To Emma Tyndall   Saturday night, (21st Feb. 1841)

Youghal | Saturday¹ night

My dear Emma

Its almost an age since any thing in the shape of a letter has past between you and me, the blame of this does not rest with you – no – I acknowledge my transgression and like the prodigal son of old² I now return to a sense of my duty.

I however am not so much to blame as you may imagine. I would have written to you long before now had I not been prevented by circumstances, these circumstances the subsequent part of this letter will explain.³

On last Wednesday week I happened to go into the draftsmen’s room where I met Corpl Colder our present Superintendent. He handed me a written order which specified that the Parish of Killeagh⁴ was to be traced, examined on the ground, and drawn by me immediately.

This was quite unexpected by me. So I got the plan traced and on Thursday⁵ morning at about 11 o’clock I found myself in readiness to depart for the field. I slung my sketching case across my back and with my bundle in one hand and an immense stick in the other I sallied forth for the village of Mount Uniacke.⁶ I proceeded in this manner until I got outside Youghal, when I thought it more handy to carry my bundle in true traveller fashion. No sooner thought than done. Behold me now with my bundle on the end of my stick and my stick across my shoulder trudging along a miry road as happy as any little peddler⁷ boy in the kingdom; ever and anon striking up a lilt of a song in order the more effectually to drive dull care away. After travelling about 7 miles, I came in view of my place of destination – a comfortable sight truly for a fellow who was obliged to make it his quarters for some time – a group of huts whose mud walls and smoky thatch were in perfect consonance with the dreariness of the weather.

‘Shigintha Bierlagh’⁸ was pronounced by me several times and as often the unwelcome negative ‘ne Stiggum’⁹ was the reply, at length I was fortunate enough to meet with one who could jabber a little English. From her I learned where the Surveyors stopped. I went to the door, knocked, and was let into a domicile the floor of which was most fancifully stuccoed¹⁰ with countless footprints of pigs and poultry. Upon enquiry I found that the Surveyors had deserted the place about 6 weeks before. <words missing>¹¹ Having seen enough of the place to make me disgusted with it, I sallied forth once more in search of a better. At the opposite side of the road I saw an apology for a public house; into it I entered, called for a pint of beer, and while swallowing it spoke to the landlord about a bed. After sundry preliminaries which would do honour to a diplomatist when about to conclude a treaty, I agreed to become a lodger.

Here I must make a gap of 3 or 4 hours in my narrative at the end of which time behold me stuck at the right side of the hobstone¹² working with my fingers at a plate of parboiled¹³ cabbage with might and main.¹⁴ This was the gift of an old woman, and though I did not much relish it, yet I was afraid of offending the old lady if I refused. Shortly after I got an enormous dish of fat pork and some of the aforesaid greens the greater part of which was soon despatched by me, as at the time I think I would have graced the character of Esau and sold my birthright for a mess of pottage¹⁵ – hunger is an arbitrary monster.

Shortly after this feed I retired to bed which was a very comfortable one. The sheets, which in whiteness would rival Mont Blanc’s whitest coat,¹⁶ were well aired before they were put on the bed. So that in this most essential point my most sanguine expectations were exceeded.

Friday being a fine day I started early to my work, tugged away as hard as I was able until dusk. The shades of evening found me in a remote corner of my work and as hungry as a hawk. I however bent my course homewards, begged for a cold potato at half a dozen houses,¹⁷ but in vain, at length with a belly a perfect vacuum I met an old man who when he learned my condition requested me to go in and that he would get potatoes boiled for me. I declined his offer but succeeded in getting a drink of milk. I shall never say that the belly is a useless member after that evening, as the root sends the sap to the branches so did it when I had swallowed the milk convey such a vivifying influence to my legs that I bounded buck-like over hedge and ditch till I reached home.

Saturday being exceedingly wet, I did not stir out until about 2 o’clock, when I lapped¹⁸ an old India rubber¹⁹ which I had borrowed from Ginty about me and dashed off again to the ground. Having reached it, to my utter disappointment a tremendous shower commenced, and I had to seek the shelter of an old ditch where I remained as snug as a thrush lapped up in the cloak for a couple of hours. Here my mind took a wheel and I turned poet. Having rambled through the fields of imagination for a while, I began to think that if I did not substitute substance for shadow the night would likely overtake me in the situation that I have described, and so I commenced plodding the miry²⁰ fields of reality which I must say were strikingly contrasted with the flowery ways of fancy which a few moments before I had pictured to myself.

Nothing remarkable happened on Sunday excepting that we had mutton for dinner!!!!!

It would exhaust your patience to read all I could say respecting my recent pilgrimage in the field. Suffice it to add that I have returned to Youghal this day and am again comfortably reinstalled in my accustomed corner by the first side. I have however to sing the requiem of my old strong boots that Jem Walsh made me, my recent excursion proved a brain blow to the poor fellows.

This letter will I trust be some atonement for my former neglect it is nearly as long as half a dozen ordinary letter

Good night | Your affectionate brother | John Tyndall

What are you reading now?

I hear that we are going to remove to Cork on the 1st of April.²¹

Tell my father to write to me. He owes me a letter

Give my love to my mother I was a regular trooper on foot while I was out in the field.

RI MS JT/1/10/3207–9

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