THE HUINEA-WOEM. 
17 
“ August 2^rd. 
Still without a line from any of you : it pains me so. I 
drive oflp the thoughts at times^ and am then a cheerful, happy wife ; 
but when I hear of the arrival of a post, and there are no letters 
for us, the sorrow comes again. Peth. has been able to go to his 
divan the last two days : he is troubled ; all our ivory on its way 
to England was sold, at Alexandria, as he was believed dead ; it was 
bought much under value, and the loss is heavy. The piano — pur- 
chased from Holdernesse, of Oxford Street — made in two parts 
for the convenience of transport, we have found heart to unpack ; 
and notwithstanding the neglect it experienced upon arrival here 
months ago, its tone is perfect. 
September ^th. 
The wounds on Petherick^’s legs, which 
I wrote to you about, have now been recognized as caused by the 
horrible guinea-worm : one is partially drawn out. The head, when 
it first protruded from the flesh, was turned on a straw, and gradu- 
ally, as you would wind silk on a reel. When resistance is offered, 
the straw is placed on the leg, there to remain a few hours, we 
waiting the opportunity to wind up perhaps an inch or more. To 
extract the worm entire may take days ; if broken, it burrows again, 
and months may elapse ere it protrudes, and always in a different 
place. I need not tell you how much pain my good husband is 
compelled to endure, and he is so changed ! no longer has he 
energy or hope. Our affairs, which might be made smooth again, 
are growing worse. Peth. is unable to attend to business of any 
kind.^^ 
VOL. II. 
2 
