1897
South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Canada, USA
October 14th, 1897
Sydney
My Beloved Angee,
I have just returned from Brisbane and was glad to find your dear handwriting on one of the batch of letters and I expect that will be the last I shall receive on this side of the globe. Should any others arrive they will be sent on to America. Am glad to get back into cooler weather – it is very hot in Queensland but a lovely country – my visit there was interesting in many ways – did fairly well in the business for all the houses and had a nice time with the brother I called upon but was not much drawn to at first – but on my second visit our hearts appeared to warm up a little and he invited me to his house to tea on Lord's day afternoon and a few others came in for a reading in the evening. One of these asked me if I ever remembered two brothers called George & Richard Jones in the old country which I was not long answering. They live near this brother's about 4 miles from Brisbane and he said they were often speaking of me and heard of my visit to Sydney 6 years ago. This brother who is called Turner invited me out to his house on Monday evening and he promised to take me to see the Jones's who live a few doors from each other. As you may suppose they were all glad to see me as I was to see them and their families which have grown since I last saw them. Richard had been poorly for a day or two and was in bed – his wife told me that the Dr. had told her that morning that Typhoid had developed and that no one was to see him. The dear fellow however greatly wished to see me on hearing that I was in his house, but I said no under the circumstances – after leaving he sent his son after me entreating me to come back and again a daughter but I felt it would not be wise, so I did not see the dear fellow. Both brothers are living in comfortable little houses – George is employed in a cemetery near – Richard drives a water cart to water the roads through the shire – the pay of both is not very much – Mr Tanner thought about 45/ a week. The grown up children all work too – one of the boys drives a butcher's cart but they are nice children and a comfort to their parents which is a great mercy. I dare say you will remember some of them.
On Tuesday my last evening there we met again at the brother's house where we had had the readings and a very refreshing time the Lord gave us together.
Since my arrival here I saw again Mr Ellis who will be a fellow passenger with us as far as Fiji where he goes to meet his cousin Mr Arundel, so I might have the pleasure of meeting him. I went down on board the steamer too just now to look at my cabin which is good in every way. My German friend will join us at Wellington.
I know what a trial it has been to you my dear Angee the long absence but it will soon be over now - tomorrow or next day I buy my ticket for England and I shall not waste any time on the road you may depend upon it. You seem to think it is all sunshine with me, but I assure you it would be far more congenial to my feelings to be home in my own dwelling and I have had nearly enough of it and am really feeling that my brains require some rest. I hope you may have had a nice time in London with dear Harry & Emma – am glad to hear Harry Shapland was thought to be a little better and trust the Lord may raise him up again. Glad too to hear of the surprise visit you had from Eunice & Eliza, Katie & Charlie but am very sorry to hear that he is so poorly and trust he may soon recover.
What a terrible visitation they are having with Typhoid in Maidstone and now I see there is an outbreak in one of the London hospitals among the nurses – this is surprising in the face of all the sanitary precautions they would adopt.[1]
Lord's day morning Oct. 17
Since writing the former part of this letter I have been feeling a little poorly occasioned I think by a fall I had in Brisbane. It occurred in this way – I had just stepped from a carriage in front of my hotel on to the road – then in stepping onto the pavement the curb being rather higher than usual my toe caught the edge of it and I fell on all fours – my hands saved my face, but my knees were a little bruised and my right wrist especially – however I was soon helped up and did not feel hurt only a bit shook – I had my lunch a few minutes after and then caught a train to a place called Ipswich about 28 miles from Brisbane – saw two merchants and returned again to dinner and after that went out about 2 miles to a brother's for a reading. The next day I left by early train to return to Sydney and felt nothing wrong until the night I slept here when acute pain developed in my left hip so that I could not walk but with great difficulty – I gave it a good rubbing with Pond's Extract which relieved the pain and in the afternoon with a cab I made some calls among the merchants. Through mercy I am feeling better – indeed all right as far as my general health is concerned only the pain in my hip continues and I rather suspect that it was not occasioned by the fall but is really Rheumatism. It is rather swollen too. If it had been occasioned by the fall I should have felt it at the time and there would probably have been bruise marks, but there is nothing of this. Shall be very thankful to get on board the steamer tomorrow to have some rest and am glad too that I shall have dear Mr Ellis's company as far a Fiji and my young German friend all the way to Vancouver. I went out to Ashfield y'day afternoon to see dear Mr Ellis who is very low & weak – he was expecting me – dear man – the suffering time will soon be over.
Oct. 18 1897
My Beloved Angee,
There is a mail out today via Suez and I purpose embarking on board the Warrimoo for Victoria British Colombia at 4 this afternoon. Thro' mercy I am feeling alright again and the pain in my hip & wrist is much less than it was. The Lord gave us a most blessed time y'day morning, afternoon and evening and we have had a time of real fellowship together – just received such a kind letter from dear Mr Davey of Melbourne, Albert's friend with greetings from Mrs D. the son and himself with good wishes for the voyage home. He is a dear man. Well now I must close and with much love to you my dearest Angee and all our beloved children believe me.
Being very affectionate Husband
I will send you a cable on reaching Victoria and you can address me to our place in New York – you will understand that you cannot hear from me during the voyage.
Footnote
[1] "This autumn and winter marks the centenary of the largest outbreak of typhoid fever ever reported in the United Kingdom (UK). The epidemic occurred in Maidstone, the county town of Kent, in south east England. It began September 1897 and ended in January 1898 (1), affecting nearly 2000 people, 143 of whom died. At its peak 900 people contracted the disease in a two week period. The cause was traced to contaminated mains water and its continuing spread was linked to the poor state of the drainage system and the housing of many of the victims." See further here.