Galatz
7th October 1880
My dear Eugénie,
Many thanks for your letter of the 16th Sept. Charlotte will have told you she saw me in London the day we left on our return to Galatz. She & Polly came to see the children at Robert Gardiner’s rooms. We all met there as it was convenient for starting from being near Victoria Station. Just as we were leaving Hubert complained of not feeling well. He was rather sick morning, but not enough to do him good & he was not himself till we got to Buhic[?]. The children were very good on the journey, they were often awake at night to get into the trains but as soon as they could lie on the seat again they went off to sleep as quickly as if they had been in bed. We travelled from Monday morning till Tuesday night at 11pm. When we got to Buhic[?] & then we left Buhic[?] at 11 pm Wednesday night & got to Galatz Saturday morning at 2.25 am. Both Hubert & Harold wanted to go on the train again, they had not had enough, so you see they do not mind travelling. We lost all our luggage on the journey. It got sent to Russia & we had to wait nearly three weeks before it turned up. I was glad when we got it to find that nothing had been stolen. We were entirely without clothes as we had sent a good deal out by sea, so we were put to great straights. We have not yet got over things by now, but we expect them in ten days or a fortnight. We are hoping the ship will get through the Dardanelles before the new row with Turkey takes a definite shape. It is a good thing it will soon be winter. No one likes fighting when the weather is bad & it may help to induce all factions to come to an amicable agreement. It was very hot when we got back then we had rain & it got chilly. Now it is very warm again. We are sitting with the windows open although it is about 10°C at night.
We have reserved some photographs for you which we enclose, we have not many left. If you go to London you will see some others of the children, the big ones of Hubert & Harold are the best of all but they are all gone, although we had a good many of them.
I am glad Julius has had some shooting & hope he is well. Hubert sends love to Jack & Baby. He remembers all his cousins very well although he saw so many; they appear to have made a great impression on him. Harold is glad to be back in Galatz, but Hubert would like to be off to England again. I hear Father is back in Richmond again. I dare say you will see him, I have not heard much from Paris lately. I hope Ned has got back in good health from his holiday.
There is a good deal of illness about here, especially among the English – we have a friend close by with typhoid fever, but I hope he is going on alright. Baby is beginning to try to speak. She is very sharp & can make herself understood perfectly.
Florence has been very busy since we got back getting the house into order. We did not find it in a very satisfactory state, then we have new servants who are not particularly nice either, so she has not much time for writing & gets very tired by the evening.
I hope this will find you all well. With much love from us both
Believe me
Your affectionate brother
Fred
