COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 163 



" ' Freny ' and ' Chartist ' make wild dashes at 

 every one going by, but as they are both muzzled, do 

 no harm, and are only the occasion of a little extra 

 bad language from any person against whom they may 

 have made an ineffectual assault. We have lots of 

 good plain grub — in fact, it is going nearly all day, and 

 we are getting very much rounder in appearance. 



" We play at singlestick, boxing, and all sorts 

 of games in the evening. The men sing, and as I 

 need scarcely add that I am constantly tootling both 

 solos and duets with my trumpeter Davis, I may 

 safely say that we are musical. We were wishing a 

 little to have been at Epsom on Wednesday and 

 Friday, but when you write mind and give me full 

 particulars of everything that has been going on 

 since I left England. 



" Of course we are very anxious to get to Malta 

 to hear the news, get our letters, etc., and learn 

 where we are to go to, though I fancy the orders 

 will be to proceed to Constantinople and get further 

 orders there. However I will keep this open until the 

 last, so that I may be able to give you the latest news. 



" Pray remember me kindly to Mrs. Thomson, 

 J. E. M., Chetwynd, or any other of my friends whom 

 you may meet, and believe me, ever dear Jack, 

 " Your very affectionate friend, 



"T. H. Goad. 



" P.S. — Brassel has been getting on very well, 



and is really a useful man. He left a coat of yours at 



Half Moon Street. Write to me at Constantinople." 



II * 



