| Description | His wife Emma has gone to Contai [Kanthai]. William is alone and explains how this has come about: Chandpore on the Bay of Bengal is a wonderful place, with a bungalow kept up by the Department of Public Works for its officers in charge of the huge sea dykes. There are scores of such bungalows, but none so commodious, as it was built for a man with a 'weakness of English nature when entrusted with Indian money and free leave to spend it on an habitation for himself...'. It a stereotype bungalow, but without anything nearby, and William describes its locale by the sea and their decision to go there. The Dixons had already decided to do the same thing for Mrs Dixon's health. Emma had the idea of staying with her, and Johnny [John Herschel] joined them, although 'not in a very talkative mood'. William had work and was not fond of Chandpore, where their tents were pitched on all sides of the house. He describes Emma's delight at sea bathing 'but for a wholesome horror of sharks'. The monotony began to tell before ten days and they broke camp to come to Midnapore, which they found extraordinarily cool. Johnny left on Friday to go before the Board to approve his leave. He describes John's character and expresses his worries that in speaking to him, John has considered christianity a thing of the past. William enlarges upon this, saying that although they may all have had struggles with faith 'we were never as far gone as this dear brother'. John has said that he has no proof of the help being offered in religion, and he 'insists upon certainties and definite things'. William appeals to his sister to speak with John, to 'try to lead him out of all arguments into the presence of his Saviour'. |