To John Tyndall, Snr   Wednesday night, Dec. 30th, 1841.

Kinsale, Wednesday night | Dec. 30th, 1841.

My dear Father

I believe I promised you once that I would write to you weekly¹ no matter whether you wrote to me or not. Well here goes to redeem that pledge as I believe it’s more than a week since I last wrote. I have received nothing in the shape of a letter from you in the mean time, so that this will place you two in my debt.² The hope that you are waiting until you have some good news to communicate enables me to wait with patience.

I spent my Christmas very comfortably here. Tom Foy, a lad named Holmes and I dined together. Our establishment has undergone some alterations since Evans’s departure.³ Since I came to Kinsale I had Ginty lodging with me besides Evans and Tidmarsh. Foy in the mean time was lodging in the barracks. Well an order came that all the Sappers were to leave barracks to make room for some troops that were coming from Cork. Foy therefore had to seek lodgings elsewhere. He has taken a room in the same house with me⁴ and we all mess together. Holmes is living with him – he’s a nice quiet lad – and as far as Foy himself goes a better messmate I would not ask. He is very much changed since his imprisonment. The death of his wife⁵ has caused the poor fellow to become quite religious. So that he possesses all the good qualities that he possessed in Leighlin unattended by that wildness and love of sport which characterised him there; and when I speak of Foy’s good qualities I must say that they are many. I think however that we are not doomed to be long together; we will not be so in Kinsale at all events. We have got orders to prepare to be off to Cork in three weeks at the utmost. Sergeant Carey thinks we’ll go at the end of next week. Major Water’s confidential man⁶ was here yesterday, inspecting the office, and thro’ him the order came, so that I must soon be packing up my traps for the grand parade.

I was in Bandon⁷ on Sunday week, seeing Evans and Cuddy. They were very comfortably situated at the time, but since that I hear they have exchanged their lodgings for others still more comfortable. Bandon is a fine town, far very far superior to Kinsale. It’s lighted with gas.⁸ It’s a good smart walk from this to it. The roads on Sunday week were very heavy on account of it’s having snowed all day without intermission, so that I had a heavy jaunt trudging home on Sunday night

But I was near forgetting to tell you how I spent my Christmas day. I was at preaching in the morning at 6 o’clock then after breakfast got a gun and went out along with a friend of mine named Chadwick. We walked all day here and there and could scarcely get any thing. I had serious notions of wreaking my vengeance on an unfortunate little wren that sprung up before me now and again. In the evening we found ourselves a great way from home with empty bellies and empty pockets. We faced the road however, and before we got half way my companion began to wish for a cold potato or even a few skins he often said he would be glad to make his Christmas dinner on what he’d pick off a hat full of skins. I thought of the little child with the dirty nose that you robbed at Ballytarsna,⁹ and wished that fortune might throw such another in my way. My wishes were fruitless. We trudged on, getting more and more hungry. Hunger will break thro’ a stone wall, so that you must not be surprised when I tell you that I hit on the expedient of begging my way home. Accordingly I bowled up to the first cabin I met with a smiling – ‘Sews merra widh’¹⁰ I asked for something to eat, even a cold potato, but without success, and to the shame of hospitality be it told that I was refused in this manner in no less than a dozen places along the road. We at length hit on a place where we got two potatoes apiece and a wee bit of mutton and they enabled us to get home. Maybe I wouldn’t cut into the goose then!

I would feel thankful if you’d send me the paper containing the piece ‘Child of the North’ &c.¹¹ and if you be done with my first piece,¹² send it to me also.

I sent you the Times and Waterford Mail,¹³ did you get them?

I have not heard from Mr Conwill this long time. I cannot devine the reason of this. Ask him when you see him what have I done to merit this silence.

How are my mother and Emma? Give my love to both. I hope my mother is not fretting on account of my not being let home. I felt the disappointment as keenly as any one, but when I see things irrevocably fixed I find there is no use in repining. Instead of being dejected at such little mishaps, I for my part ought to feel thankful for what I enjoy – good health and strength. I have now been nearly three years on the Survey, and during that time I have never lost a single day thro’ sickness. So that I hope my mother when she considers this will not let light matters trouble her mind.

Good bye | Your affectionate son | John.

RI MS JT/1/10/3260–1

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