most things connected with routine and the red tape of a Regt) but for one reason I shall be glad of my Company as at present I am tied in a little more than I like & do not get half enough exercise and fresh air.
Sir Richard* & I get on very well indeed together & I would not wish for a better man to be under. I have come to an arrangement with Wyse who I think will probably succeed me, that I am to keep the Adjutant’s Allowance up to October even if I get this Company.
23-7-61
I did not send my former letter which is hereto annexed. I am now glad of it, as it will enable you to look on this side of the picture & on that.
By the last Mail, four days ago, came to me the joyful intelligence of my really having gained my promotion & what I assure you was to me quite as pleasing, all your kind congratulations of the event. How can I thank you all?
The usual phrases sound so commonplace and appear more a matter of form & I know you will all give me credit for feeling more than common joy & thankfulness on the occasion.
There being ample time before the departure of the next Mail, I have taken time to consider before answering all your kind letters & now I don’t seem to see my way quite clearly.
I must tell you that before I had recovered from the first shock of delight I had to support myself to sustain another, for the morning after I heard of my Company, I found the Box of which I received intimation three mails ago, travelling about the Station and, having hastened its progress home, I then & there in a moral manner, devoured its contents – and now I have to thank you all again.*
Upon my word, I almost begin to wish I had said nothing about it as I have not yet said ‘thank you’ in at all a polite manner for the 1st count in this my note.
But I was so pleased with all its contents – Shirts, collars, socks, handkerchiefs, flannels & all the nice little things I could have desired, and now I think of it, you have never told me who I have to thank for all the pretty things.
Helen & yourself are the individuals to whom I think I am most indebted for thoughtfulness in my behalf. I see also a very nice watch case from John & a neat little almanac from Frank.
I know well that your usual kindness has prompted you to include many of the little presents to me but I also feel sure that there are many other tokens of remembrance or affection from others, to whom, not knowing their names, I am unable to offer the thanks I would wish to.
Will you please explain to each individually the state of the case and how I wish I could express my feelings personally or at any rate by letter.
There were three pairs of boots, very strong looking ones, one pr. lace, two spring sided which will come in most usefully.
I cannot tell how you could have got everything so well fitted to me – the shirts, boots, &c. are capital – the boots a little long but that is no serious fault. There is only one point to which I must refer with anything but pleasure & that is the little case of pictures.
Now don’t think that I am not appreciating them sufficiently, for I really am delighted at receiving them but I see in my Father’s picture such a sad change from that which I brought out with me. I did not previously bring home to my understanding clearly, that my Father was so much altered.
But there again it may be, and I sincerely hope it is but a change in appearance and that, although he still suffers a good deal too much, he is nothing like so bad as he looks.
I am writing a letter to him by this mail in which I shall discuss many matters. I am glad Sir Peter & Mr Northall* approve of my Father’s having purchased my promotion, as that shows that even in a monetary light, it has been a wise move.
On Saturday night we baptised the Company in Champagne at the mess & I received the congratulation of all hands. As soon as ever the promotion appears in General Orders in this country, I vacate the Adjutancy & return (at any rate for the present) to my old labours of M.I.-ship.
I shall not regret giving up the Adjutancy as although I believe I can get on with all the Officers & can manage the men as well as most people, there is something too sedentary about the work to please me. Too much office work, whereas I prefer the outdoor work.
I fancy the Colonel would have preferred my remaining his Adjutant, but both he & Lady Kelly warmly congratulated me.
I have sent in for two months leave from 10th August to go for a little rest in company with Boyce & Jordan* to the Hills. I have never yet been there & intend taking the opportunity of visiting Delhi & Agra on my way and hope to enjoy myself & come back in the beginning of the cold weather, fresh & ready for the Drill & Pig Sticking Season. This is my fourth hot weather in the Plains. There are only two Officers in the Regt. – Boyce & myself – who have done that amount & have never gone away.
28th July 1861
I am writing a regular mail bag-full of letters by this post. I have not mentioned the Cards. They are capital. I rather wish you had sent a few more as Capt. Laurie intends to do the Hills in a correct manner. By the way, there is a discrepancy in the Nos. of boots mentioned by my Father as being in the box & those which came. There were actually 2 pair Side Spring Boots, 1 pr. lace boots.
Now would you thank everyone sufficiently for me for all their presents & good wishes on my promotion & with best love to you & many thanks for all your kindness, I am yr. affect son
J D Laurie
Love to Helen –
By this mail I shall write to Sir Peter & Miss Prater –
I am not yet in orders (in this country) as a Capt.
* PH – Passed Hindustani. Despite this pessimism, General Orders, Queen’s Troops, dated Calcutta, 30th August 1861, No. 140 included ‘The undermentioned Officers have passed their examinations in Hindoostanee ..... Lieutenant J.D. Laurie, 34th Foot’
* Sir Richard – Colonel Kelly
* thank you all again – His 21st birthday was the previous December
* Northall – Peter Northall-Laurie, Julius’ father’s first cousin who had added Northall to his name as a condition of inheritance from Sir Peter Laurie’s wife’s maiden sister Catherine Jack, in 1850, in memory of their mother
* Jordan – Lt. Lutley Jordan