Wm Moodie Letter - Nov-Dec 1858 – 8 pages
- Notes and some ‘Google’
transcriptions. Scans of the original letter pages are below.
Dumbarton Nov’r 21st 1858
The first few pages
of this letter are responding to comments of Alex’s, and local news is not
mentioned until page 3.
J Rattray- “ Since I last wrote I have not heard any word
from J Rattray in Syria, but it seems he was on the eve of going as secretary
to a government officer away to India, But some change at their silk Mills
induced him to wait”.
- William’s father
(in Constantinople) - “My father is still doing well in the mint and now
that the Jedda massacres have begun to slip out of remembrance he says the
capital is far more peaceable than it was, but I doubt unless I can afford it
to go to Aden from Scotland I never will have the chance from Constantinople as
there are no…. at all for the like of me”.
“About home all is
going pretty well at present. Mother and all the rest are in good health”
Wm describes his
brush with scarlet fever and the somewhat dire treatments he was given (p.4-5):
“I myself within five
weeks have been brought within arm’s reach of death’s door. I recovered again
by the peace and goodness of God.
I had been singing
too much and my throat got sore. I got a cold one night and next day
(Friday) went to my work, before two hrs I fainted away on the floor and
had to be led to my lodgings. I went to bed and before night it was evident I
was in for fever. Next day I fainted again on a chair as they made my bed. By
this time it was time to get the doctor so it was scarlet fever he said I had
got. On Sunday Monday Tuesday and Wednesday I got worse and the three following
days I was raving and got my head shaved and blistered for 18 hours, besides my
temples leeched.
Jack arrived from
Busby to see the last of me but after a sleep of 12 hours, on Sunday morning I
wakened in my perfect senses, although weak in my body from a severe case of
mercury I had undergone while delirious. I was threatened too with water in the
head so that was the reason of the mercury doses being given. It is now nearly
a month since I got the turn and I am glad to say I am getting a strong as
ever.
My throat which had
ulcered during my illness and was burnt half a dozen times is now quite well. I
have been at my work all week and have got on first-rate except a wounded knee
I got at a fire which broke in Ship Terrace of which you will see an account in
the papers I send you. I had been doing what I could to assist some of them to
flit when I was driven against something and got severely lamed, but I am glad
it is getting better.”
Dec 6th
p.5 - a note about
Alexr Dick Senior (now returned to Scotland): “Since I wrote the foregoing I
have seen your father, and got your kind letter and portrait from him. I knew
you at once although I think it has the fault of nearly all photographs,
a heaviness around the mouth and neck. I will send you mine someday when
my hair grows again, and Mary's when the consumation (?) has arrived.
Your father was in good health and looked very well in condition. He was
just passing on his way to Glasgow so he didn't wait above half an hour. We
have been with the Maxwells all night. I will try to get word how he gets on
for work and let you know without fail. In some quarters the printing trade is
very brisk. In the Vale and Busby for instance but I believe it is very dull at
Barrhead and Paisley.”
p.7 - some gossip
about Busby & Dumbarton: “There are great talkings about a railway to Busby
again; if it goes on I will let you know for curiosity’s sake. About Dumbarton
trade is very dull; all the yards in the town are on three quarter time comma
and a short allowance of hands.”
William gives an
entertaining account of a local fire (p.7-8):
“Another fire has
taken place just at the back of the old one. I have sent you a paper with a
notice of it. I was assisting to carry out the wood and when the bulk of that
was eased I took to the water and got charge of a gang of men. You may know how
low the tide of morality or patriotism has sunk when I describe my gang. First,
we had to coax them to help at all and then when we had got the fire engine
ready to start they threw away their buckets and demanded their pay beforehand
or else a ‘round of beer’ (in the land of Forbes McKenzie at 3 in the morning,
the fire doing its work all the time).
The end of it was that no beer came
so the fire engine had actually to pack up and go home. I got a number
persuaded to try another little engine like Crum’s at Busby (after carrying
water in buckets with other firemen as far as from Wilsons door to McNaught’s
Corner for about 20 minutes) we kept it going for about 5 minutes when I cry
got up again for beer.
The man who had got charge of that
motive power had got ‘jolly well drunk’ so ‘no beer’ was what Echo
answered to the cry; down went the buckets again and this engine had to
make off too, not for want of ‘willing hands’ as it afterwards turned out,
as I had taken a turn up to the precincts of the fire I found there were so
many anxious to help, ‘when it could be seen that they were doing any good’,
that the hose pipe of our little friend was lined on each side by a row of
earnest and devoted men heedless of the dangers which thickened around them,
determined to stand to their duty till daylight did appear.
There were at least 100 men holding
up the empty pipe for half an hour after the water man had resigned. I think
you would hardly have believed that of the Dumbartonians but it is true. The
paper says something of the efforts of the fire engines - it is all humbug. When
I went to my bed I saw a man pumping at a pump in the street the only
water supply which existed”.
The
letter closes with some general and personal comments.
Scans of the original letter
(note format of pages – p.4&1, then 2&3 etc.); click on thumbnails for
larger images:
Page 4, 1
Page 2,3
Page 8, 5
Page 6,7
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