WCP1657

[Letter is from Herbert Edward Wallace to Richard Spruce]

[1]

Barra¹

March 15th²

Dear Sir

A Lodge is gained at last — here we are in a Barra!! —

"Here we work with Net and Trigger

By the famous river Nigger" (Watertown³)

oer whose mid-night waters never is heard the hum of the sanguinary Carapana⁴ —, where "sleep which knits up the ravelled sleeve of care"⁵ hath no intruder — by the by talking of sleep reminds me of "redes".⁶ All the "redes" in Barra possess a title — why? — Because they’re Barra-nets. This you may think far fetched, well! — I will own ‘tis rather distant. — [2] perhaps you would like one a little nearer — good — As we left "Obydos"⁷ remarking the woody aclivity⁸ [sic] on our right the following sublime comparative similitude burst forth spontaneously "Why is this hill, like a dead body running? — Because says I — but no you must really try to guess it; however I will enclose the answer to refer to in case of failure. — "Necessity is the Mother of Invention" this ancient and philosophical saying was brought to bear one afternoon, it being at tolerable warm day and my coat was off [3] being just returned from the chase with the gun upon my shoulder and the bag of shot by my side — perspiring dreadfully and wringing wet — it being about 4 bells — which there was no watermellon [sic] to be had at any price. —

"I’ll tax my invention says I

As I open’d the Portibelli⁹

Some treacle¹⁰ I poured into a flagon¹¹

Added water and found it was —

Water-"mel"-on

With best wishes for your health and success, and kind remembrance to Mr King¹² and Santarem [Santarém]¹³ friends,

I remain | Yours Respectfully | Edward Wallace¹⁴

[4] Because it’s a copse¹⁵ sloping away

Mr R. Spruce¹⁶