| RefNo | HSF/2/1/56 |
| Previous numbers | 32.8.39 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from J H [John Herschel], Camp on the Sutlej, to 'Dearest Father Mother & all...' [John Frederick William Herschel, Margaret Brodie Herschel] |
| Creator | Herschel; John (1837-1921); British army officer and astronomer |
| Date | 12 February 1861 |
| Description | He has often been on the point of writing and hopes they are not anxious. His last letter will have prepared them for his time being entirely occupied. He is busy, but he revels in it, with a desire to 'make good'. He discusses his ambitions and is unconscious of anything outside camp. There is a famine in the North West and Punjab, but he has only the occasional newspaper account. His Chief has gone to Calcutta [Kolkata] en route to England and John regrets that he will not see him for many years. John has little correspondence and occupies himself with his work, horses, dogs and gun. He describes his diet, including having to keep his own sheep, which he can only kill and eat in the colder months. In a month or so he will again subsist on fowl and rice and will be more fortunate than those in the Punjab, where thousands will starve. He anticipates difficulties in getting supplies for one hundred on the forty five day march to quarters through these regions. Most of this will be along the Sutlej river, which will make the march more tolerable. John has just seen in a home newspaper that they have had the greatest cold on record at 15 degrees below zero. His lowest has been 28 degrees above, with daytime temperatures now climbing much higher, and he discusses the local climate. He notes his last letter from Alick [Alexander Stewart Herschel] containing 'ill news' but he can barely read the few words. |
| Extent | 8p. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA7955 | Herschel; John (1837 - 1921); Colonel; military engineer, surveyor and astronomer | 1837 - 1921 |