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Letter to Ruth Mallory, from the S.S. Caledonia [P. & O. S. N. Co. Letterhead]

Brief Summary
Been inoculated against typhoid so couldn't do exercise. Discusses book by Baudouin. Refers to Ghandi's arrest and strikes.

Detailed Summary
Nearing end of voyage and he had rather enjoyed myself. He had been rising early and sitting alone in the early sun. He was inoculated against typhoid two days ago and so was debarred from such activities as Max Mullers, ‘My System’, skipping and running because they were too painful. He was wearing the old khaki silk shirt she gave him and mended the other day, my shorts, and a pair of gym shoes.

Wants more seasoned silence and collected meditation. Gives a detailed criticism of Baudouin’s book, discussing the law of reversed effort and its potential application to children. He was going to send her the book and suggests she carefully read the part about the practices of auto-suggestion and suggests they practice this with Clare [daughter] to help with her little troubles of competitiveness with other children. Was also sending her back The Revision of the Peace Treaty which was well worth reading - one could skip some of the figures.

He expected to be in Bombay the next morning and refers to Ghandi’s arrest. They had heard in Aden of a general strike on the railways. He missed seeing the papers. Comments on the Curzon affair.

It had been a fortnight since he had left and he supposed the flowers were blooming in their garden at home. Asks her to report on specific plants to him and mentions Clutton-Brock and Beagly. His next letter would be from Darjeeling and should be more interesting, though he didn't expect there would be much time for writing.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, written on board the S.S. Sardinia, on ‘P. & O.S.N. Co.’ letterhead

Brief Summary
Describes daily routine and exercise. Opinion of Port Said and Suez Canal.

Detailed Summary
It had been very hot since they had left Port Said and the air had been absolutely saturated until today when they had got out of the Red Sea. He was always moist and sticky and the nights especially seemed very stuffy.

Early morning was the most pleasant time of day. He had been doing gymnastic performances and a course of exercises prescribed by Muller. He tried to write before breakfast at 9am, and afterwards wrote in the smoking room. Before dinner at 7pm he pottered about with deck games. In the evening he generally played Bridge and had a stroll round the deck afterward. The time passed very easily and the only difficulty was getting sufficient sleep as it was too warm. The morning exercises were making a difference and he would arrive in India as fit as a fiddle. Doesn't think he will receive the mail delivered in Port Said at Aden and supposes he’ll receive mail at Darjeeling. If he could get out at Madras and take the train he could be in Darjeeling on the 9 May. They will soon arrive in Aden. Port Said was not in the least exciting and the Suez Canal was extremely dull. He had been bitten by mosquitos.

He couldn't send any Turkish Delight from Port Said because of some complication about a sugar duty.