[Thomas Waters. R.M., to his wife. Elizabeth]
Addressed to Mrs Waters, 21 Mulgrave Place, Woolwich, Kent
2 H.M.S.Barham Malta 29th Nov. 1831
My Dearest Love
We left Spithead the 29th Oct. and beat about, contending with the Wind and waves until the 3rd Nov. when we anchored in the evening just outside the Port of Falmouth, the next morning finding the wind more favourable we sailed again, no person went ashore from the ship, some bum-boats came alongside with butter, Potatoes etc. for sale- Sir Walter has been lame from his infancy, he is about sixty-two. his memory, I understand, begins to fail him, when sitting down on deck he has generally a book in his hand reading either French or English, he is very cheerful, and I think is gaining strength. 12th Nov. How calm and lovely the Night! the finest autumnal night in England scarcely equal to it, and the days are so warm that the Officers talk of putting on their light summer dress- After experiencing contrary winds and boisterous weather for some time we made Gibraltar on the 14th and stood well into the Bay to give Sir Walter an opportunity of taking a near view of the place, the Capt. made a signal for a boat from the shore to land a passenger but when the boat came off we learnt that ships from England were subjected to seven days quarantine consequently the passenger could not be landed at all as the Capt. was not disposed to wait so many days, and no doubt his orders would not allow him, we immediately made sail and proceeded up the Strait. From what I could see of Gibraltar I was not at all struck with its appearance, on the contrary, I was rather disappointed, considering, how celebrated it stands in the page of history, and what an exceeding expense it is to Government, producing nothing of value; no doubt it has excellencies which I am incapable of duly appreciating; it appeared to me a rude ill shapen substance of small extent, (its bay is fine), it is attached to the European continent by a slip of sand and is distant from the opposite or African shore about 12 miles, Joseph will find its history in Guthrie’s grammar and its situation in the map of Europe. 15th Nov. the Weather was so warm that we were glad to put on our summer clothing. 17th we had a view of Algiers, the mountains at the back and sides of it appear like a crescent, the city is of a form resembling a triangle the base of which resting on the brink of the sea, the hypotenuse running up the hill on the South-East, the other side a little curved the convexity outwards, some of the edifices seem splendid but the streets very narrow, the people in general, I am told, taking their walks on the terraced roofs of the houses, the country in the neighbourhood of the city looks very pretty from its rich vegetation and its being thickly bespangled with houses, all of them white, as they are, indeed, in the city. 20th We saw Graham’s Island, a place which has been recently thrown up from the sea by a volcanic eruption, Sir Walter landed on it, the Island was fast falling away, there was no fire or smoke to be seen but water, perfectly salt, boiled or bubbled up, and sent forth steam of a sulphurous smell, cinders, sand and ashes only were seen with dead shells or boiled fish. 21st We arrived at the famous Island of Malta, the place where St. Paul was shipwrecked, and truly a more extraordinary place I never saw, it has a most formidable appearance, the principal harbour, having a very narrow entrance, is nearly surrounded by vast fortifications, lofty walls, magnificent houses rising above others etc. etc. its boats are of a curious form and I should suppose of ancient structure- On our arrival we were placed under quarantine. 28th We were admitted to Pratique, (Mary will find the word in the French dictionary,) that is we were let out of Quarantine. Same day We gave Sir Walter a grand entertainment.
I remain My Dearest Love
ever Your Most Affectionate
Husband Thos. Waters