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Frank Leward: Memorials

Frank to Bampton

page 207

Frank to Bampton.

Alexandria, Feb. 25, 1854.

Dear old Bam Only a few lines to let you know where I am now and what I am going to do next most likely. I thought you would like to know. As I told you I got awfully tired of Australia and as I made enough there to live on for some time besides what I sent you I thought I might as well see a little more of the world. I came in a sailing vessel to Ceylon and then came to Suez by steamer, as a passenger. I amused the sailors awfully I couldn't help thinking I must go up on watch or be hauling away at the ropes, it did seem odd being a passenger. Its a lazy life a passengers is on a ship doing nothing all day but eat and sleep away as much time as possible. At night I was always up for the first watch. It was splendidly fine in the Indian Ocean and we had a good monsoon. It was fearfully hot in Ceylon. I like Colombo pretty well something like the Sandwich islands only hotter I don't think I could live there long. I didn't care much for the P. and O. steamer from Ceylon though there were a lot of officers going home from India.

Since we have been here we've been excited by news of war with Russia and yesterday we heard 10,000 English troops were on their way to Constantinople. This looks as if we really meant something and though I dont know much about the wrongs or rights of it I should like to go and see whats up in Turkey.

page 208

The Indian officers on board ship said it was to protect India, to me that seems all rot. Whats Turkey got to do with India. If you are so anxious about India take this place and govern it properly. I don't think the people here would object, and you might let the Russians do what they like with Turkey.

I hope I shall be able to get a passage on to Constantinople soon. I will write from there. I've no time now to tell you anything about what I've seen in Egypt though I might write lots, I will some other time. —Yours old man

F. Leward.