Page:Letters from India Vol 1.djvu/212

 him, and thought his doctor very fidgetty about him.

Tuesday, August 2. Sir H. Fane is much better. People here get into danger and out of danger in such a rapid manner, that it keeps one constantly on the alert. Government House, August 2. (Finished August 9, 1836.) —There are no ships going, from the ridiculous reason that none have come in, but I go on writing all the same. The overland despatch, which came in last week, has been a shocking blow to us—knocked us down flat. It had every merit that an overland mail should have; it came in less than two months from London to Calcutta—the first time such a thing has ever happened. It brought accounts that our arrival here was known the 3rd of June; it brought merchants’ answers to letters that were written only four months ago, but not a single line from any human being to us. ‘Ça casse bras et jambe,’ as Potier used to say; and from the stray