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26 May 62 John Halifax Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Halifax, Nova Scotia
May 26th /62
My dear Mother
Colonel Laurie has been on a tour of inspection for the last ten or twelve days and was afraid he would not get in or be able to write before the next mail for England went out, but having a horse, a useful horse, one after your own heart, he was able to drive 30 and 40 miles a day and so got though his work quickly.
I got in, two days ago, quite tired of the country and almost more of its inhabitants. Ham and eggs is not bad for a change, but for three or four days for all meals & no variety, it rather palls. I received no hospitality, in spite of all their self-praise and swagger, from the natives except from one who asked me in to brandy and water after an inspection of his company.
I met two English people, one an old serjeant of the Rifle Brigade, now commanding a Volunteer company and he gave me a good lunch. Another, a Northumbrian, Col. Scott, (dubbed Colonel for having organised two companies of Volunteers from amongst the miners under him) who manages the Albion Coal Mines here, asked me to his house and there I stayed from Saturday until Tuesday, during which time I felt & was made so comfortable that I was perfectly miserable. They were an especially comfortable family. Mrs Scott homely & sensible – everything in very nice order & both house and grounds really to match. The shrubberies, paths, gardens etc. were quite after your own heart. The family the same. No pretensions & therefore the more pleasant. They seemed so happy that their very happiness made me miserable, and sorry as I was to say goodbye to them, I was yet, oddly enough, quite glad to get away, altho’ merely to resume my solitary life which is in marked and painful contrast to theirs.
I inspected some eight companies of Volunteers & some of my Militia Students who are doing well. This is very thinly peopled country so we cannot expect to get large bodies of men together, so we must get them in small bodies. There seems, by all the papers, to be still a good chance of war, so I may not have come out on a bootless expedition after all.
In case of war, I might very possibly get something good & which would give me a claim for better things by & bye.
May 29th
I began this letter betimes, * wishing to get as much as possible written before the mail came in, so as then to answer any questions etc. but one thing and another have interfered and here at the last moment I am writing against time to send off something in the shape of a letter. I must leave all others over until next mail. Duties have interfered much with my time. Gl Doyle has forwarded my application for the rank and advantage granted to Inspectors of Volunteers in England and I may get that & become really a Lieut Col in our own army. Cannot Mr Heath manage this. I cannot see that there need be any difficulty about it, as I am really entitled to it – at any rate, there is nothing like asking. ‘No askee, no havee’ says the n and he is right.
Mrs Westmacott has been very unwell, so I sent her some of Peter’s tea, which I am keeping to give away, as I do not think I appreciate it sufficiently. Or rather, it affords more pleasure to give it to others than to drink it myself.
I think I have told you in the earlier part of my letter all worth knowing about this country. It is a curious place – plenty of wood, plenty of water, the soil full of minerals, the people industrious, and yet poor. I cannot make it out unless it be that they have no energy to make the most of the advantages the place offers. The winters are long, and then the people are ship builders or miners. In summer they go to their farms and cultivate, yet we find the agricultural districts importing grain for consumption. They try too many trades & do none well. The young men go away to seek their fortune in the States. That is a bad sign in a country.
Away to the N.E. amongst the Scotch, bare feet amongst the children seemed the rule: shoes the exception, and this mostly from poverty. The only time I have seen such a thing in America. They all cry out for capital to come to the country but if they cannot make capital, the rich man would probably lose his. What Nova Scotia would be without the Government Expenditure I cannot think. The fleet and Army spend enormous sums and it seems to be all swallowed up. If there are people here with money, they keep it to themselves & do not entertain. I have been to three dances. Two we gave ourselves. The third was given by an officer of the Commissariat. So much for the gaiety and hospitality of Halifax.
I wish I could sketch. I should like to send you pictures of myself soldiering in North America in a spider wagon * in the roughest of plain clothes, with a fast trotting horse in front and portmanteau behind – sword and cocked hat under the seat. Rather a change from careering about on a camel with a hat weighing pounds on my head, obsequious natives ready to obey the ‘Sahib’s’ orders. This is certainly seeing the world, but it is not the usually received idea of soldiering.
I have to be glib of tongue too, to say something to each Volunteer Company that will keep them close to their drill and yet soap them. So far and I have inspected some eight or ten. I have got on well. My doings are all chronicled in the local papers. Col. Laurie inspected, complimented, expressed satisfaction, not to relax attendance etc. etc. so it goes on. Perhaps great fun for them: certainly very stupid for me. I wish it may be of service to me. I shan’t then mind the price I have paid.
I don’t want to write a dissatisfied letter, to come out in Alfred’s style, but at the same time the labourer is worthy of his hire and my hire here is very small. The concomitant advantages are not great and I might be doing better for myself elsewhere. However I hope for the best & keep on. I can just keep myself & must hope that if I am doing no good, I am doing no harm.
I am afraid I am getting into a grumbling mood which I must avoid, but Halifax has a good deal to answer for in the way of sowing temper. I’m rather vexed too that I cannot get a horse at all fit for a heavy man, which distinction I fear I lay claim to. I don’t like to pay a long price as my work exposes them very much and they get a good deal knocked about. Fortunately I know something about horses and either groom them or see it done myself. The feeding of course I am obliged to watch, and in that way a horse cannot suffer much, altho’ perhaps he would be a deal better off in his own stable.
The Europa, with the mail, has just come in, and there is a chance of my answering your letters – altho’, as I am dining at one of the Messes tonight, I shall not have time to dilate * much on what I hear.
The Boston boat has been detained seven hours at Boston and we hear in consequence of important despatches from Lord Lyons. We are all hoping that there is mischief brewing. I want Lieut. Colonelcy so much that I look forward to war. Somehow or other, I feel ten years older than I did when I came home from India, probably growing up together as lads in the same regiment, we still looked upon one another as boys. Here I am more associated with men of a certain standing and, placed as their equal, find myself in a very different position. I suppose it has come in this way. The change certainly has taken place.
May 30th
Got your letter and one from my Father last night; another from Hunt. I hope Capn Hill is a nice fellow, as he will be an acquisition for Julius. My Father’s attempt for the Croix d’Honeur has failed. I was afraid we should not succeed. Still, there was no harm in trying.
I’m sorry that Northall Laurie thinks Alexander Laurie * wrong in what he is doing. From what I saw, I do not see that he can well do much else than farm. He is sharp enough, but his deafness is a great obstacle to his going into business.
You forgot to send me Alfred’s carte de visite which you said you had enclosed. About Geneva and learning French and German at the same place, I think not. It will be neither one or the other, or rather both with an accent.
I want a Colonel on the Staffs’ sword belt – and an undress sword knot, also gold lace – staff pattern – enough for two pair of trousers about six yards. I find I may as well accept the dress of my position and as I need change nothing but what I have written here, it will not come expensive. Andrews in Dean Street will get this. Keep them by you, and send them out by an opportunity. The other way is expensive. You will probably hear of some person coming out. Porter, who is very useful has asked me to write for a burnisher, for brightening steel, so please add that to any things you may be sending.
Mrs Gill has increased the population, following the others.
I will write to Helen by next mail. There is no time now. I’m very hurried & must make special interest to get this on board as the mail has closed. The old Niagara again.
With kind love to all
Believe me ever
Your affectionate Son
J Wimburn Laurie
[Written –as a PS – across the top of the first page]
I must congratulate my Father on C. Hawkins’ report. I trust that he may prove a true prophet with the care and self-denial my Father practises. What is the reason No.2 will not lat.
* betimes – early
* spider wagon – a light cart having a high body and large slenderly constructed wheels
* dilate – write at length on
* Alexander Laurie – the elder brother, then aged 30 years, of Margaret (who had been informally adopted by Sir Peter). John had visited him in Barrie, ON, 31st March 1862. (See John’s diary) He died in Toronto in 1898