From Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin 17–18 January [1876]

Dear mother.

I expect George here tomorrow morning and before I close this letter I hope to have seen him. It has been blowing pretty hard for a day or two and it is possible he wont come  Nothing particular has been going on here except a very pleasant picnic on Saturday last, at a new fort that has just been finished about 10 miles from here. It is one of the highest points on the Island and from the place they put the lunch table we could see the sea in almost every direction, and yet we were able to sit there comfortably without feeling cold, rather pitying you people at home. I think the grapes wer a little sour. I am going to put George up at our house but I dont know whether he will find it comfortable or not as at times we are a noisy lot.

Tuesday

George has arrived looking fairly well. He has had rather a rough crossing but was not as sea-sick as might have been expected and is now picking up after rather a bad week, brought on by cold weather on board the Sicily steamer. I have managed to make George very comfortable in our house, and it is certainly much nicer than a hotel as I shall so much more of him. We have just been taking a little stroll round some of the gardens in the town, which are looking bright and pleasant as it is a fine day, and the sun feels quite hot. I hope George will be up to riding a bit here as that is the only form of exercise he is likely to get, and the horses that one gets here are very fair for hired horses besides which there are several places quite worth seeing in the island. Tell Father that the price of a telegram here is 10/- for 20 words including address; but it rather excites my curiosity to know what he is thinking of. I am glad to hear of Horace's doings at Abinger, I think it will do him good, only he ought to have a little more of it. I am getting rather tired of dances here, as there is not quite variety enough about them, always the same people, and I am rather glad that I cant go to one tonight as George is here. Prince Arthur is coming here soon, and I suppose that will bring on a heap more dances and festivities of sorts.

Your affec son | Leonard Darwin