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." 



n * 



