Adieu.
I am very anxious to hear of you again.
Ever yours, very affectionately,
H. A. C.
The girls are to write to you from Cape Town and give you the particulars of the stones.
July 16th, Cape Town, Henrietta to Lord Clive
I am writing to you my dear Lord from the Cape Town where I am established with Lady Anne Barnard. Everybody is most extremely civil indeed … We went as usual on Tuesday Morning in Captain Holtam’s boat to Kalk’s Bay where as before we had a fine shower of rain. There the General’s chariot and curricle [a two wheeled chaise drawn by two horses] met us and we went with great ease and comfort and without fatigue to a house at Wynberg which belonged to a person who General de Meuron knew where we stayed that night very comfortably tho’ it was not an inn. After walking about in search of plants, Dr Thomas and Mr Cartwright were with us. Here we arrived yesterday and are as comfortable as possible.
Lady Anne is in great health and spirits and good humour. We are anxious to have a convoy from hence as we are certainly too late for that at St Helena and to have a head, which we may follow, as Urmston is in much disgrace with everybody and it will be safe, too. I understand that the disputes here between Sir G: G and Gov: S were very great. That when the order came for his being dethroned it was put in execution in three hours and he remained a month here before he could sail and went off quickly saying he was going to sea when the vessel would be ready to sail but that he never came on shore again. The complaints against him are giving an order that all business must come to him three times a week thru the hands of his private secretary Mr Blake who it is very strongly believed had something for his trouble in proportion to the affair and a great deal of money spent in sad ways. Ships pretending to have taken prizes and slaves and goods paid for by Government which had only been bought at Mozambique, a strong suspicion of some trading with the Spaniards, in short a variety of things not of a good sort.
I have not seen General Dundas or his spouse yet but expect them this morning. I have seen a son of Dr Roxburgh’s who is to let me have a great many seeds and some bulbs. He is in hopes to go to Madras as he says. But you had not heard of him I believe when I had left you. He is a little dark and, not unlike some of my most bovine friends, a little of a quiz.
4 o’clock: When I wrote the above this morning I did not expect the most melancholy news that Lady Anne Barnard has since told me. I cannot express what I feel for the loss of that dear brother for which I was quite unprepared by the last accounts. However, I will do all I can to support myself at this time and take care of my dear children. We shall be now indeed forlorn and I feel what I hope you will that your return to your family is indispensable. Mr Cartwright has behaved with the greatest good sense and kindness to me and so has Lord A. My poor girls were writing letters of nonsense to you. This has overthrown us all and you must accept their excuse they are much affected tho they do not yet know the whole, which I was afraid, would be too much. Thomas has not left us today. We have every attention from all here but I feel I shall not have that meaning or pleasure I had expected to when I land in England. Thank God the boys were well in March. This letter must go the day after tomorrow. I will write again.
God bless and preserve you, my dear Lord,
and send you to your family.
Ever your very affectionate,
H. A. C.
July 16th, Mr Thomas to Lord Clive
My Lord – Your Lordship has been informed by Captain Brown of the journey which took place after our departure from Madras until we reached Vizagapatam and her Ladyship and the Young Ladies will give your Lordship a minute detail of what has befallen us from that time until our reaching this place, a period in which we suffered much bad weather and obliged us to come in here. Not withstanding all these trials of patience and courage, I am happy to inform your Lordship they are in good health and certainly improved much in their looks. Miss Clive seems to be regaining her health and strength daily and very few symptoms which could be supposed in any way similar to what was observed at Madras have occurred then very slight, and immediately went off … she is in every respect stronger and better, and will no doubt derive all the advantages which the passage to England was supposed likely to produce. Miss Charlotte is extremely well is grown very stout and her looks show that neither hard living nor hard gales can affect her. The improving health of the young ladies was certainly very satisfactory to her Ladyship which has enabled her to endure with the most exemplary fortitude this tedious and barbarous passage and as necessity has sent us to this place, much pleasure was hoped from the surprise it would give and the probable benefits which exercise would produce, and it is with much sorrow I find their progress in some degree obstructed by news from England of a most unpleasant nature. I cannot hear of any misfortune on your Lordship’s family without sincerely sympathising with you and I do particularly now, from the situation her Ladyship is in, it being distant from you – it will be great consolation to your Lordship to hear she is with Lady Ann Barnard, whose care and attention will I hope … very much alleviate her distress …
It will probably be ten days yet before we embark again, during which time I hope though her ladyship cannot take the exercise she hoped for … will get frequent airings and the hospitable and friendly treatment received here, will enable her to endure the remainder of the passage without any material inconvenience … By these ships from England now laying here and by which we learnt the death of Lord Powis, we likewise learnt that the two young gentlemen were in perfect health and the rest of your Lordship’s family …
July 19th, Cape Town, Henrietta to Lord Clive
I am sure you will be glad to hear of us again and as the ships wait for a wind it is likely that this letter may yet be in time. We are pretty well. I see the dear girls’ spirits are much dependent on my own and have endeavoured to keep up my own as much as I can after such a heavy misfortune which I did not expect though last accounts, before we left you, being good, yet you knew I have had much alarm at different times in my mind. We know as yet very few particulars but from what has been known, Thomas thinks it must have been the gout. Thank God, the dear boys are well or at least were so in March. My anxiety will be great till I hear of them. My proposed happiness in landing in England most fatally diminished. Lady Anne has behaved with the greatest kindness and attention. She could not have been more to a sister and I have done what I like. The girls are well and very much what you would like in regard to me. They have a terrace on the top of the house where they walk, which has been of great service to health and spirits.
I have been able to provide what clothes were necessary for us on this sad occasion here, which is a satisfaction to me. I cannot express what I feel at the thought of what is here lost nor how much I shall feel it on every occasion. The girls desire their loves to you. I did not tell them I was going to write to you.
God bless you,
my dearest Lord.
Take care of your health for our sakes
and return as soon as possible to your very affectionate,
H. A. C.
Charly chronicled the next few days of their stay in Cape Town: ‘July 20th. We went to walk in the Governor’s garden, which is not kept in very good order, though it has good plants in it.’ ‘July 25th. We left Cape Town, to return to the ship. Mamma and my sister went in General Dundas’s carriage, and Sally, and Signora Anna and I, in Mr Barnard’s. After we had got two miles from the town, we met two of the largest pigs I ever saw and they frightened the horses so much that they ran into a ditch. Luckily the pole broke, or we must have been overturned. We walked up to Mamma’s carriage. Some of the gentlemen overtook us, and we got safe to Wynberg.’ ‘July 26th. We proceeded to Simon’s Bay in General Dundas’s carriage. Having made friends with the owner of the house at Wynberg, who was a Government contractor, we got a good supply of bread, in spite of the scarcity, and the strict orders for parsimony in the distribution
of it. We went on board in the evening.’
July 28th, Simon’s Bay, Henrietta to Lord Clive
As there is not the opportunity of your hearing from me before we leave the Cape, I will not let it pass. The Dorchester came in the day before yesterday and is going on directly to Madras. This letter will be carried by a Miss Hardgrave of whom I will tell you more by & bye. We are all pretty well and returned yesterday, Saturday the 26th to the ship. Tho Captain Urmston hurried me away we are not likely to sail I find till Wednesday or Thursday and I am here before his own passengers. Harriet has had a stiff neck with a great deal of pain and is just able to move her head today but intends writing to you if possible. Charlotte is well and there have been some circumstances respecting her increase of strength that give me great hopes that with a little care she will be very stout in England. I am better for having been obliged to exert myself which I found necessary for the girls and everyone. I have had such great attention and kindness from Lady Anne and Mr Barnard that I shall ever feel myself obliged to them. If Col Crawford who married Miss Barnard and is in the 9th ever comes to Madras which he hopes to do pray be civil to him for this reason. I was much affected last night by receiving a letter from Miss Hardman who is sister to the Captain of the LaForte enclosing one from my poor brother which contains such strong recommendation of her that I have desired Mr Cartwright will be so good as to copy it and I enclose it to you as I would not part with the original. Mr Cartwright went with her this morning and explained my situation and declined receiving her which she had proposed, that I promised to send a letter by her to you as you will see that any civility to her will be pleasant.
In his [Henrietta’s brother, the Earl of Powis] letter are some attended to that must have arrived since I left Madras which I hope you have sent to me painful as it may be to me I wish to have them. It seems, too, as if he had been ill at Weymouth and afterwards, tho Mr Strachey said otherwise in November. It is a most terrible stroke to me, but I will bear up as well as I can.
General and Mrs Dundas have been very attentive to me and sent me their carriage to Kalks Bay with a very careful Dragoon to take care of us from thence. We came in a very tolerable wagon that Mr Barnard had provided which I preferred on account of the cold and Harry’s stiff shoulder and neck. I called once on Mrs Dundas but of course did not dine there as I did not feel equal to it but they did once with Lady Anne while I was there. I have had some seeds from Mr Roxburgh. He seems an intelligent man drawing flowers very accurately and well and understands a great deal of botany. I hear Mr Basser has written to you about him. The Bassers leave the Cape at the first opportunity which they expect to be in three months and he will send news on by them. At St Helena there will not be anything as there is a problem more decidedly than at the Cape from having fewer resources.
Governor Brooke is gone to England. There is a report from Maderia … of Abercrombie having landed near Alexandria. The first day was reported with some loss on both sides. The second day a general engagement took place in which we had 500 men killed, the French more, and the loss was to be besieged directly with great hopes of success. You know probably better than we do, yet I thought it as well to mention it. I shall finish this after dinner, therefore adieu.
Signora Anna and Mrs Baker came on board this morning. She is well and in good spirits. Mr Torin came to me a few days ago to enquire if I had any objection to a new passenger. His name is Crusoe. I believe he has been many years at Poonah and Hyderbad as a surgeon and Mr Torin said he was recommended to him by his brother and that he would answer for him. This I thought I could not object to but I desired Mr Cartright to inquire and see about it and I believe he is on board. I must again say how attentive Cartright has been though I believe he has been very much tormented not being used to the charge of a family and my not having any servant but Sally we are much at a loss. As we were in want of a variety of things from the unusual length of the passage, we had some difficulty in getting them. But Mr Thomas wrote to Thomas Harris advising him to come to me at Cape Town which he did for two nights.
It is extremely cold in the ship and we are starved to death but the change will soon be felt when we have once passed the Cape. The wind is now contrary therefore there is little chance of our sailing till it is nearly over that we may not yet again to the Southward. I am not able to attend a great deal to anything just at present, but when I am at sea and the worry is a little over, I shall be much better.
Tuesday Morning The signal is made to unmoor, yet we doubt when we shall go. Unless the wind changes we can only go to lie to on the outside of the bay as it is northwest and we have had experience of that already. I am afraid we shall not have an opportunity of writing to you again til we are in England which we shall not be certainly til the end of October or beginning of November.
I dread the fog of the channel and all the cold we are to endure before we get once again to Walcot. We shall just land at the worst time … The Star Brig is to convoy us, but as there are two ships added to us and they are not quite ready, it is uncertain if we are to wait for them or not.
Harry’s neck and shoulders are much better today and I hope she will be able to write a little to you. Their attention and behaviour to me and their feelings for their poor uncle has been just what you would wish and they have been a great comfort to me indeed. Colonel Maxwell of the 19th saw Mrs Baker and told her that he had seen both the boys well in April, but I cannot imagine where it was and unfortunately missed seeing him at the Cape as he went there the day I left it. Adieu my dear Lord. I shall seal this up the last moment that you may know all you can of our sailing.
The wind is now fair and we are likely to sail in an hour, therefore I shall close my letter. God bless you my dear Lord. I hope to find letters from you in England. I almost now dread hearing more ill news of our remaining family and friends.
Adieu.
Ever your very affectionate,
H. A. C.
July 28th, Charly to Lord Clive
My dear Papa – I had begun a letter to you as soon as we arrived at the Cape but the melancholy news which we heard the day afterwards obliged us to give up sending by the True Briton what we had written. I am sure you will be very glad to hear that we are all well and I believe my Sister and myself are much grown; fatter I am sure we are and have something like Europe complexions. I shall keep all the news of the voyage till I can write from England or St Helena as I have a great deal to tell you and we have but a short time to write as we expect to sail in a few hours. I hope it will not be long before we hear from you and that the hot weather has been very mild and has not in the least injured your health. Signora Anna begs I will present her best respects to you. Pray give our best compliments to your Aides-de-camp and Secretaries.
Adieu, my dear Papa.
I am ever your affectionate and dutiful daughter,
C. F. Clive
From July 28th to the end of the journey on November 1st, a despondent Henrietta apparently wrote neither letters nor journal entries. Charly, however, continued throughout the duration of the voyage to record a cursory record of their experiences: ‘July 28th. We weighed anchor, and set sail.’ ‘July 29th. We lost sight of the ships, but by crowding all sail, rejoined them in the afternoon.’ ‘July 30th. A dead calm, but in the evening a hard gale.’ ‘July 31st. A hard gale, and the sea so high, I think I never saw it worse; it was tremendous to see the waves, whenever the ship rolled, wash over the rigging and deck. The storm increased through the day, and we were confined to the cabins, the sea having rushed in before the ports were closed, and wetted everything in them. Mamma and Harriet kept their beds. I wedged myself into a corner and sat up all day with Mrs Baker, in her cabin, where I dined, and received a portion of Irish stew, with pleasure, our appetites not failing us. But alas! The fire in the kitchen had been three times extinguished, and we found that what appeared to be pepper, in the stew, was particles of charcoal. During the dinner, which the gentlemen were enjoying in the cud
dy, we heard an exclamation, an uncommon uproar, and our merry old General calling out, “Miss Charlotte, Miss Charlotte, venez me voir couronne de mouton.” The sheep for our consumption had been secured on the poop and their pen giving way, it broke through the skylight, and the sheep came tumbling upon the guests and dinner table. I, of course, went to the door to see the confusion, glasses and plates were scattered and such a smell of sheep! Happily no other harm was done and the accident proved a source of amusement. In the evening, the wind lulled.’ ‘August 1st. We were again able to walk the deck.’ ‘August 2nd. We had a current of 34 miles in our favour and found we were 20 miles more to the south, than yesterday. It came on so hazy in the afternoon, that we lost sight of the Commodore, and put up 3 blue-lights successively.’ ‘August 3rd. A fine breeze, as fair, as it could blow.’ ‘August 4th. The Commodore made a signal to steer more to the westward. The weather continued very calm till the 7th when a fine breeze sprung up and we spoke to the Commodore, who told us, the strange sail in sight, might be the Hornet from Bengal.’ ‘August 8th. We were now in a fine pleasant trade wind, which continued.’ ‘August 13th. The Commodore made a signal to know our longitude. We differed much; he made it 3.D 19m. The Prince William Henry made it 1.D 5m. and we made it 4.D 5m.’ ‘August 14th. The Commodore made a signal for land. We saw it from the quarterdeck, and it proved by observation by sun and moon that our log was right.’ ‘August 15th. When we arose in the morning, we were very near the island of St Helena, an immense rock rising out of the sea. Its appearance was most barren, but within an hour or two, we rounded the point. We came upon a beautiful valley where St James’s town is situated. Col Doveton went on shore to find a house in which to receive us. Anna Tonelli painted the S. E. view of St Helena, Sandy Bay, Diana’s Peak, Longwood, Barn Point.’
Birds of Passage Page 31