[Thomas Waters’ daughter to her aunt Jane at Hook, Surrey]
[original: envelope missing]
August 23rd 1871
Digby. N.Scotia.
Dear Aunt Jane
The Mate was here to day and the news is true, no hope at all, I can scarcely write but I know you want to hear. Mr Walters was here nearly all day, talked all day about Papa, told no more particulars but what you know, brought home a lot of old papers, a book of sea weeds, a few letters, a purse of money, 12 dollars English, the rest foreign, they were all put in a box, they were in the gig, the Second Mate might have saved 14 or 15 but he cut the rope & rowed off, the Mate said the people in Callao would have stoned him to death and the British Consul at the very least would have sentenced him to nine months hard labour breaking stones.
I cannot write, my hand has no power, no strength, my head aches and I can’t see. there is no hope, no hope at all. he said the Capt was coming home, going to leave the ship in Callao & come home in this last steamboat. he said Papa was very quick, he never saw such a quick witted man and he was so pleasant, merry, and lively but he said he was losing his mind, that he told him (the Mate) that that was the reason he was coming home, that he felt his mind was giving way and he was afraid he couldn’t manage a ship till he came home and gave his mind some rest, the Mate said he was getting very childish at times; Papa was afraid of that. he wrote to me in his last letter that he thought his mind was giving way and he wondered if we would be kind to him if he was to lose his mind, the Doctor told him if he did not keep free from anxiety he would not answer for his mind. The Mate says the weather had been hazy for 2 or 3 days and they’d taken no reckoning so of course it was no wonder they missed it.
Granpa is very dangerously ill, a sort of cholera, trouble never comes alone, he has been very anxious about Papa, everyone grieves about Papa. Capt Hughes actually cried, and another man I heard cried a great deal, said Papa had been so kind to him he was such a good man, no pride always spoke to him whether he was dressed or not and no matter what gentleman Papa was with, he’d always speak so pleasant, have some joke and this man said he never saw anyone with so little pride, everybody likes him, a good many of our friends were anxious to see Papa, they heard so much about him, he was so jolly & pleasant. all the darkies like him they say the Capt. was such a nice man to work for.
We don’t know yet what we have got to live on but it is very little, if we can keep this house it will be very nice, and if we can get boarders. we won’t be able to until we get a lot more bedroom furniture. I remain
With very much love to all
Your Affectionate Niece
Lizzie B. Waters
I forgot to say Mama has sent two rag mats in the “Cosmopolitan” Capt Cruickshank he is going to sail Aug 26th the largest mat is for Grandma, the smallest with the wreath around is for Aunt Lizzie.
The Cosmopolitan is bound for England, it is directed to Uncle Ben, if Aunt Barbara get a chance to send some rags Mama will make her one.