| Description | He thinks it just as well he did not write by the last mail. The magistrate, Dodgson, proposed a visit to Rajpore, which made him forget to write. He caught a fever, from the dampness of the house he believes. The rains found their way through the roof and soaked his desk, including the case of Mrs [Julia Margaret] Cameron's daguerreotype of his father, which escaped because of a lucky application of shellac varnish to the paper lining, gumming glass to metal. Several small paper images 'were all but destroyed'. On his recent return after three weeks, white ants [termites] damaged the portfolio of drawings and photographs from home. He had not seen a white ant before, in the previous three or four months. He describes moving to the station in stages because of his fever, refusing treatments from planters along the way. Dr Craddock put him to rights but prophesised that the fever would leave him weak. He compares it to his previous attack in Calcutta. He benefitted by going away, sailing up the Ganges to Maldah. He found that his successor Drummond and Craster could both play the cornopean, and he set them to play duets and trios. Drummond has two extraorinarily shaped horns. They managed to entertain Dr Lamb. William spent two days with [John James] Gray. He thinks that in six to eight months he will be appointed to an independent sub-division, or as an acting magistrate, which he would prefer. He discusses evidence and the magistrate overturning some of his decisions. He then discusses Johnny [John Herschel] at his military training and refers to his 'pleasure of presenting our Father with your Pollock model'. William sends a list of things he requires for the cold weather [not present], wanting the box to reach him by mid-December. The glass dish packing was well done and he would like things properly packed that way. |