1887-1888
Malta, Egypt, India, Burma…
April 1st, 1888
Rangoon, Burma
My Beloved Angee,
My aim made plain yesterday to go up to Mandalay, So I must write you before starting, as I hear postal communications are not very reliable in Upper Burma. Lazarus accompanies me and we only take a small portion of our baggage for the 9 day requirement. – the time occupied in the journeying up and back.
Was very glad to have a call from a Mr Adams yesterday of whom I had heard and at whose dwelling I had called, but found him from home – he is a school inspector and in sympathy of heart with us as gathered to the Lord's name – we had a nice conversation together for some time and I found he had the same mind as myself as to Mr Galstein here and the mischief he had wrought among the saints. We purpose coming together at the Hamilton's this morning for a reading, and trust it may be for profit and edification. The intercourse with the Hamilton's during the week has been a great comfort to me and was heartily glad to get away from the uproar of the Hotel every evening to spend 2 or 3 hours with them. In my next will tell you about a little time we had two evenings ago on the lakes here, but far the finest I have ever seen.
The reports about Burma outside were enough to deter one from visiting the place, but to my thinking it is one of the finest countries I have ever seen and appears to abound in virgin resources and for business I have not seen a place equal to it. With a railway piercing China it will be one of the most important markets in the world. Communications are already opened up with Bhamo, a place not far above Mandalay on the Irrawaddy and it is only 40 miles from that point to the Chinese frontier – If I had the time I should greatly enjoy to cross it although a very circuitous route has to be taken around the mountains.
Hope to receive the English mail in a few hours and will wait to close this note until after then.
Your letter and enclosures are to hand bringing the sad news of the fire at Raleigh – God is a refuge and a very present help in time of trouble – I pray the Lord may sustain them through the trial and I hope it may be found that it was not so great a calamity as was at first feared – Give my very kind love to dear Mr Shapland and sympathy too – suppose Henry is gone back to Ealing, if not also to him. Now with much love to you once more and to all our dear ones. Believe me my dearly beloved wife.
Being very affectionate Husband.