"Dearest Mrs. Thomson,
"Though hurried out of my wits—for the Maclean sails to-morrow, I must write to you. I should have had my letters preparing, from the moment I heard of her departure, but Mr. Maclean's severe illness has prevented my doing anything. For four nights I never attempted to do more than for half an hour, when he was still with opiates, to lie down on the floor in my shawl. He suffered extreme pain, but, as Mr. Dinde assured me, was in no danger: it was violent cold and stoppage. He is quite recovered now. I cannot tell you how much better the place is than we supposed; if I had been allowed to bring a good English servant with me, to which there is not one single objection, I could be as comfortable as possible. The person who, at the eleventh hour, was permitted to accompany me, was never in such a capacity before; she is, therefore, no workwoman, no cook, no washer, all three most invaluable accomplishments here, but a most civil, obliging person, and superior in respectability. Her stay, however, depends on the passage home.*[1] . . . .
"I have lists of everything, and see them counted out every Monday. I see to the cleaning, and I am sure you would have laughed at my toil and trouble, when the governor of Guiana came to dinner here. I now ought to tell you how highly I hear Mr. Maclean spoken of in his public capacity, on all sides, and I cannot but see his enthusiastic devotion to his duties. We have in England little idea of the importance or the resources of this country. They send hundreds of miles along the coast, to refer causes to Mr. Maclean's decision;
- ↑ *Some expressions are omitted here which are considered to have been written confidentially.
