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20 Oct 61 Julius Fyzabad Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Fyzabad

20 – 10 – 61

My dear Mother

I have been back here * now about ten days, but have had a good deal one way and another to do, which has kept me from writing.

Of course now a days I am rather an influential personage and if Capt. Boyce, who manages the Mess & most other things in the Regt. had gone home with the invalids as he had expected, being the only unmarried Capt, I should have had to have stepped into his shoes. Luckily for me & indeed for us all, his leave to go has been refused.

Then besides having to look up the Mess arrangements & accounts in order to be prepared in case of his departure, I have had to rub up the M.I. people who had got the least possible bit rusty in my absence and I had to introduce myself and a few of my pet arrangements to the ninety or so men who do me the honour to consider themselves in my Company. The Colonel has been very good in appointing me to No. 10, the old Light Company of the Regt. – without doubt the best in the Regt. although, of course, when I was in No. 7, I would not allow it. How could I? The material is the best in the Regt. The rest can all be made: smartness, discipline etc.

You know how particularly fortunate I have been, getting successfully through the P.H. Exam and landing the Regt. No. 1 in M.I. in India. There is still only one difficulty to be overcome & that is my bad luck in horse flesh. I can not get on without riding & some how or other, I cannot ride without laming my horses. I got one of 16 hands & broad in proportion & said ‘well now, there is no fear’. In a quiet ride of 14 or 15 miles yesterday, I find I have strained his back sinew. Bad luck to those sinews. They are always coming to grief with me, and just at the commencement of the cold weather too, when we intend enjoying ourselves as much as is possible in India.

By the bye, since our return, we have not done badly. We had a farewell dance to Capt. Boyce and a Pic Nic by moonlight on the river down to Ajoodhyr (about 7 miles off) last night to rejoice over the order countermanding his leave. All our people are getting married and all the married people are joining the Regt. which in Edinburgh [sees] the Colonel & the junior Ensign alone married; there is Mr Wyse, whose wife, by the way has turned out very well, & Major Jordan * & Mr Malcolm * have arrived or are shortly to arrive at Calcutta, both having taken unto themselves brides since leaving us.

You wanted a ‘carte de visite’ so I send you two bad ones (all black & white) done at Mussoorie * which will no doubt you will duly appreciate. No.1 of course you’ll keep & No.2 dispose of to the best advantage i.e. as you like best. I wish you wd. send me out some more. I think they are very nice little things & should like to [have] a collection of them. Now Mary, for instance, might let me have one to show me how the last 4 years have treated her. And the boys too, I should like to renew my acquaintance with. You must tell me if you think me altered. I think the face does not come out so badly as the rest.

I am glad to hear you are all enjoying your selves so much in Worthing.

With best love to all, not forgetting the small sister,

Believe me

Yr affect Son

JDLaurie

* back here now – he had been away on two months’ leave in the Hills. See his letter 28 Jul 1861

* Major Jordan – Maj. Joseph Jordan

* Mr Malcolm – Ensign George Malcolm