| Description | He cannot remember if he has written since the baby was born. He has heard little from Collingwood and looks forward to hearing of her visit to 'Uncle John' [Stewart] and more about Johnny and Mary [John and Mary Cornwallis Herschel]. He had hoped to hear from Mary directly, but fears she cannot write in her current state. He has had a reply from the Commissioner which he sends [HSF/3/15/5] with his annotations, and this clouds his hopes of coming home. She and his father will come to the same conclusion as William on the matter. The Land Revenue settlement for about a third of his district is approaching and the Irrigation Company has commenced distributing water, the rates for which have to be collected. If William departs in November, the work will fall on Montresor, with a new man to help. His letter reads like an appeal to stand by him and push on the work. William wants to attack this work and has been looking at both difficult subjects until sick of them, wondering how to get the Board to move quickly. He feels ten times as strong for the difficulty and he thinks he has at last begun to achieve the position of having his words listened to with respect. He thinks he will be able to get the irrigation system established and the settlement laid before the Board before November. If he can do that, he may be entitled to a holiday. |