. . . . . . . . . . . . 'I must see the dhobey' . . . . . . . . . . . Letters from a Colonial Wife

June 13th, '08 - One feels burnt through by the heat

2010-06-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

Midlands, Maymyo

June 13, '08

My dear Arthur

I was glad to get your letter and good wishes for coming events; you will have the cable probably before this reaches you.

Richard wants you to be very careful in dealing with Mr MacDonell; he has not been re-appointed to the Secretaryship to the Legislative Council of Burma and this I take it to be rather a ‘slap in the face’ but being out of Rangoon society now I do not hear the inward meaning of these things.

Of course it all depends how much he offers you and guarantees, but unless this is very much better than you are likely to attain to at home, it would be better, I should say, not to throw in your lot with him, but to stick to home where, if things are on a more modest scale you have not the nightmare of being invalided home suddenly by the climate and the shattering of all your prospects thereby, which haunts so many people here, especially when they are not entitled to a pension at any moment.

We are pulling along quietly – both Richard and I feeling the days when we are apart dragging a good deal, but the time is half over now and we hope to have a really good house by the cold weather so that I hope it will not be necessary to look forward to so long a time apart again.

With a well-built house, well sheltered by verandahs it is possible to remain in the hot weather when it was impossible for me to do so this year in the little wooden barn like places, which alone were available.

It is difficult to give anyone an idea of the heat. Sometimes it seems very bearable; at other times, if one is the least bit seedy, one feels burnt through by it. There were many days when one felt one’s skin even too hot a covering.

At night Richard spreads a piece of matting over the wire mattress of his bedstead and lies on this in the thinnest silk pyjamas. Pillows and ordinary mattresses are unbearable the moment it gets at all hot. Some people water their mat to make it feel cool before lying on it.

When one has never lived in a temperature considerably hotter than blood heat, it is impossible to realise the feel of it. Here, of course, I do not get such intense heat but it is often uncomfortably hot and nearly always as hot as oppressively hot summers at home.

With much love,
your affectionate sister,
Enid

June 13, ‘08 - Yearning for home

2010-06-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Midlands, Maymyo

June 13, ‘08

My dear Arthur

This is just a line to congratulate you on your progress in public and private life. I feel sure that you would be rash to throw up now the footing that you have got on the ladder in order to come East.

As I said at the time, the opening was one which I thought you might like to know of as you wished to be told of such things but at the same time I thought there were many reasons why you should decide against it. No-one who has not tried it can realise the feeling of being thousands of miles away from one’s country and people and home friends, even if one has one’s nearest and dearest with one. Richard’s heart as well as mine is often yearning for home and we look forward greedily to our first trip back.

The Churchwardenship is a very honourable post and I hope your energy may help to bolster up the old Church. You will have a pleasant colleague in Mr Gifford. About the Masonic honours, I cannot say much as I do not understand them, but Richard will know what it means.

It seems odd to hear of tennis beginning as, now the rains have broken, we consider our summer more than half over. I hope the day is not far distant when I can take up games again which I have never been able to do out here.

With much love,
your affectionate sister,
Enid

Please will you ask Mother to let me know what I owe her for the jackets and socks she sent me.

May 24, '08 - The tennis season is in full swing

2010-06-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Midlands
Maymyo

May 24th, '08

My dear Arthur

I have written rather extensively to Mother this week and also slept late this morning with the result that there is only a minute or two to catch the mail so I must refer you to the other family letters for news.

The tennis season is now, I suppose, in full swing.

I am very pleased to hear about your Churchwardenship. In fact I am more and more convinced that it would be a great pity for you to throw up the position you have now joined in order to take up anything out here that was not a directly Governmental post of a permanent nature with pension attached where your prospects would have no element of risk.

Anything else is rather too much like exchanging two ‘birds in the bush’ for ‘one in the hand’ and I think you would be wisest to stick to your ‘one in hand’.

I must write next month to Margery W to congratulate her on her success with pictures.

Much love in haste,
Enid

Feb 16th, '08 - It is the stamp of the man that is poor

2010-06-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

MANDALAY

Feb 16, 08

My dear Arthur

The rush of events has made me forget the long time necessary for a birthday letter to reach you so I fear this will arrive some time after the day. Enclosed is a little present. I had no idea of what to send as shops are not very suggestive here but I saw this and send it as a remembrance to wish you many happy returns of the Day.

I ought to be at Church now but as the service is at 7a.m. today and the Church nearly two miles off and I was a little tired I stayed at home.

Richard is as usual busy with the sick. He often goes to see his free patients – missionaries and nuns and so forth – on Sunday and seldom has much time for Church-going. However I consider that tending the sick is at least as virtuous as hearing a very poor sermon.

I must say that the Church of England does for the most part get the very poorest set of men here that one can imagine. The Vicar of St Saviour’s would be a good preacher compared with the usual thing we get here, not that the preaching matters much; it is the stamp of the man that is poor; and the pay is good – 5 or 6 hundred a year too.

The Earthquake has been the event of the week; I have written a description to Mother.

With much love,
your affectionate sister,
Enid

Jan 18th, '08 - A murder trial

2010-02-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

MANDALAY Jan 18, 08

Dear Arthur

I have sealed up Father’s and Mother’s letters but will you tell Mother that the draft I spoke of will come by next mail if it does not come by this; it is for some things I have asked her to get for me.

I am glad to hear that business is brightening a little. There is one thing about life at home in England; everyone round you does not know the exact figure of your income and you don’t get the change for everything priced according to your known income as we do.

For instance, no Lt. Col’s wife, however good a manager she is, can hope to do her housekeeping on the same as a Captain’s wife, nor can she secure servants at the same price; they all know the difference in the incomes. I suppose it is only fair.

It is still delightfully cool but after next month the hot weather will begin.

Richard was away in Rangoon for three days this week and also goes back again on Sunday to attend a murder trial. A Chinaman was murdered and a native was arrested on his own confession. Afterwards however he said the confession was extracted from him by the policeman who held the ends of two lighted cigars to his shoulders to force him to confess.

There is some slight point in the evidence which points to the fact that the policeman may have done the murder himself so the whole issue rests partly on whether Richard says that two boils on the man’s shoulders (which were noticed when he entered Jail) could or could not have been caused in the way suggested.

Mrs Coggan is probably coming to stay with me next week for a few days.

I am trying to work off some arrears of answers to Xmas letters and have not nearly got through them.

With love,
your affectionate sister, Enid

The sketch is one sent to Richard as a joke by Mr Dartmouth here. He is an I.C.S. man, son of Canon Duckworth.

Dec 28th '07 - Hunt the Thimble at the Mackennas

2010-01-24T15:57:00.000-08:00

MANDALAY

Dec 28 ‘07

My dear Arthur

The packet of games arrived on Xmas Eve at a time when our furniture and packing cases were being delivered, so we left your parcel unopened until Christmas morning.

Thanks very much for the unique collection of games; Wibble-wobble I know. You would not think them too childish for us if you had seen us all (everyone married and many of them parents) playing at Dumb Crambo and Hunt the Thimble on Christmas evening at the Mackennas. The Diabolo set is much choicer than any one I have seen out here and the air-ball game looks truly exciting.

I have given either Father or Mother a full account of our Xmas festivities. We drank to the health and happiness of ‘Friends and Relations at Home’ and generally did our best to feel as Xmasy as possible, but of course one misses the faces of one’s family and no kindness of friends can ever make up for that.

I had a letter from Mrs Chaplin written from Hong Kong yesterday and also one from Gladys Roberts a few days before in which she describes her house and says they are going lion hunting for Xmas.

We have worked hard on the house and after six days we are really quite settled in. But we shall probably have to move again in two or three months time as this is so far from the hospital.

There is a feeling in the air here sometimes which reminds me of the Southwold air. How I sometimes long for a breath of Southwold wind and the salt bite in the air; the view from the windows of Fairlea on a fine windy morning is one that often haunts me; one gets so weary of the still haze and unblinking sun. It is much better though in Mandalay, for the early mornings are deliciously cold and dark.

The 89th Punjabi’s mess is giving a dance on New Year’s night to which we are invited. Unfortunately I have to join the dowagers now*, so dances pall after a certain time and I get to take that interest in supper which only those who don’t dance can really sympathise with. I don’t suppose we shall stay late though as Richard has a great deal of work to do. We are thinking of having the first of the Xmas puddings cooked that evening.

With much love, your affectionate sister, Enid

* By now, Enid was pregnant with her first child.

Nov 18th '07 - Unrest in India

2010-01-24T15:51:00.000-08:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON,

Nov 18 ‘07

Dear Arthur

Many thanks for your letter written from the North. As you say, it is impossible to build much on these appointments where there are so many candidates, but certainly it sounds a suitable sort of thing for you.
I am much distressed to hear that Grandma is not very well and am expecting with some anxiety the next mail when I hope to hear she is well again.

Father speaks in his letter of the unrest in India. I do not think, and it is not suggested here, that this is at all traceable to the European education of young pure natives; on the contrary, the well-educated natives are the ones who realise that the Government of Eastern races must be strong and that socialistic ideas are not understood here and any attempt to propagate them is looked upon as weakness.

No! the discontent is chiefly among the partly educated classes and many people think it is due to the loss of prestige of all European Governments in their eyes by the defeat of the Russians by the Japanese. They had been accustomed before to look upon any struggle with a European power as out of the question.

Of course, Keir Hardie has done incalculable harm and if he has not actually put the match to the revolutionary fire, he has at least precipitated matters by several years. Indeed it is impossible yet to say what he is responsible for, for the gross ignorance of all Eastern question and problems which he displayed is maddening to men who have spent years and sometimes their lives in trying to safeguard the British prestige, only to see their work pulled down by one of their own Government. The Government should prosecute him and put him in prison just as they have the other political agitators in India, but unfortunately the Liberal and Labour party would never consent to this.

It seems to me that the Liberal Party has achieved nothing but a complete mess of Ireland and it seems likely of India too, if they are going to allow such things as Keir Hardie’s tour.

I hope to get some, at least, of my Christmas things off by next parcel mail, but I am so horribly busy.

With love, your affectionate sister
Enid

Nov 4th '07 - Just the thing for tennis parties

2009-12-13T04:47:00.000-08:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, Nov 4 ‘07

Dear Arthur

This is a letter to little more than thank you for yours, as I have already written seven letters for the mail and feel pretty well emptied of news. Also it is quite too hot to work hard at writing – over 92 in the house and more outside and as the prisoners are at work on the house, whitewashing etc there are no curtains up and there is not even that protection from the outside heat. Fortunately I feel it a good deal less than some people.

We are as gay as we can desire with dinners, teas, tennis parties etc. Our own court is being marked out today and will, I think, be very pleasant as it is on the shady side of the Jail wall and is entirely overshadowed by about 4 o’clock. I have just been buying a net and balls for it.

With love, your affectionate sister, Enid

I have invented a new drink, christened pummalade because it is made from pummaloes; it is much appreciated by all who dine here. I always make it myself as the process is rather long and requires perseverance. It is just the thing for tennis parties and has the advantage that pummaloes are considered the most healthy of the Burma fruits.

20 Oct '07 - Rather steamy and somewhat trying

2009-12-13T03:35:00.000-08:00

Jail House, 20 Oct ‘07

Dear Arthur

I have written descriptively to Mother. In your letter you say that Diabolo is the rage now. What sort of a game is it? If it is something requiring only simple and cheap equipment, you might send out a set, for anything new in the way of after dinner amusement is much appreciated.

I am feeling very fit now; I think I had the reaction last week which has hitherto resulted in an abscess for, just as before, my face became very bad and one place threatened to be troublesome, but fortunately, the treatment I have been undergoing seems to have given my blood strength to withstand the reaction for it passed off in a few days so probably the trouble is decreasing and the blood is getting all right again.

There is nothing really to add to what I have written to Mother; we are expecting soon to hear some news about future appointments. There is a strong rumour in Bassein that we are going there, but I do not know if there is anything in it.

The weather is not so very hot, but when fine, is rather steamy and somewhat trying, but I am feeling so much better that I do not mind it. I hear from Ella that Joyce Thomas’ wedding is off – incompatibility of temper, she says.

With much love, Enid

If anything should come of the Malay States affair, you must of course allow time for a visit here first.

A letter from Richard - 'My little one enjoys the light fantastic'

2009-12-13T02:50:00.000-08:00

Jail House, 20 Oct ‘07

My dear Arthur

Very many thanks for your letter. Many events have happened since, so I do not know where to begin. We have just received our invitation for the reception and all of us here to go in our mess dress etc, so this will be the first time I am going to wear my mess uniform.

My dear Enid is going in her wedding dress – the sights right to please her Dear Eyes as the dress and uniform will be raised. My little girl is now realising that she has come to a fishing village!! We have been twice to the races which she also enjoyed and took a great interest in the dresses etc.

We saw ‘Pinafore’ on Saturday night, given by the Rangoon Lyric Society. Considering it was an amateur show, it was decidedly good – the men were better than the ladies. The lover wants a good many lessons yet in the science and art of love maturing. Tonight we are going to the Lake to hear the Devons’ Band. This will be another new sight for the dear one and I hope she will enjoy it.

Football is over. The Devon won one event and the RGA won another. The Rugby matches were hard and the men were exhausted.

My little one enjoys the light fantastic dances at the Gymkhana. I am sending you a short note about it. There is a list of dances they go through. Last night we went out to dinner and got introduced to a new game called ‘puff-ball’ which was very interesting. Everyone is getting ready for the Viceroy when there ought to be many very nice entertainments, some of which I will also be new to. Hope you are fit….

Richard

Oct 7 ‘07 - A jolly little woman, but inclined to ‘put her foot in it’

2009-11-19T14:14:00.000-08:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, Oct 7 ‘07

Dear Arthur

I was very glad to get your two long letters – one written immediately on your arrival at Nevin and the other after your visits to the Snowden country. It all sounds very nice and refreshing to us in this hot weather. I think the impression our Norway trip left on us was much the same as yours – the somewhat mixed company makes the decent people inclined to be somewhat suspicious, even of each other and sometimes quite the least worthy people dominate the society.

It is holiday time here too, but not for us, as Richard could not get away. There are distinct signs of some changes of station that may affect us; and in case I think we shall know in the course of a few weeks whether we are likely to be here some time or be moved to Bassein or Mandalay in the course of time. Col Russell, who is just senior to Richard has resigned the service owing to health and there is a likelihood of another Lt.Col. doing so too and if so, it helps to clear the way in front, so it is an ill wind that blows no-one good. If only we had any other Lieutenant Governor. than Sir Thirkell White. Everyone complains of his want of justice. There was such rejoicing because there was a rumour that he was given a place on the Indian Council and so would be moving, but it proved to be untrue, to everyone’s disappointment.

We have done much boating and are getting devoted to the Boat Club; it is always so cool and nice there and the ladies and gentlemen all sit together instead of being sorted as at the Gymkhana, but everyone goes to the gym on dance nights and band nights.

Mrs Buchanan and I have exchanged calls but as we were both out, I have only exchanged a few words of regret at missing her etc. He – Mr Buchanan – was one of the men black-balled at the Boat Club; he does not look nearly as nice as his brothers; she is a jolly little woman, but one who is inclined to ‘put her foot in it’.

Other news I have given to Mother.

With much love, Enid

Sep 16 ‘07 - The lemonades disappear by the dozen

2009-11-19T14:05:00.000-08:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, Sep 16 ‘07

Dear Arthur

I suppose that on the date that I am writing, you are either with Winnie or have just left her.
As usual I have sent a long budget to Mother and there is not much to add.

We are having our tennis court prepared for the cool weather; when all is ready I hope to give some simple tennis parties, as these are much appreciated and are not an expensive form of entertainment.

Unfortunately the number of whiskies and sodas consumed at any kind of function make entertaining always rather expensive here. Also the lemonades and ginger ale disappear by the dozen when a few young men are playing tennis. I generally keep a stock of about seven dozen of mineral waters in the store room.

Everyone who comes to see our house for the first time is delighted with both the house and garden; we have spent a good deal of pains on both and have planted I might almost say hundreds of plants and bushes etc, widened the sweep of the drive, put carpet bedding under the bamboo clumps. All this costs little as the prisoners supply the labour and the Jail-garden the plants; it just takes trouble, that is all.

As for myself, I am always busy. Besides helping Richard, which I sometimes do for an hour a day, I have always innumerable small jobs to do; you see there is no-one who can sew a stitch but myself and there is no shop round the corner to send things to, so all one’s hat renovations, pipe-claying topees, washing and cleaning gloves, mending etc has to be done at home. Then one keeps everything not in actual use locked up – household linen, curtains, plate dresses, boots etc – and inventories are kept of the things given to the stables, to the Butler etc and monthly checkings taken. It is necessary to count over all one’s stock of things fairly often or things dwindle extraordinarily. Even fire wood I give out day by day. Most evenings are devoted to recreation in some form – boating, riding, driving, walking or dancing; among the Bridge players, the one recreation which takes the place of everything else is
Bridge'.

I must see the dhobey.

With much love,Enid

August 16th '07 - Very amusing conversationalists

2009-10-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, August 16th 07

My dear Arthur

This is only a short note as I have written news to Mother and Father, but am not certain that you will be with them when this arrives.

I am much better now and I do not think my chin will be scarred at all; at present the tissues are a little thickened but Richard hopes by treatment to bring this down; it was an extraordinary thing; it must have been such a long time coming they say, as there was some quite dead tissue inside the abscess – due possibly to some very malignant bite.

Major and Mrs des Voeux are staying here; I have been told stories of how trying she was as a visitor, but so far I have found her most considerate; in fact they keep entirely to their room until breakfast time (10.30) and their servant looks after everything for them and I have absolutely no bother at all.

Of course I have provided some easy chairs and writing table etc in their room which is a large one. They are very amusing conversationalists. I shall probably go round calling with her this evening while Richard goes riding with Major des Voeux. They have many friends in Rangoon and we were somewhat agreeably surprised that they elected to put up with us, in spite of the fact that Richard made me tell them that we are living very quietly etc. You will be glad to know that Mrs d.V. exclaimed with admiration of the silver tea set.

The book is making progress; I typed two sections yesterday; Richard finds it a great help to have the pages typewritten because it is so difficult to get the general effect of M.S.S, but typewriting has some of the advantages of printing and is so easy to revise.

We are thinking of joining the Boat Club now that the rains are nearly over, so that we can get the exercise of rowing and punting and canoeing in the evenings.

With much love, your affectionate sister

Enid

I am so glad to hear that you have got some jobs of your own. I have made careful enquiries from time to time about openings here but I cannot say that there seems to be much chance. You see there are now so many native barristers and pleaders and that keeps fees down as a native can live easily on what a European could not. E.

July 29th '07 - Teaching the ponies to jump

2009-10-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, July 29th 07

My dear Arthur

Just a very hasty note to thank you for your letter of last mail; for news I must refer you to Mother’s letter, which is a large budget.

There is little news to tell you, as we have not done anything special this week; we are going to fix up a post and a bamboo with which to teach our ponies to jump, or rather I should say Richard and Major Penny will, for I shall not attempt anything of the kind.

There is an excellent place in the compound for the purpose and Major Penny is an experienced trainer; first of all you have to get the pony to step over a bamboo raised a few inches from the ground, then gradually raise bamboo until the pony has to jump a little to get over it and then by degrees he can be trained to leap; not that we want to do much leaping, but the horses would be much increased in value if we wanted to sell them (and one never knows when that may be) and I could say that they were jumpers.

I must go and see how the piano is getting on in this damp weather; one has every now and then to put two little lamps inside to dry off any moisture.

With love, Enid

July 22nd, 1907 - days in quiet work, evenings in social amusement

2009-09-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, July 22nd '07

Dear Arthur

I am very glad you write and tell me how things are going with you. You see it can’t possibly do any harm to tell me all about it as we do not hear any news for so many weeks after it has taken place; of course it is impossible for me to say anything or offer any comments, as I am too far away from the scene of action; we can only feel sympathies etc in your trials and hope for the best issue.

I am glad too that there are some small signs of development visible in the profession; one must also remember too that there is advantage to oneself from earnest effort, even if it is not at once crowned with any outside fruit of labours. I am glad you did that case for the Council.

Here we are as usual spending the days in quiet work and the evenings in social amusement. A dinner here on Wednesday – a young man to dine on Thursday and a dinner at Mrs Hayne-Fox’s on Saturday followed by the theatre to see ‘Lady Windermere’s Fan’ performed very creditably. Then we usually go to the Gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and occasionally someone drops into tea, while during the hour between five and six o‘clock the callers come and I also pay my return calls.

I have written fully to Father and Mother this week, so have not much else to describe.
I will see about sending something to Frank Powell as a token of our good wishes and I have bought a present for Ada Kennedy , which I will send off by next mail – a table centre and 12 d’oyleys of white silk, hand-painted with Burmese figures and scenes.

With much love from us both,

Your affectionate sister

Enid

July 1st, 1907 - An offering of coconuts and mangoes

2009-09-24T15:05:00.000-07:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, July 1st, 1907

We had an amusing visit yesterday from the Archbishop of the Burmese priests – a quaint, benevolent old man; Richard never denies himself to any Burman who wants to see him because he thinks the Government officials should be accessible personally to the people and I think this is one of the reasons for his great popularity.

Also the priests have tremendous influence on the people. This old priest invited us to pay a visit to his Hpoongi-chang (pronounced ‘Pungi-choung’) or monastery, which we promised to do. Today a priest from the Hpoongi-chang opposite came to pay his respects and brought me an offering of coconuts and mangoes.

Yesterday we had the most glorious ride, the longest I have yet had; we started out at 6.30am and were out an hour and had a splendid canter in Dalhousie Park. My horse – David – has the most perfect fast trot and canter, but is rather jerky in his slow trot; Richard rode Jonathan, his horse, a splendid fellow, rather spirited.

Today I have been on a long shopping expedition in the town, getting photographic outfit to take photos of the house etc. This evening we are going to pay calls and then drive and finish up with dancing at the Gym.

I have such mounds of letters to write for the mail that I must finish up with much love and all best wishes.

Enid

June 30th, 1907 - Mrs Middleton's little cloud

2009-08-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, June 30th, 1907

Dear Arthur

I was very glad to get your letter with its confidential news. How glad we should be to hear that you had your heart’s desire and I can only now send you our best wishes for a successful issue. I will not say more about this now but it has been the dark side to my happiness that you were not able to feel hopeful and happy too. Let me know how things go. I think it would be better for me not to write to Gladys yet, but will gladly do so, if I hear good news from you.

Yes! It does seem strange that I should so happily go off with someone I have only known a little more than a year and if we had not loved each other deeply, I could not have felt so happy about it; but Richard grows more lovable every-day and although we both long desperately for home and to see you all, at the same time we are very happy and contented to look forward to a visit home in two or three years’ time.

Richard is indeed one in ten thousand; his goodness knows no bounds and the little cloud which Mrs Middleton managed to throw over the brightness of the future has vanished like smoke, for it has absolutely no foundation; I am certain that no-one thinks for a moment that Richard is other than wholly English and his high position gives me an important position here. The ladies have, and still are calling on me, and we have invitations to dine out about once a week and soon will have more than we want, I fancy.

We were the guests of honour at the Bishop’s dinner-party (the Bishop took me in, I think because I was of highest rank and a bride, for I did not happen to be quite the greatest stranger). I am only telling you this to show what an awful hash of my life I should have made, had I allowed myself to be influenced by Mrs Middleton, for I know now that I could not have been really happy without Richard. I do hope that you may reach the same point of mutual love and understanding that we have.

Richard has just gone over to give a night alarm at the Jail and wants me to go to bed, so I am going to stop now.

With much love, Enid

June 13th, 1907 - Career prospects

2009-08-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON, June 13, '07

Dear Arthur

Many thanks for your letter of last week. I heard also from Winnie how well your debate went off and what a brilliant speech you made, and send hearty congratulations.

Richard has been meaning to write to you for several weeks, but really he does not seem to have a minute’s time. He wants to tell you about the Chetlies here; the Chetlies are the caste that do all the money lending and practically through them all putting out of money is done, for the banks, solicitors etc merely charge a commission and hand over to the Chetlies. These men lend at enormous prices to the natives on house and land security and even if a single chetly were to fail, they are all banded together and the others would prevent his failing. They will give about nine per cent for money just now or an average of 7% for all the year round. Richard thought you might find this worth knowing.

The chief firm of solicitors here are mostly conveyancing solicitors, and as far as we have heard are sufficiently supplied with partners, but when we have been here longer we can make some judicious enquiries about that. They do nearly all the money-investing business. Officers of the Government are not supposed to do any money-lending and so cannot deal direct with the chetlies, so they give their money to this firm, through whose hands it passes to the chetlies.
I must say I do not see a great deal of opening for people not in any of the services, but possibly a young solicitor who could do this chetly business might make a very good thing of it, but it would need some familiarity with the work, which could best only be gained by working in the office of this chief firm (I have forgotten their name for the time being).

Also I should say that a solicitor ought also to be qualified as a barrister for work out here, simply because nearly every solicitor is. However do not take what I say about things as correct because I don’t really know and when Richard has had time to feel his way a bit he will not doubt write and tell you what he thinks. Of course, there is not much doing now, while the Government is up at Maymyo.

How Mother would enjoy the drives here. I think if the parents came out this winter, we would hire a Victoria for them to take our pair, for I am sure Mother would like that and Father could ride. I am sure they would enjoy it immensely.

With much love, Enid

June 3rd, 1907 - One gets extraordinarily used to things

2009-04-23T02:18:00.000-07:00

JAIL HOUSE, RANGOON,
June 3rd, 1907

Dear Arthur

Just a hasty line to tell you we are settling in nicely and are delighted with our house and compound. There is much to do and I am busy all day long superintending while washing, cleaning, putting up curtain rods, opening cases etc and the day flies away. Then in the evening Richard and I much enjoy a good long drive round the lakes. There is absolutely nothing to compare with the beauty of a tropical evening; not only the bushes but the air is full of tiny glow-worm sparks darting about and the slivery gleam on the water and palms and the outlines of the trees are all like fairy-land; on every side both by day and night there are countless thing to please the eye.

The weather is not so very hot now, generally under 90 and more often only about 87 which feels quite pleasantly cool. The mosquitos are a bit troublesome just at the beginning of the rains, but one gets extraordinarily used to things. Then we have some twenty or thirty little cream lizards about 5-6inches long (including tails) about the walls and they do their duty valiantly and keep them clear of insects. We have also adopted another dog – a fox terrier belonging to someone now on leave. She is a dear little thing, quite tiny, an excellent house dog and Buller and she (we call her Audrey) are fast friends.

You would greatly enjoy the life here. There is football every day on the race-course, also golf, riding, polo and lots of tennis (we have a court ourselves). Tennis parties, lasting from 5 or 6 till 8 are the favourite form of entertainment. Then there is dancing at the Gym from 6 to 7.30 on Mondays and Fridays to which we generally go; also a boat-club on the Lake where punts, sailing-boats, pleasure boats and racing row-boats can all be had and the lake makes a sufficiently large sheet of water. The evening, when everybody drives out in their best, is always a joyous scene, and it is then that the numerous young men take the comparatively few young ladies out on the lake.

The post must go, so with love, your affectionate sister, Enid.

May 5th, 1907 - A Passage to India

2009-04-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

SS Herefordshire,
off Southern India
Sunday, May 5th, 07

Dear Arthur

I seem to have exhausted in my letter to Father and Mother most there is to say about our journey from Port Said. The Red Sea was very hot on one of the four days, comparatively cool on the other days; we were fairly comfortable in the very thinnest of our clothing. It is now growing hotter each day; the temperature even at night is 88 to 90 ; there is not a breath of wind either.

We passed the island of Minakoi last night, the first land we have seen for three days; we are now skirting to the southern end of India and go into Colombo early tomorrow morning. There is to be early breakfast and then we shall go on shore and remain there until the next day. We are going to stay at the Gall Face Hotel and want if possible to drive up to Mount Lavinia. The best shops are inside the hotel, so it is not necessary to go outside during the day.

I thought of you when we passed Suakim and the Soudan; it was not very hot on that day and the town of Suez looked quite fresh and nice with its avenues of palms shading the roads. We are going to cable from Colombo to Rangoon to see if we can learn where our station is to be so that we can form our plans and make out our lists of requirements. The Holmes will also be staying at the Strand Hotel at Rangoon, so while the gentlemen go and report themselves, we can keep each other company.

We all know each other very well now and know who everybody is and where they are going. There are only twelve of us going on to Rangoon, but they say we shall get a good many fresh passengers on at Colombo which will be exciting, for now that we have been sixteen days at sea, people are beginning to feel a little bored with the life. There is an excellent library of novels on board; not at all the antiquated things one expects to find, but all the newest books.

You would enjoy watching the two little boys on board – the older about four and the younger 2½ years old. The young one especially is a splendid little fellow, climbing all over the ship and getting all kinds of falls, which he does not mind at all.

I suppose you will all be at Southwold when this arrives. Only last night we discovered that the ship’s doctor – Mr Comber – was Dr Mullock’s and Dr Acton’s locum tenens. He therefore knows Southwold well and is particularly taken with the Mullocks and the Edward-Debneys. In fact Mr Comber took last Christmas dinner with the Mullocks.

Much love to all from Enid.

Colombo
My ideas of the picturesqueness of the East are nothing compared with the reality. No description can give you the least idea of its beauty. I feel I must try and sketch it. There is indeed a sort of haze of loveliness over everything – the seashore, the giant flowering trees, the wonderful light and rickshaws drawn by natives running about everywhere. Enid.